Concrete Rose
Readers rate it 4.3 (121 on Hardcover)
362 pages · Released 2021 · Balzer + Bray
Content report card
What's inside
LGBTQ+ themes
What it offers
Educational value
A note for parents
Concrete Rose is a prequel to The Hate U Give that tackles serious themes of gang involvement, poverty, and systemic racism through the eyes of a teenage father trying to break free from expected cycles. The narrative includes depictions of violence, drug dealing, and grief, making it suitable for mature teens who can process these heavy social issues. Thomas excels at character development and showing how circumstances and family legacy shape choices, ultimately delivering strong messages about accountability, love, and choosing a different path.
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From the publisher
If there’s one thing seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter knows, it’s that a real man takes care of his family. As the son of a former gang legend, Mav does that the only way he knows how: dealing for the King Lords. With this money he can help his mom, who works two jobs while his dad’s in prison. Life’s not perfect, bu... If there’s one thing seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter knows, it’s that a real man takes care of his family. As the son of a former gang legend, Mav does that the only way he knows how: dealing for the King Lords. With this money he can help his mom, who works two jobs while his dad’s in prison. Life’s not perfect, but with a fly girlfriend and a cousin who always has his back, Mav’s got everything under control. Until, that is, Maverick finds out he’s a father. Suddenly he has a baby, Seven, who depends on him for everything. But it’s not so easy to sling dope, finish school, and raise a child. So when he’s offered the chance to go straight, he takes it. In a world where he’s expected to amount to nothing, maybe Mav can prove he’s different. When King Lord blood runs through your veins, though, you can't just walk away. Loyalty, revenge, and responsibility threaten to tear Mav apart, especially after the brutal murder of a loved one. He’ll have to figure out for himself what it really means to be a man.
Shelved under
- YOUNG ADULT FICTION
- Social Themes
- Prejudice & Racism
- Boys & Men
- historical fiction
- Law & Crime
- family
- parents
- People & Places
- African Americans
- Young Adult Literature
- Gangs
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ISBN 9780062846716 · Balzer + Bray