As we enter the Round 2 judging period, we have the opportunity to look at reviews of our fabulous finalist titles from throughout the previous year, and our first such review looks at Young Adult Fiction finalist The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. This widely buzzed title was reviewed by high school teacher William Polking at the group blog Guys Lit Wire:
The Hate U Give shines not because it is the answer, but because of how well it asks the questions. Thomas has clearly been paying attention: to youth culture, to media culture, to the intersections of class, race, power, and justice.