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Announcements > Win! A Copy of The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

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message 301: by Meg (new)

Meg | 1 comments Because it educates those from a different walk of life on something they would never otherwise be exposed to. It puts the reader into Starr's shoes and makes them realize what is happening in the world. Education is one step closer to change.


message 302: by Samantha (new)

Samantha | 3 comments I am in the process of reading The Hate U Give and I keeping comparing it back to my teenage years reading Judy Blume's Tiger Eyes and Are you There God? It's Me Margaret. I believe this book is important because it is essentially Judy Blume for the modern teen. Race is an important issue and obviously at the forefront from the book, but this book opens the conversation for to so many other issues, such as a teen's struggle for their identity, gun violence, gangs, mental health. I believe this book is important because it is all encompassing.


message 303: by Chase (new)

Chase | 4 comments I think this is important because we need to continue the conversation about and class in this country and how it is affecting the justice system as well as how it is affecting all aspects of our lives. It's not just the justice system, but the medical system is also full of systemic racism.


message 304: by Anne (new)

Anne | 1 comments The subject matter is important because it's relevant and misunderstood. It's important because every person should be treated with respect and dignity.


message 305: by Anni (new)

Anni This book is important to read now because this is a sensitive matter and we need to treat people fairly regardless of their race.


message 306: by Fernanda (new)

Fernanda | 2 comments I think to really understand what other people feel and suffer is important to put yourself in someone else's shoes, and this book will help it that, providing us with the point of view of african-americans who suffer with police violence.


message 307: by Jenn (new)

Jenn Michelson The concept of police as we have it came out of slavery and the preservation of slave systems. the police system is therefore inherently racist and meant to protect property owners.

Books like the hate U give are fighting racism and are a important voice that needs to be heard. As voices are being extinguished (NFL players are one example) its important to protect voices.


message 308: by Briony (new)

Briony (naiadra) | 58 comments For two reasons -

1. In a world where people seem to feel social media activisim (i.e. clicking and sharing) is enough to make a change, I think its important to revisit making changes and what activisim truly is.

2. In a post-truth, fake news era where people try to pretend racism is a thing of the past but hatred is being bred every day by the media and politicians, it is more vital than ever that people talk about race and try to tackle this systemic issue, but beyond that recognising the conversation goes beyond simply race and skin colour - class, identity, justice, social behaviour and sense of self are all important topics that intersect here, and I can't wait to read this book to get a better insight and understanding.


message 309: by Carrie (new)

Carrie (cacoomasi) | 1 comments We must keep these issues at the forefront so that they are no longer ignored or swept under the rug. Education is key!


message 310: by Tori (new)

Tori DeSouza (torishayyy) | 5 comments The Hate U Give sheds light on a crucial issue within the United States regarding racism and police violence against African American people. This book will spark even more conversation about this and hopefully lead to further activism against such issues. It is especially relevant now in order to prevent the loss of more innocent lives at the hands of police. Moreover, activism is key and it must continue despite the resistance that has occurred (i.e. the NFL stating that kneeling protests during the national anthem will lead to consequences for players).


message 311: by Laura (new)

Laura | 3 comments This book is important to read right now to understand the relationship between kids who are minorities and the police. A better understanding of that relationship could lead to insight into how to begin to repair it.


message 312: by Rafaella (new)

Rafaella (freeblacklover) | 4 comments I may not live in a country where there is a big African American population but I know this for sure: African Americans may have gained legally equal rights but there is still a lot of discrimination against them. It is even worse when the prejudice sources from the authorities of the country like the police. Therefore, in order to solve that social problem it is essential that it becomes widely known. The book The Hate U Give does exactly that:poses the problem and starts a discussion about it, which will essentially lead to the solution. And this is why it so important to be read.


message 313: by meli (new)

meli (melikereads) Police brutality has been one of the biggest problems in the last few years. Countless innocent black people have lost their lives because of it. However, despite all these killings, no policeman has ever suffered the consequences of his actions. The events are on the news for a couple days and then they are replaced by something else. In addition to this, the victim is blamed because of bias and racism. This is the reality of our world and THUG mirrors it perfectly. What it also does is to show that reality from the point of view of someone who knows a victim of police brutality. Because even if the news stop talking about it and the public moves on, it is a lot harder for the friends and family of the victim to do so. THUG makes you feel this. It makes you feel all the hurt and anger Starr is feeling on top of your own hurt and anger. It makes you realise even more how unjust black people are treated and how privileged people can literally get away with murder. THUG also illustrates the aspect as to why the Black Lives Matter movement began and what it is about. These are all very significant things to understand and THUG gives the reader a very good base for it and makes them want to educate themselves even further. For these reasons, it is crucial that this book is read.


message 314: by Gemma (new)

Gemma Young Education of this is important to help people understand


message 315: by Marta (new)

Marta Correia (martacorreia) Many people believe discrimination based on skin colour is a thing of the past. Truth is: It isn't! This book tells a story, a story that represents the lives of so many people living today. Its importance lies exactly on how real and representative it is, it is a reminder for some, an eye opener for others, extremely important for all! Change lies fundamentally on education and knowledge, but sometimes an "emotional trigger" is necessary to push it further. This book adds that emotional connection to the rest - it makes the difference!


message 316: by Karen (last edited May 29, 2018 12:58PM) (new)

Karen Tillis (karennerdgoddess) | 3 comments This book was the first book I chose to read this year and is actually how I found Our Shared Shelf! This book touches on so many important and relevant topics in the U.S. with respect to prejudice, privilege, injustice, racism, etc.

What struck me immediately was that the voice of the main character, a Black teenage high school student, was so incredibly relatable and believable. Thankfully the younger generation seems to be acutely more aware of the systemic racism and mistreatment of people of color in this country, so books geared toward this generation will hopefully spark discussion with family and friends.


message 317: by Hannah (new)

Hannah Juras | 3 comments It's important because of the perspective. It gives a voice to young people, and forces the older generations to see through the up-coming generations!
The perspective is honest and raw on the systemic racism.
The parallels to our current cultural context are IMPORTANT.
This book bridges a way for conversation AND CHANGE


message 318: by Georgina (new)

Georgina Phillips (georginaphi) | 6 comments I feel most people who have hard about the BlackLivesMatter have an opinion on the matter and don't really explore it further. People often see these stories as statistics and not human stories. This is the power of literature - providing people an empathetic space to explore how someone else might live, might think, might die, might survive.


message 319: by Jocelyn (new)

Jocelyn | 2 comments Police Violence against African Americans is far too commonplace in today's society. It's disgusting and shameful. My hope is books like this one will help to engage even more people in the conversation and bring accountability to the police officers as well as an end to the murder of African Americans by police officers.


message 320: by Gintare (new)

Gintare | 1 comments this book is important to read now because the communities that have been affected by police brutality are finding their voice now to speak out against this. it is important for the person that is unlikely to be found in this situation to understand why people are protesting and to possibly put them in the shoes of those living the horror.


message 321: by Alyssa (new)

Alyssa | 2 comments As a former middle school and high school English teacher, I think this book is important for a number of reasons. I think that it is important for young adults to not only see themselves in a book, but to see the problems that they face in real life talked about so openly and honestly. YA fiction is a wonderful genre, but it doesn’t often offer accurate representation of what these students go through on a daily basis. We as a society need to make sure that all of our youth is represented within the literature we teach. This book, The Hate U Give, is a fantastic example of something that can not only teach students literary elements, but also foster deep discussions and lessons about life- all while reflecting the harsh reality that so many students face. It lets students know that their problems are seen and that their problems are real.


message 322: by Flavia (new)

Flavia | 2 comments I don’t know why, sometimes, we still need to put a light on topics like this one, that should be always in the front line... I think that, nowadays, it’s important to read books like this one and share your your thoughts with everyone!


message 323: by Sudi (new)

Sudi (sudid) This books talks about the most horrible race related crime that is happening in the country right now, that fact that people are still making such drastic assumptions based on race which have proven fatal to black people. The recent case being the shooting of stephen clark, who was shot at 20 times just because he was holding a phone. Gun violence has reached a point where it should not be tolerated anymore. The police should have to repent for killing an innocent person and the rules clearly need to changed. Because if this goes on america will revert to history and prove there have been no change in the way black people are viewed in society 


message 324: by Sam (new)

Sam This book is an accessible social and political commentary based on the here and now, not in hindsight, and can teach young people and adults who read it to relate to others, to see past stereotypes and will hopefully allow people to change their actions and attitudes while there is still time to make a change that will influence and affect people's lives now.


Ellen/MoonlitStories (ellen_moonlitstories) | 1 comments I think the world has become so connected (through travel but also social media) and still we’ve never been more divided. This book offers the opportunity to look into the life of another person who you may not have a lot in common with (as a white person who lives in a safe country, this is certainly the case for me). I hope that through reading this book, more people realise that we DO have more in common than we might think: the love for our family and friends, insecurities and passions. It’s a book that unites people. And that’s so important!


message 326: by Liz (new)

Liz (egrubb34) | 1 comments This book is important because we all need to understand things from everyone’s perspectives and understand how people take the same thing many different ways. It should bring us together.


message 327: by Tia (new)

Tia Bullock (tialaurynn) | 3 comments Police brutality is dismissed way too often. The problem is people don’t care until they’re the ones experiencing it, otherwise they see it as not their problem. I feel like this book can help readers experience this tragedy from a perspective as if it’s affecting their life and can help open their eyes to the issues African Americans face with inequality and injustice.


message 328: by Julia (new)

Julia (juliaunabridged) | 2 comments I have not read the book yet but it is at the top of my to read list because of what I’ve heard about it in terms of its relevance and importance today. In our day and age in America, it is still shocking the intolerance, violence, hatred, and ignorance that exists. I think that the book is important to raise awareness of current issues and to educate people from a literary perspective that may speak more to the heart than the media does. It’s hard to find readable books that can appeal to large groups of people but also strike a chord by addressing major issues in society.


message 329: by Day (new)

Day | 21 comments This book is important because it pertains to exactly what is happening in our world and forces the reader to take in a view that is vastly underrepresented. If we want to heal our communities we need to see the problems they experience and some of those problems are systematic racism and power trips by cops as well as inadequate training, and a dampened voice for minorities. We need change and this book is important because it highlights stories that are swept under the rug.


message 330: by Saba (new)

Saba | 2 comments All around the world, and more specifically in America, police brutality and racial profiling toward the African-American/Black community as well as toward all POCs is on the rise, with events like the following happening:
1. Lolade Siyonbola was napping in her common room at Yale, and a fellow student called the cops on her
2. Countless accounts of POCs being arrested for no reason, and can be seen assaulted on smartphone video/police cameras
3. The shooting of 17 year old Trayvon Martin as he walked home with Skittles and iced tea
4. In Australia, an Aboriginal woman was repeatedly attacked by the police, pushed in the chest and throat by a police officer

We all wish we could say there was only one instance (which is one too many) of any of the above events occurring, but unfortunately there isn't, and we need books like The Hate U Give to shed light on that.


message 331: by Destri (new)

Destri (destrileger) This book is important to me because of the way it handles complex social issues in a manner that is both effective but easy to digest, particularly for young people or those without extensive social justice knowledge.


message 332: by Catherine (last edited May 30, 2018 05:58PM) (new)

Catherine | 2 comments As a young Portuguese-American white woman, I never really understood my white privilege until recently. I grew up in Portugal, and I adore the small country with its 11 million inhabitants, but in many ways it is still less culturally diverse than the rest of Europe. It is still at the margins of cultural and ethnic discussions, being primarily a country of white Christians, it’s minorities blended and many times the target of misconceptions and racism.
I moved back to my birth country in 2016, watched as Clinton and Trump raced for the coveted and prestigious position of President of the USA, my new job working in the International Services Office of a University and meeting students from all over the world... I love living in the US, such a rich and diverse country, with so much to offer! And my journey has been one of learning, truly to empathize and to be an advocate for minorities. I participated in a Virtual Book Club: “...But I’m not Racist!: Tools for Well-Meaning Whites” by Kathy Obear. A great book that shows just how far we go in our white privilege without realizing. Also, that it is not a question of feeling guilty once we own to it, but instead to be elements of change in our society.
I have found that two shows on Netflix to be particularly important: “Frankie and Grace” and “Dear White People”: The first because it is remarkably refreshing to watch a series so keen on breaking stereotypes about sexuality, gender, race, religion and culture. Though the main characters are white as well as the majority of them in the series as well, I found that the African American characters are diverse, showing a multiplicity that the world is hungry for!
The second because it speaks honestly in regards to the white vs black dichotomy, how minorities are always pushed to walk several steps back and have to still be understanding and forgiving. The gun scene in "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas reminded me of a similar situation in this series: a heated conversation between two male students (one white, one African-american) causes another to call the cops. The cop ( a white male) then pulls a gun on the African-american student, not because the later was demonstrating violence in any way, but because of fear. Fear and separatism has brought us here, together with a poor regulation on fire arms.
In 2018 there are far too many of the same mistakes being made, repeatedly. Far too much mistrust, marginalizing and discrimination. We need our voices to be heard in every possible form: written, spoken, shouted...! Our voices and our stories need to keep being heard, the conversations must continue in order to obtain change! I hope this book reaches many more homes around the world, in many more languages. After all, we are all one under the same sky. Each and every one of us unique, and therefore equally important and special.


message 333: by Autumn (new)

Autumn Chrunik (autumnchrunik) | 0 comments I think this book is incredibly important to read now, especially with how our world is like right now. There is so much racism and discrimination towards PoC and if you’re white, like myself, you are not able to sympathize, or even emphasize, with PoC when they are discriminated against because you just don’t know what it’s like. You know it’s awful but you don’t know what it feels like. I think this book helps people of all ethnicities to understand that concept and to know how it might feel. We definitely need more books like this one published.


message 334: by Debbie (new)

Debbie Wendler | 2 comments I've read many news stories about #blacklivesmatter, but this book is what really made me understand how deeply this affects the everyday lives of people of color.


message 335: by Sage (new)

Sage Agee (sagereads_) | 2 comments If you’re like me and hear and see police brutality against African-Americans in the US daily, but... don’t really know what to do about it, this book is important for you.


message 336: by Daphne (new)

Daphne | 6 comments Violence against African Americans is now a normal everyday occurrence. However, unnecessary violence against anyone -no matter the sexuality, race, religion, etc. - is a terrible deed beyond words. Sadly, it happens to African Americans and this should be stopped. Lots of people are speaking out about it, like Childish Gambino (David Glover) in the music video, This Is America. He is bring light to a touchy topic that should be talked about and fixed.


message 337: by Jo, Our Shared Shelf Moderator (new)

Jo (jo_9) | 373 comments Mod
*Update - This competition will close on Monday June 4th.


message 338: by Alexandra (new)

Alexandra Anamaria (neruna) | 6 comments I strongly believe that it is important to educate yourself when it comes to what others are struggling with, in order to become a compassionate, loving human being. There is way too much hate in the world and way too much anger for us to remain ignorant on important issues such as the one approached by this book. I would very much love to read it, it is important for me to know and understand other people's suffering in order to be a decent person myself.


message 339: by Renée (new)

Renée Hunter | 1 comments I think this book is incredibly important, because it is becoming more and more clear that so many people still don't understand the perspective of different groups in society, especially those less privileged than them (let's be real - us), especially in this context African-Americans. Empathy is lacking across the board, and many people still don't critically examine the forces in society that affect people's lives in such daily ways - people tend to just accept stereotypical and simplistic perspectives of why certain people find themselves in certain situations. THUG is one of many books that I hope and trust can help bring that perspective and understanding.


message 340: by Katt (new)

Katt Alexander (kattalexander) It’s important to raise awareness for police violence against all races. I think that because of the rise in crime all across the world, police are more nervous and scared for their own safety, so they aren’t exercising the best judgement. Unfortunately, that has led to an increase in brutality, and tragic and preventable deaths, against innocent people, particularly African-Americans. The media has led society to be prejudiced against African-Americans, accusing them all of being involved with gangs, drugs, and other violent crimes. Yes, some are, but so are some whites, Hispanics, and every other race. It’s not fair to endanger the lives of other people when you don’t have all the facts. Everyone deserves to be able to live their life without fear that they will be the next victim of an unjustified police shooting, or worried that their loved one won’t make it home.


message 341: by Leorah (new)

Leorah | 7 comments It's important to read RIGHT NOW because some people still can't seem to grasp that BLACK LIVES DO MATTER.


message 342: by Tiziana (new)

Tiziana This book is so important and should be read now because the issue of police violence, especially against African Americans, is a serious problem that unfortunately is still an issue to this day. By reading this wonderful book, readers will become aware and gain insight into the discrimination and violence that does take place every day, and they will hopefully be inspired by this book, as I was. I hope that the awareness brought by this book will influence others to band together and take a stand to speak out against this discrimination. This book does a great job of instilling the message that everyone has a voice and also harnesses the power to make a difference.


message 343: by Deb (new)

Deb Berke | 4 comments i want to learn more about what's going on.


message 344: by Jimena (new)

Jimena  | 3 comments This book is important because it shines a light on a very relevant and important issue from the perspective of a young african american growing up in a culture that incarcerates and murders them at alarming rates. It offers also the opportunity for white readers to educate themselves about what it's like to grow up black in America.


message 345: by Vero (new)

Vero | 2 comments In a world where racism and police brutality are daily occurrences, and the ones who suffer them are just considered numbers and stadistics, "The Hate U Give" brings you a story full of truth, a reality check, of the situation that our society is going through and that way too many people are just ignoring.


message 346: by Surovi (last edited Jun 03, 2018 04:17PM) (new)

Surovi Shobnom (surovishobnomgmailcom) | 2 comments "The Hate You Give" this book is so important to read now cause this book depicts real and important matters and incorporates them into fiction in a way that is interesting and educational.By writing the main character in this very real situation, the author is helping us understand the systematic racism of North American society by giving us access to Starr’s thoughts surrounding these ongoing tragedies. There are many scenarios in this novel that showcase the challenges and differences of being a young black person in current society. As we know the book was also banned from a school in texas,which goes to show just how important to read it to know more about it.

THE HATE YOU GIVE hit best seller within its first month on shelves ! All over I think its a incredible book and now this book is so important for me to read cause I want to know more real about BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT!


message 347: by Kaiti (last edited Jun 02, 2018 09:48AM) (new)

Kaiti | 2 comments This book is important to read now because of the open discussion it creates, especially with young readers. As a teacher in a predominantly white district, I'm so glad it helps begin these conversations about institutionalized racism.


message 348: by Lyndsey (new)

Lyndsey Alvarez Brings an issue that has been at the forefront of communities of color to an audience that may not know as much about it.


message 349: by Lauren *Calista* (new)

Lauren *Calista* (xlovelylaurenx) | 2 comments ‘The Hate U Give’ is only half of the “Thug Life” acronym famous rapper Tupac Shakur spent his career trying to get people to think about, understand, and enforce. The book perfectly embodies this: if you set a standard for children and that standard is hate, they have no room to grow outside of that hate. This book is important because it shows the importance of looking outside our comfort zones and our way of thinking all our life in order to be truly fair to people. There is no other book out right now that is popular for making us all, including those who have gone through what Star has, uncomfortable in a way that gains us more sympathy for the black person. Police brutality is a crucial topic right now, but it always feels as if it could never happen to us or anyone we know. ‘The Hate U Give’ allows us to feel it happening to us. It allows us to realize we are not immune in any way to helping solve the problem of white on black crime and the problem with whites vs blacks punishment in our judicial system.


message 350: by Aline (new)

Aline De Matos | 1 comments because I need this book to write my doctoral thesis 😊


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