Concrete Rose

by Angie Thomas

Readers in the United States will know what to expect: set in the late 1990s this is the prequel to Thomas’ bestselling The Hate U Give (which also has an acclaimed audio version). For people elsewhere it might take a bit of effort to get into the style, which is written as the narrator speaks, with slang and pop culture references. It is well worth it. Thomas is an excellent writer and readers will come to care about the 17 year old protagonist and the difficult choices he has to make when he finds out that he is a father. Everyone tells Maverick that he has to man up, but in his situation what does that really mean?