Another incredible book from Angie Thomas.
This books covers life, death, love, family, heartbreak and so much more. We also get some cameos from On the Come Up and Dear Martin (and of course the obvious connections to THUG). I loved getting into Maverick's world and watching as he struggled to leave the set while dealing with being a teen parent. Even if you hadn't read THUG yet you could still enjoy this book! Thomas covers topics like gangs, death, racism, and so much more. I highly recommend and will be buying a copy for my classroom!

This book brought me back to the world of Garden Heights. I love a good origin story/prequel, and Maverick was one of my favorite characters in The Hate U Give, so it was very interesting to see his background. I did not feel like there was a strong social justice presence in this book like Thomas's previous books; however, the lessons learned were just as important. Seeing Maverick as a teenage father and still trying to go through the motions of life was very realistic and eye-opening! I feel like if you loved THUG-- you will enjoy this read!

This may be my favorite Angie Thomas book yet! It gives so much depth and back story to Maverick, Lisa, King and so many characters from The Hate You Give. It is also written in a way that it could be read as a stand alone book. After reading it, I want to reread The Hate You Give because I know will appreciate the back story. From the start is is engaging, raw, real and makes you feel like you are inside Maverick's head. It addresses the reality of teen pregnancy and selling drugs without glossing over the complicated emotions and situations connected to it. Showing having a baby through the eyes of a teen father was a really new take and one that was needed. Maverick was the perfect character to illustrate the impact of being a father as a teen. Angie Thomas writes in a way that feels so real and honest. This book is perfect example of that. I can't wait to share this book with teens! It is a must read and something to look forward to in 2021.

OMG. This is Angie Thomas' best book so far- and that is saying something. There seems to be an influx of YA novels right now that take place in this time period, and this one gets it RIGHT. It is nostalgic for older readers, but not at all confusing or misplaces for teen readers. It is YA and it knows that is the audience. I couldn't stop reading this engaging, raw, difficult story and cheering for Mav and Lisa. Although technically a prequel to The Hate U Give, this could be read on its own and be just as enjoyable. I can't wait to rave about this book and buy copies for everyone I know!

2020 has sucked in every way, I have had a hard time focusing and been distracted a lot. Reading has been tough, what was once and escape has eluded me, until today. I read this whole damn book in one day.....I haven’t done that in so long! I didn’t do anything after work but read, I left myself fall back into the world with Mav, Lisa, King and the whole Garden Heights crew.

This book takes us back before Star was born and shows us how Big Mav, Star’s dad and hero, became the man we saw in The Hate You Give. We meet all the players as younger, purer versions of themselves and watch how their decisions force them to make tough choices.

There are few surprises, some only a few will get, but for us all this book is an escape, a reminder too that things may be tough and seem insurmountable but you just have a start of a plan and you can get through it.

I can not wait to put this in my classroom for kids to read.

As a fan of The Hate U Give, I am looking forward to sharing #ConcreteRose with our students. In this book we learn more about Maverick, Starr's father and how he became the man, the father, and the community member he was in THUG. This book could certainly be a stand-alone; one does not have to read THUG to read Concrete Rose or vice versa. However, each does paint a complete picture of Maverick's and Starr's lives, the communities they grew up in, the experiences they lived, and more. Angie Thomas shares a beautiful picture of community and family and self-selected family through these two generations--focusing on Maverick's struggles and growth as he becomes a young father. I definitely recommend this text for all libraries and classrooms. Thank you to #NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC!

I have been so excited to read this book since Angie Thomas announced it! Maverick was such a great character in THUG, so getting an entire book focused on him as a kid the same age as Starr was great! Much like THUG, this book was one to devour in a single sitting. Thomas's writing was as clear, crisp, and real as always. I appreciated that she didn't code switch in this book, so it felt like Maverick really was telling his own story. While I really enjoyed this book, I was left wanting a little bit more with the end of story. But maybe Angie is leaving a window for another book?

I have been waiting for Maverick's point of view since reading The Hate U Give.

Maverick is a senior in high school his dad is locked up and his mom is working really hard to make ends meet. Maverick and his best friend King start selling weed to make some extra money. When his cousin Dre finds out he makes Maverick quit because he wants Maverick to be better than him. Maverick also is left at the doctor's office with a three-month-old when he finds out he's the father of the baby and needs to find a way to tell his girlfriend Lisa.

Learning Mavericks back story was why he decided to be out of the game makes you want to root for him even more.

I was so excited to see that Angie Thomas wrote a prequel to "The Hate U Give" and once I started reading, I did not want to put it down. Maverick's story at age seventeen is filled with heart, humor, good and bad choices, and the angst of growing up and taking responsibility. The ending is perfection. Highly recommended.

It was nice to get to know Maverick (Starr's father) and his backstory. He has to grow up quickly when he finds out that he's the father of a baby boy whose mother abandons him with Maverick the second she finds out that he is his. Maverick has to navigate being a single parent while still being in high school and then becoming a parent again when he finds out his girlfriend is pregnant. He also has to deal with his father, who is in prison, dealing drugs with his gang, and his new part-time job.