Spring 2019, Wild Readers 5 discussion

For my very first book review I decided to ready "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas. This book has by far been one of the most impactful and relatable book that I have recently read. Starr is one of the strongest teenagers who I admire. From a very young age she began to experience the horrific environment of living in a “ghetto” hometown. This relates to my childhood because I also grew up in a city in Los Angeles, in which robbery, assault, and drive by’s were normal. The book also talks about one of the most important topics, police brutality. Khalil, one of Starr’s childhood friends was a victim of this. This event was the reason why Starr’s parents had moved her to a “white people” school. She had witnessed a similar incident when she was younger that had traumatized her and now, the wound had been reopened. After Khalil had been brutally killed by a white cop, Starr was scared to speak up and fight for justice. The reason she was scared was because people would freak out and she was not wrong. Testifying against the cop who shot Khalil created chaos in town. The book gives out an important message to the reader which is that a parent knows why they decide to make decisions for their children. Starr’s dad was an ex-gang member and learned from his mistakes. Due to what he had experienced he only wanted to keep his children safe. The kids in her hometown who judged her did not understand and that is why Starr felt like she had to live a double life.