The Final YARP Book

The final YARP book has arrived, and I can't say I'm surprised it took longer to get here, what with the controversy that seems to surround it. This final book is designated as high school, but many have stated it's good for ages 13+, so borderline middle school would probably also like this one.

(As you all should know, I'm not only the librarian at this school, but also the study hall monitor. With it being Homecoming week here, and our schedule is all askew, things are a bit more hectic than normal in this room. That being said, I really want to get this last book posted, for the sake of time, sanity, and less distraction, I'm cheating this summary by just copy/pasting the book synopsis. ;) )

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (Realistic Fiction)

Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.

Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.

But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.