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The Hate U Give

By Angie Thomas

"Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed. Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil's name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr. But what Starr does or does not say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life" - Provided by publisher

Why was this book challenged?

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Reasons: Racial Content and Violence

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas was one of the most banned and challenged books in 2021.
According to the American Library Association, The Hate U Give has been censored for containing “profanity, violence, and because it was thought to promote an anti-police message and indoctrination of a social agenda."
See our Frequently Asked Questions webpage for more information about why books that address racism are being targeted for censorship.

Ways to read this book at STCC!

Members of the STCC community have full borrowing privileges at the STCC Library, located in Building 19, 2nd Floor, provided they are actively registered in the college system and their records are in good standing.

Database access and e-content is available to all students, faculty, and staff using the following credentials:

Username: STCC ID number

Password: Last name in capital letters.

Additional Resources and Accessibility

If you prefer to listen to your books, or if the print or eBook versions of this book are checked out at STCC, you have additional checkout options through Massachusetts public libraries. CW/MARS and Boston Public Library eCards will give you access to eBook and Audiobook versions of this book. You can also download the Libby app to listen to audiobooks on your smartphone. These resources are outside of STCC Library, please consult your local public library for any questions regarding these outside resources.

Check public libraries in Western Massachusetts via CW/MARS:

CW/MARS

Residents of Massachusetts can sign up for a Boston Public Library eCard, to access their digital materials such as eBooks and downloadable audiobooks. Follow the instructions on the BPL's website: