My New Friend, "CONCRETE ROSE" by Angie Thomas

 

Me and my new friend, Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas

Hi. I'm Bobby Keniston, and my only friends are books. Don't feel bad about that. Books always got my back. 

And today, I'd like to introduce you to my new friend, Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas. Published in 2021, Concrete Rose  is a companion piece to Thomas's brilliant The Hate U Give. I say companion piece, though one would be correct to call it a prequel--- I just truly think people should read The Hate U Give first.  

HOW I MET MY NEW FRIEND

Like so many other humans, I read The Hate U Give and was blown away by the writing, the characters, and, of course, the importance of the topic. When I heard Angie Thomas had written a book about Maverick Carter, the father of Starr Carter from Hate, I knew I had to check it out. Maverick is a great father to Starr, and while we learn somewhat about his past in Hate, it is a whole new experience to go through the events of his life with him in this first-person narrative as he navigates the rough waters of being seventeen, a reluctant gang member, and a young father. 

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT MY NEW FRIEND

Angie Thomas proves once again that she is a master of creating a compelling first-person narrative voice, as well as humanizing characters that many people would simply leave as stereotypes. In this book, she also evokes a precise sense of time and place. 

It is so easy for us --- especially white politicians is seems---- to condemn the choices of poor communities populated by people of color. These same people making judgements project expectations, and label people as though they were nothing but a product to sort. What Thomas does with Maverick is give a us a very human view of what causes the desperation that leads to choices that others so easily judge with a dismissive wave of the hand. Thomas show us how society creates the very mold of these stereotypes and willingly shoves a large portions of the population into it.

In many ways, this story is about Maverick Carter starting to believe he has worth, starting to believe he does not have to fulfill the expectations that the outside world has thrust upon him. We see him understand what it means to become a father, even as a teenager, and how that gives him a sense of purpose. We see his reaction to death and tragedy, and to the hope from those willing to give him a chance. 

FINAL TAKEAWAYS

Go to the bookstore, or your local library, and pick up both The Hate U Give and Concrete Rose and read them back to back. Both books are likely to be challenged in several areas of our United States, which should tell you just how important it is to read them. 

Thank, Angie Thomas, for using your gifts to change the world one reader at a time.