An answers “Would this book be appropriate for a...”

Jennifer asked this question about The Hate U Give (The Hate U Give, #1):

Would this book be appropriate for a middle schooler? Language? Sexuality?

An No. Absolutely not an appropriate book due to the almost constant profanity by itself. The sexual content is just as bad. Middle schoolers in particul…moreNo. Absolutely not an appropriate book due to the almost constant profanity by itself. The sexual content is just as bad. Middle schoolers in particular should not be subjected to this book as an assignment from class. I understand that they hear the F word all the time at school in the halls or what not, but does that make it ok to assign them to read this extreme vulgarity that is so pervasive throughout? Our family does not speak like that, nor do we condone it.
Quite honestly, I cannot believe that my young son was assigned to read the lewd content about a 16 year old girl with her boyfriend, fooling around. He puts his hand in her shorts and “gets her going” to the point where he pulls out a condom, but she isn’t ready to “go all the way,” so she leaves “pissed and horny.” (Page 81)
Is this the content we want for our middle schoolers, seriously??!!
Wow, just wow.
I am shocked and flabbergasted that middle schoolers are assigned this book.
It’s ironic that one of the key points of the book in itself relates to the acronym THUG LIFE. My point being: The Hate U Give Little Infants *****Everybody.
Why it’s ironic is because giving extreme profanity and inappropriate sexual content as an assignment to young children will destroy morals.
There are so many other books that children can learn from about the injustices of racism.
This book was assigned reading at my son’s public middle school.

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Jaclyn I agree with you An. I feel there are other book options and this book would have been so much better without the excessive profanity. It's unfortunat ...more
Jan 21, 2021 06:36PM · flag

Lily Pearl It's interesting to me that you glossed over the part where Starr said no to the offer for sex. You dismiss an entire inner narrative where Starr refl ...more
Dec 12, 2021 10:51AM · flag

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