London Book Release Event for #thehateugive
Last week I had the opportunity to attend one of the U.K book release event for "The Hate U Give," the New York Times Bestseller by African-American author Angie Thomas. The Hate U Give is about sixteen-year-old Starr, who lives in two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she was born and raised and her posh high school in the suburbs. The uneasy balance between them is shattered when Starr is the only witness to the fatal shooting of her unarmed best friend, Khalil, by a police officer. Now what Starr says could destroy her community. It could also get her killed.
Wyck Godfrey and Mary Bowen’s Temple Hill and State Street are producing “The Hate U Give” into a movie. George Tillman Jr. will direct from a script by Audrey Wells.
During the event, Thomas spoke about how she was inspired to write the book based on the events happening in her own life and especially the police brutality in America. She also candidly discussed the lack of diversity in the publishing industry and how difficult it is for children to see themselves represented in literature. I'm inspired by Angie's work as a new writer. She definitely reinforced my desire to become a storyteller.
I know I promised to read 7 books this year but I have to add this one to the 2017 reading list.
~Signed Chantal Victoria — Writer, Publisher, and Academic.
This book is captivating, unique, and forces you to assess why the characters make difficult choices that shape the course of their lives.