From the Mouths of Babes: The Hate U Give

I’m taking a different approach with my post this week. Rather than take up space with my own words, I thought I’d share something more meaningful: a conversation I had with my teen son about a text he’s passionate about. Let me preface this by saying that my son has been an avid reader since he could prop himself up and read hardboard baby books. Thanks to pandemic-induced malaise and a rising interest in video games, particularly as a means to connect with quarantined friends during the pandemic, he’s unfortunately been reading less. That makes this recounting all the more poignant.

When my son was in seventh grade last year, I observed him reading The Hate U Give. We chatted about the text for a few minutes then before he asked me to let him get back to reading it. We resumed our conversation about Angie Thomas’ book recently when he caught me reading it.

(Son) You’re reading that, Mom? It’s such a good book.

(Me) I forgot you read that last year. How did the teacher teach the book? What sorts of things did you do in class with it?

(Son) We didn’t have to read the book for class. I just read it by myself.

(Me) Oh, that’s great! What was it about the book that made you want to read it?

(Son) The movie came out and was getting good reviews—and the book came out in 2016 or 2017, I think—so I thought it would be good to read. Plus, the author makes her characters really interesting, like people you want to get to know. Well, some of them, anyway.

(Me) What did you think about the book?

(Son) I really liked it. It’s so, so good. I felt like Starr’s family is a lot like most people’s families… there’s a lot about the people in the book that we can relate to. Also, it’s crazy that the book basically predicted George Floyd’s murder.

(Me) And Philando Castile’s and so many others, right? Also, reading about Starr’s friend from growing up, Natasha—the one who was killed in a drive-by--that made me think about the children in Minneapolis who were killed by gunfire this spring. I cannot stop picturing their images. The more time that passes, the less likely it is that justice will be served. And it doesn’t make any sense. This isn’t just a Minneapolis issue, either.

(Son) [Pauses reflectively] Yeah. That’s why I feel like it’s a book everyone should read.

(Me) Is that because for some of us, many things about Starr’s world may be unfamiliar? Like, we need to learn more about each other and find ways to understand and connect with each other?

(Son) [Pauses reflectively again] I think so. Definitely.

I was about to ask him what other impactful books should students read, for school or for fun, but by then he’d tired of my questions and wanted to move onto other topics. (He’s simultaneously passionate about advising my on my future teaching and exhausted by my interest in his own educational experiences.)

The bottom line: Some books people read because they have to. Others they read because they want to. As my son aptly notes, The Hate U Give is a “need to” read that will help students explore connections across humanity and their own roles in this world and the ways they can make a difference. And, quite importantly, the majority will see the reading and reflecting as a valuable use of their time, energy, and thought.