Seniors Read Banned Books -- "The Hate You Give," by Angie Thomas

This month's banned book selection is "The Hate You Give," by Angie Thomas.

What might a young black female author from Jackson, Mississippi, have to say about her world in this, her debut novel? 

Actually, quite a bit in this gentle story about a 16-year-old high school student, Starr Carter, who lives in the lower-income black area of the city, but attends the fancier school in the tonier white suburb. The uneasy balance between these worlds was shattered when Starr witnessed the fatal shooting of her childhood friend, Khalil, by a police officer at a traffic stop. Starr was a passenger in the car and Khalil was unarmed. Will she testify as a witness to the shooting?

The book was a commercial success, debuting at number one on The New York Times young adult best-seller list, where it remained for 50 weeks. It won several awards and received critical praise, but because of its content and story line it became one of the most challenged books of 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2021.