In the book The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, Starr Carter is a 16 year old black girl, living in the Garden Heights ghetto. Garden Heights is filled with gangs, drug lords, and criminals. Though everyone may not get along, there is one unspoken rule that everyone follows: No snitching. Starr has two worlds: her fancy private school life, with all the rich white kids, and her hood life in Garden Heights with her family and tight-knit, mostly black community. When Starr witnesses her life long best friend from the hood, Khalil, get shot and killed by white police officer, Starr’s life is turned upside down and the balance between her two worlds is shattered. Not only does Starr have to deal with the trauma everyday by seeing it on TV and hearing everyone’s personal opinions; she also has to keep the secret that she is the witness. She has to decide whether to maintain her reputation she’s worked so hard for, or get justice for Khalil by finding her voice and standing up for what’s right.

This powerful book contains lessons of community, loyalty, and self-identity. It also touches on very controversial topics such as racism and police brutality. The purpose of this story is to help others understand issues such as racism from a different perspective. In this book, we are able to see inside the mind of a teenage girl who struggles with internal issues that a lot of people do not have to deal with. This story causes readers to have empathy and see what it’s like to struggle as a person of color, and be treated differently because of it. This is the best book I have ever read. I am not usually a big reader, but I finished this in a number of days, and it is my favorite book. It tugs at your heartstrings and causes you to want to go out and make a difference, and stand up for what you believe in. I would 100% recommend this book to anyone and everyone. The complete heartbreak that Starr goes through, and her amazing journey and accomplishments because of it will inspire you.