Starr Carter is a girl who occupies two worlds and feels sometimes like two people. She lives in the “ghetto” but attends a suburban prep school where there are only 3 other black kids. One night she attends a neighborhood party and meets up with an old friend, Khalil. On the way home, they are stopped by a police officer who shoots and kills unarmed Khalil. The shooting is national news and Starr is the only witness. It becomes apparent pretty quickly that the police want to make Khalil out to be a drug-dealing thug and not do much investigating. This inflames the community turning the neighborhood into a war zone. What happened that night? What did Starr see? Starr’s testimony is powerful enough to destroy her community and make her a target? What is she going to say? The Hate U Give is a powerful read that incorporates serious themes such as racism and police violence through great writing and honesty. A must read.