Written by Angie Thomas

Reviewed by Julia Marlin (2020-2021)

Starr Carter is just a 16-year-old girl trying to navigate her identity. Depending on where she goes, she walks a fine line between being perceived as too Black or not Black enough. At Williamson Prep, the White-majority private high school she and her brother attend across town, Starr must become “Williamson Starr,” who always uses correct grammar, no “hood-slang,” and doesn’t have outward opinions on any controversial topics. Back home in her underserved neighborhood called Garden Heights, Starr takes equal care not to sound too proper, to try to blend in with the neighborhood kids as best she can, and definitely to keep her White boyfriend Chris a secret from her father. Girl is queen of the code-switch.

“Garden-Heights Starr” is privy to the conversations around systemic racism and oppression that are common topics in her community. Her childhood best friend Khalil explains to her Tupac’s concept of “Thug Life,” that the words are an anagram for “The Hate U Give Little Infants Fucks Everyone,” highlighting the systemic cycle of hate that keeps Black people oppressed in America.

Starr works hard to keep her two worlds separate, that is until Khalil is shot and killed by a police officer in front of her. Traumatized and grieving but alive, Starr must face the different responses to the murder of Khalil in her two worlds. In Garden Heights, the citizens rally in the streets for Justice for Khalid, while at Williamson Prep, students use a walk-out for Khalil as an excuse to get a free period. The media spin of Khalil paints him as a thug, not as the three-dimensional young boy Starr knew and loved. And no one in either world knows Starr was witness to the murder. But being the only witness means her voice could have an impact if she decides to use it.

It’s clear why Angie Thomas received so many awards for The Hate U Give. Starr and the worlds she occupies feel so real and multifaceted, and while most of Starr’s experience in this book provides a window for me, I think most readers could find parts of Starr that are mirrors to themselves. Starr makes multiple references to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Harry Potter, is a “sneakerhead,” and has some hilarious fights with her little brother. The inner processing of her grief and her navigation of her identity is complex and honest. 

Thomas is not here to present a one-sided story of any kind. Starr’s uncle is a cop, in fact, he knew the cop who killed Khalil. Starr’s father owns a convenience store in the danger-path of getting looted during the nightly protests. As is representative of real life, the conversations around these topics are challenging and the differing perspectives contain a lot of nuance.

The Hate U Give provides endless angles for discussion in a classroom. Any unit connecting to action, justice, or identity would find itself directly aligned in theme to this book. Starr is 16, and some of her experiences with her boyfriend are a little more than PG-13, so a preview and perhaps alteration or omission of a few sections might be necessary for a read-aloud to older elementary or middle school grades. But that should not deter a teacher from choosing this book as a read-aloud or central text in a unit.