Angie Thomas was born, raised, and still resides in Jackson, Mississippi as indicated by her accent. She is a former teen rapper whose greatest accomplishment was an article about her in Right-On Magazine with a picture included. She holds a BFA in Creative Writing from Belhaven University and an unofficial degree in Hip Hop. She can also still rap if needed. She is an inaugural winner of the Walter Dean Meyers Grant 2015, awarded by We Need Diverse Books. Her debut novel, The Hate U Give, was acquired by Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins in a 13-house auction and will be published in spring 2017. Film rights have been optioned by Fox 2000 with George Tillman attached to direct and Hunger Games actress Amandla Stenberg set to star.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas is a book that is a gripping YA political story inspired by the Black Lives Matter Movement. It adeptly explores racial injustice in a thought-provoking and meaningful way. The Hate U Give is a story that centralizes around a young woman named Starr and depicts her struggles with racism and police brutality. This is an essential YA novel that shockingly examines the flaws in our society and will educate its readers about race and systemic racism. Continue reading