★ 11/30/2020
In this prequel to The Hate U Give , Thomas delves into the upbringing of Maverick Carter, the father of THUG ’s protagonist, Starr. Mav is one of the subordinates (“li’l homies”) of neighborhood gang the King Lords and the son of one of the gang’s incarcerated OGs. At 17, Mav and his hotheaded best friend, King—both responsible for recruiting and initiating new members and dealing weed for the King Lords—have begun slinging harder drugs on the side, under the gang leaders’ noses. Risking hard time like his father or death like King’s dad by leading a double life, Mav soon finds himself in over his head when he discovers he’s fathered a child by King’s off-and-on girlfriend, who promptly abandons the baby to his care. Convincingly detailing the journey of a young Black man growing into fatherhood, Thomas brings her trademark wit, nostalgic love of the 1990s and all things R&B and hip-hop, and her penchant for heartfelt characterization to this first-person exploration of Maverick Carter’s coming-of- age. Through its portrayal of loss and upheaval, this story acts as a tender love letter to a close Black family and community—one that isn’t without problems but is always full of love. Ages 14–up. Agent: Brooks Sherman, Janklow & Nesbit Assoc. (Jan.)
★ 12/01/2020
Gr 9 Up— Maverick "Lil Don" Carter is a 17-year-old King Lord growing up in the Garden Heights district. The King Lords have been in existence long before Maverick was born, so his life has always been steeped in gang culture. Maverick knows that the game can steal family, friends, and time from you. His father Adonis's imprisonment is a testament to that fact. Maverick's cousin Dre and his friend Shawn try to keep Maverick from falling too deep into the game, but Maverick's best friend King keeps finding new ways to convince him to deepen his involvement. The unexpected joys and pains of fatherhood, the death of one of his best friends, and another unexpected pregnancy threaten to break Maverick's tenuous hold on his own sanity. How can he cut ties with the King Lords, raise his son, prepare for another child, and maintain his independence? The pressure Maverick is under yields some startling blooms in this novel about tenacity and rebirth. This is the perfect example of a narrative that straddles the beauty and pain of belonging and having the courage to make your own choices. Maverick Carter, who is Black, is a wonderfully complex character who will resonate with readers of all stripes. Thomas writes with a depth of humor and clarity that really allows readers to bond with the characters. VERDICT This prequel to The Hate U Give is perfect for public and school libraries.—Desiree Thomas, Worthington Lib., OH
★ 2020-11-09The Hate U Give (2017).
The tale begins in 1998 Garden Heights, when Starr’s parents, Maverick and Lisa, are high school seniors in love and planning for the future. Thomas proves Game of Thrones –esque in her worldbuilding ability, deepening her landscape without sacrificing intimacy or heart. Garden Heights doesn’t contain dragons or sorcerers, but it’s nevertheless a kingdom under siege, and the contemporary pressures its royalty faces are graver for the realness that no magic spell can alleviate. Mav’s a prince whose family prospects are diminished due to his father’s federally mandated absence. He and his best friend, King, are “li’l homies,” lower in status and with everything to prove, especially after Mav becomes a father. In a world where masculinity and violence are inextricably linked to power, the boys’ very identities are tied to the fathers whose names they bear and with whose legacies they must contend. Mav laments, “I ain’t as hard as my pops, ain’t as street as my pops,” but measuring up to that legacy ends in jail or the grave. Worthy prequels make readers invest as though meeting characters for the first time; here they learn more about the intricate hierarchies and alliances within the King Lord gang and gain deeper insight into former ancillary characters, particularly Mav’s parents, King, and Iesha. Characters are Black.
A resounding success. (Fiction. 13-18)
A heartfelt exploration of Black manhood and the power of possibility.” — People
“In Concrete Rose , Thomas casts a loving eye on the lives and realities of Black people, which is a powerful continuation of one of her most moving endeavors as a writer: her challenge to readers to affirm the goodness of all types of characters and to greet them with compassion at every turn, no matter where those turns may lead.” — New York Times Book Review
“Thomas brings her trademark wit, nostalgic love of the 1990s and all things R&B and hip-hop, and her penchant for heartfelt characterization to this first-person exploration of Maverick Carter’s coming-of-age.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Authentic to the point of heartbreak, Maverick’s voice is earnest as he wrestles with his decisions. Fans of Thomas’s work will not be disappointed in this intense portrayal of this phase in the Carter family’s story." — Horn Book (starred review)
“This is the perfect example of a narrative that straddles the beauty and pain of belonging and having the courage to make your own choices…. Thomas writes with a depth of humor and clarity that really allows readers to bond with the characters.” — School Library Journal (starred review)
“This literary DeLorean transports readers into the past, where they hope, dream, and struggle alongside beloved characters from Thomas’ The Hate U Give…. Thomas proves Game of Thrones –esque in her worldbuilding ability, deepening her landscape without sacrificing intimacy or heart.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Thomas delivers a poignant prequel to The Hate U Give… . Maverick's story is one that offers hope, encouragement, and optimism." — Booklist (starred review)
"Thomas’ genius is her ability to craft one man’s history in a way that illuminates the forces that brought us to this critical juncture." — Time
A heartfelt exploration of Black manhood and the power of possibility.
"Authentic to the point of heartbreak, Maverick’s voice is earnest as he wrestles with his decisions. Fans of Thomas’s work will not be disappointed in this intense portrayal of this phase in the Carter family’s story."
Horn Book (starred review)
"Thomas’ genius is her ability to craft one man’s history in a way that illuminates the forces that brought us to this critical juncture."
"Thomas delivers a poignant prequel to The Hate U Give… . Maverick's story is one that offers hope, encouragement, and optimism."
Booklist (starred review)
In Concrete Rose , Thomas casts a loving eye on the lives and realities of Black people, which is a powerful continuation of one of her most moving endeavors as a writer: her challenge to readers to affirm the goodness of all types of characters and to greet them with compassion at every turn, no matter where those turns may lead.”?
New York Times Book Review
"Thomas’ genius is her ability to craft one man’s history in a way that illuminates the forces that brought us to this critical juncture."
★ 05/27/2022
Gr 9 Up —This prequel to Thomas's The Hate U Give takes listeners back 17 years to the story of Maverick Carter when he was just a teenager navigating life in a gang he never really wanted to be in, becoming a father before he graduated high school, and losing people who were there to protect and guide him. As a Black young man coming of age in a neighborhood run by gangs, Mav must make choices that no teen should have to make, growing up long before he is actually grown in age. The audiobook puts the listener front and center in the choices and the events that shaped Maverick Carter, what helped him become the man and the strong father figure he is in The Hate U Give . Narrated by Dion Graham, Maverick's voice is strong, and Graham personalizes his every thought, emotion, and reaction in a way that draws the listener into his mind, bringing the character to life. Listeners hear the emotion in Maverick's thoughts and how he has to put on a tough front for others, despite not feeling tough or strong at all. The audiobook is a gut-wrenching, emotional journey through Maverick's coming-of-age, and an authentic way to experience the story. VERDICT Fans of Thomas and the world she has created will enjoy the nods to the The Hate U Give ; being introduced to characters and places referenced previously brings this prequel home to listeners. A must have for all YA audio collections.—Erica Coonelly
School Library Journal - Audio
Narrator Dion Graham shines bright in this YA prequel, set 17 years before the events in THE HATE U GIVE. Narrating in the first person as Maverick, Graham is tasked with delivering internal and external dialogue. We hear the fast-paced, sometimes frantic, thoughts of a Black teenage boy in way over his head—dealing drugs in order to help his mother take care of his family. In those moments, Graham sounds like a poet, and the rhythm of his narration carries listeners away. When Maverick speaks aloud, his tone changes, depending on whom he is speaking to. When Graham slips between the internal and external voices, listeners feel as though they are living inside this emotionally fraught, well-paced audiobook. Listeners should plan on setting aside a full day because once they start listening, they won’t want to stop. A.R.F. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2021 Best Audiobook © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
Narrator Dion Graham shines bright in this YA prequel, set 17 years before the events in THE HATE U GIVE. Narrating in the first person as Maverick, Graham is tasked with delivering internal and external dialogue. We hear the fast-paced, sometimes frantic, thoughts of a Black teenage boy in way over his head—dealing drugs in order to help his mother take care of his family. In those moments, Graham sounds like a poet, and the rhythm of his narration carries listeners away. When Maverick speaks aloud, his tone changes, depending on whom he is speaking to. When Graham slips between the internal and external voices, listeners feel as though they are living inside this emotionally fraught, well-paced audiobook. Listeners should plan on setting aside a full day because once they start listening, they won’t want to stop. A.R.F. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2021 Best Audiobook © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
