Concrete Rose

 

Author Angie Thomas explores the tough realities of Black boyhood and manhood in the prequel to The Hate U Give, Concrete Rose. Set seventeen years before the events of the bestselling novel, this Printz Honor Book follows seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter as he grapples with the expectations of being a man in his community. Raised by a former gang leader, Mav is determined to provide for his family by dealing for the King Lords. However, when he becomes a father to baby Seven, it's not so easy to balance school, work, and parenting. When given the opportunity to leave the gang life behind, Mav must decide where his loyalties truly lie. In a world that constantly expects Black men to fail, Mav is determined to prove them wrong, even as he navigates the dangerous consequences of leaving the King Lords.