Black Lives Matter: Community Read, Week 3

This week’s selection for the Overdrive/Libby Black Lives Matter Community Read is a fiction title, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.

Published in 2017, The Hate U Give is eerily relevant to the May 25 death of George Floyd, and the national protests that followed.

Black teen Starr Carter is caught between two worlds; the mostly-white suburban college prep academy she attends, and the poor urban neighborhood where she lives.  Fully at home in neither, Starr is forced to confront the realities of her divided life when she sees her childhood friend Khalil shot to death by police.

Will speaking out help bring justice for unarmed Khalil, or will it destroy the lives of Starr and her family?

A New York Times bestseller and a Coretta Scott King Honor Book, The Hate U Give is a Young Adult/High School fiction title that adults will also find gripping. The book vividly captures Starr’s worlds, especially her neighborhood. While the presence of R-rated language may give parents of some younger readers pause, the story and its courageous young heroine will provide a valuable starting point for family discussions about racism, poverty, and white privilege.

AAPLD cardholders can access The Hate U Give in a variety of formats, including ebook, downloadable audiobook , print , CD audiobook. We also have copies of the 2019 film. Click on the links to download the item to your device, or to place a hold for curbside pick-up.

New to Overdrive and Libby? Learn more about how to use them here.

AAPLD is proud to be part of the BLM Community Read, and encourage our patrons to add an anti-racism title to their summer reading. The series concludes next week, be sure to check back to learn more about the featured title.