People most likely know what The Hate U Give is from watching the trailer or seeing the movie, but not many are aware that its actually an adaption of Angie Thomas’ bestseller The Hate U Give published in 2017.

In the book, readers follow the life of Starr Carter as she faces the challenges of living a double life: one being her life in Garden Heights, a poor, predominantly black neighborhood and the other being centered at Williamson, the preppy private school she attends across town.

One of the most important parts of the book is “The talk” that Starr’s father has with her, and no it’s not the talk about the “birds and the bees.” It’s the talk about what to do if a cop stops her. Her father told her to keep her hands visible.

The reason for this talk becomes painfully obvious after she and her friend are Khalil are pulled over on their way home from a party. Things escalate quickly after a misunderstanding with the officer, resulting in Khalil being shot by the officer.

Sadly, this is not uncommon in America. The book realistically shows the struggles that minorities go through on a regular basis and helps the reader understand what it’s like to constantly live with the fear of facing a dangerous situation. Addressing this issue is what makes this a good read because it makes people more aware of problems they may not be facing themselves. It’s like a call to action because it could be used as inspiration to peacefully stand up for your rights.