What to read after The Hate U Give

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas is a timely realistic young adult novel that deals with race and police brutality.  I can't keep a copy in my library, and I've gotten 5 copies to try to keep up with the demand!  

Especially with the release of the movie adaptation, students are excited to read this book, so I thought I would try to help these students find additional books that they might like just as much!  

I wanted to make sure to include some nonfiction books as well as fiction books, so here is this Library Lady's list of 8 books to read after The Hate U Give! 

1. March Forward, Girl: From Young Warrior to Little Rock Nine by Melba Pattillo Beals.  Melba Pattillo was one of the nine students chosen to integrate Little Rock's Central High School.  This new memoir tells her story, and the story of living in the Jim Crow-era, in a completely accessible format to young adult readers.
   
2. Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom: My Story of the 1965 Selma Voting Rights March by Lynda Blackmon Lowery.  This memoir tells the story of Lynda Blackmon  Lowery, who was jailed nine times before she turned 15!  She was the youngest person in the march from Selma to Montgomery in 1965.  This book is a great read for young adults, as it proves that you are never too young to make a difference!  
   
3. All American Boys by Jason Reynolds.  This engaging read about police brutality is told from alternating points of view - Rashad, a black teenager who is the victim of police brutality, and Quinn, a white teenager who witnesses it.  
   
4. Dear Martin by Nic Stone.  This book is similar to That Hate U Give in a lot of ways.  One of the major differences is that it is set in Atlanta, Georgia.  I found that being set in the south affected the story and it also made it easier for me to connect with, as I was born and raised in Georgia.  I have recommended this to many students and this one is also difficult for me to keep on the shelves!
   
5. Piecing Me Together by Renée Watson.  This book explores the issues of race and economic class from a female's point of view.  It explores the issues of privilege and assumptions that educators have about "at-risk" students. 
   
6. How it Went Down by Kekla Magoon.  This book follows the shooting of a young black teenager by a white man.  The chapters alternate among different members of the community as they work through what happened.  
   
7. American Street by Ibi Zoboi. This book follows the story of Fabiola, a young Haitian immigrant and her American cousins in Detroit.  As she tries to figure out this new life, she must balance her Haitian identity with the new neighborhood she finds herself in. 
   
8. Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes.   This is an EXCELLENT book - I read it in one sitting, and I think it would be a great book for middle school students as well as high school students.  In this book, a young African-American boy is killed by a policeman while playing with a toy gun and the story is told from his point of view as a ghost.  The only person who can see him after he has died is the daughter of the police officer who shot him.  He also interacts with the ghost of Emmett Till to understand the issue of historical racism.  It is a very well-written book and one I will definitely recommend to students!   
   

If you liked this list, see them on my Amazon page with even more to choose from!  

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