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Angie Thomas

Angie Thomas

Angie Thomas is a Mississippi-born author whose young-adult novels center Black teenagers finding voice amid racism, poverty, family pressure, and community responsibility. Hip-hop shapes both her storytelling practice and the musical energy of her Garden Heights books; her later Nic Blake series brings Black history and folklore into middle-grade fantasy.

Photo: Photo Credit © Imani Khayyam · Source: Press Kit — Angie Thomas ↗

Titles3
Editions6
Adaptations2
Media8
Years covered2017–2021

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Cover of The Hate U Give

The Hate U Give

2017 · Contemporary

2 editions: Print · 2018 | eBook · 2017

1 adaptation: The Hate U Give · Film · 2018

About this work & edition details

8 starred reviews · Goodreads Choice Awards Best of the Best · William C. Morris Award Winner · National Book Award Longlist · Printz Honor Book · Coretta Scott King Honor Book · #1 New York Times Bestseller! "Absolutely riveting!" —Jason Reynolds "Stunning." —John Green "This story is necessary. This story is important." —Kirkus (starred review) "Heartbreakingly topical." —Publishers Weekly (starred review) "A marvel of verisimilitude." —Booklist (starred review) "A powerful, in-your-face novel." —Horn Book (starred review) 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. Want more of Garden Heights? Catch Maverick and Seven’s story in Concrete Rose, Angie Thomas's powerful prequel to The Hate U Give. Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, this story about one girl’s struggle for justice is more timely and important than ever. But in a world determined to silence her, what will speaking out cost? A Powerful Coming-of-Age Story: Starr Carter must learn to bridge her two worlds—the poor, black neighborhood she calls home and the wealthy, predominantly white prep school she attends. Inspired by Black Lives Matter: An unflinching and unforgettable look at police brutality after Starr becomes the sole witness to the fatal shooting of her childhood friend, Khalil. A Reluctant Activist: Facing pressure from her community and intimidation from law enforcement, Starr must decide whether speaking her truth is worth the risk to her and her family. An Authentic & Unforgettable Voice: Hailed as a modern classic, this award-winning novel is told with raw honesty, humor, and heart, making it a must-read for teens and adults alike.

Print · HarperCollins · 2018 · English

eBook · HarperCollins · 2017 · English

Cover of On the Come Up

On the Come Up

2019 · Contemporary

2 editions: Print · 2019 | eBook · 2019

1 adaptation: On the Come Up · Film · 2022

About this work & edition details

This is the highly anticipated second novel by Angie Thomas, the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling, award-winning "The Hate U Give". Sixteen-year-old Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. Or at least get some streams on her mixtape. As the daughter of an underground rap legend who died right before he hit big, Bri's got massive shoes to fill. But when her mom unexpectedly loses her job, food banks and shut-off notices become as much a part of her life as beats and rhymes. With bills piling up and homelessness staring her family down, Bri no longer just wants to make it--she has to make it. On the Come Up is Angie Thomas's homage to hip hop, the art that sparked her passion for storytelling and continues to inspire her to this day. It is the story of fighting for your dreams, even as the odds are stacked against you; of the struggle to become who you are, and not who everyone expects you to be; and of the desperate realities of poor and working class black families. Brilliant, insightful, full of heart, this novel is another modern classic from one of the most influential literary voices of a generation

Print · Thorndike Press Large Print · 2019 · English

eBook · Thorndike Press Large Print · 2019 · English

Cover of Concrete Rose

Concrete Rose

2021 · Contemporary

2 editions: Print · 2024 | eBook · 2022

About this work & edition details

Maverick Carter is the son of a gang leader and already feels the weight of that inheritance when he learns that he has become a father. Raising his child gives him a reason to leave dealing and build a different life, but the expectations and dangers surrounding him do not disappear. After someone he loves is murdered, Maverick must decide whether revenge, loyalty, and the future he wants for his family can coexist.

Print · Youth Large Print · 2024 · English

eBook · Youth Large Print · 2022 · English

Podcasts & Discussion (5)

News & Coverage (3)

More About Angie Thomas

Angie Thomas was born and raised in Mississippi and now lives in Atlanta. She has described rappers as major literary influences, explaining that hip-hop offered stories about young people like her when books often did not. That connection between written narrative and music runs through work concerned with who gets heard, how Black teenagers are perceived, and how voice can become a form of agency.

The Hate U Give, On the Come Up, and Concrete Rose share the fictional Garden Heights but follow distinct young people confronting police violence, economic precarity, gang pressure, family ties, and expectations about Black identity. Professional reviews have emphasized Thomas's ability to join social realities with nuanced relationships, humor, lyrical energy, and a strong sense of community.

Thomas later moved into middle-grade fantasy with Nic Blake and the Remarkables, a series shaped by Black history and folklore. Her work has also crossed into film and production: The Hate U Give and On the Come Up became feature films, she produced the latter, and her official biography says she is writing and producing a forthcoming Nic Blake adaptation.

Screen & Stage

The Hate U Give

Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Now, facing pressure from all sides of the community, Starr must find her voice and stand up for what's right.

Film · 2018 · Released
On the Come Up

Story centers on 16-year-old Bri, who wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. Facing controversies and with an eviction notice staring down her family, Bri doesn't just want to make it, she has to make it.

Film · 2022 · Released

Genres

Links

Sources

  1. Angie Thomas — official website ↗
  2. Angie's Story ↗
  3. Books by Angie Thomas ↗
  4. Film & TV — Angie Thomas ↗
  5. Press Kit — Angie Thomas ↗
  6. Angie Thomas press-kit portrait by Imani Khayyam ↗
  7. The Hate U Give — ALA award record ↗
  8. 2018 Morris Award ↗
  9. First Draft Episode #285: Angie Thomas ↗
  10. Best-selling author Angie Thomas talks new coming-of-age novel, Concrete Rose ↗
  11. How TLC's Left Eye Helped Save The Hate U Give Author Angie Thomas' Life ↗
  12. Angie Thomas' New Prequel to The Hate U Give Challenges the Cult of Masculinity ↗
  13. The Hate U Give — Kirkus Reviews ↗
  14. On the Come Up — Kirkus Reviews ↗
  15. Interview: Angie Thomas Wants To 'Mirror' Young, Black Readers ↗
  16. Episode 1: Lainie Thomas ↗
  17. 8.20 Masters of Maryland: Angie Smith and Thomas Prock Spill The Beans ↗
  18. 'Long Way Down' and 'The Hate U Give' are modern classics about gun violence ↗
  19. Angie Thomas, Tiffany D. Jackson & Ashley Woodfolk Talk Breakout ↗