Concrete Rose Book Review


 















1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Thomas, A. (2021). Concrete Rose. Balzer + Bray.  ISBN: 9780062846716


2.  PLOT SUMMARY

This chapter book is a prequel to The Hate U Give which follows Star’s dad, Mav, through high school.  Becoming an unexpected dad and wrestling with the world between gangs and providing for his family, Mav has to decide what’s best for them. After a loved one's death, Mav must decide to seek revenge or break the cycle of violence. 


3. CRITICAL ANALYSIs

The characters in Concrete Rose all have authentic relationships and are supportive of each other. Mav finds out he is a father to Seven and ends up raising him because the mom abandons him. His mother gives tough love by making him take care of the baby day and night. His girlfriend Lisa also becomes pregnant by him. His cousin Dre is his best friend and mentor. He ends up getting shot and Mav has to come to terms with his death. Mr. Wyatt, neighbor and employer, steps in as the voice of reason and substitute dad when Mav needs sound advice. 

The setting of the story is integral to the plot as well as an African American depiction. The urban setting spans small homes, small businesses, and the school. The neighborhood is tight knit; everyone knows each other and looks out for each other. Mr. Wyatt owns a grocery store, which is surrounded by a barber shop and a barbeque restaurant. The black entrepreneurship show Mav that he can make something of himself without the support of gang life. At school the former football is depicted as racist after implying one of the players was his slave. Added to this is the tension of rival gangs attending the same school. 

The references to the African American culture are woven throughout the book in thoughtful ways. First is the strong family ties to the extended family. Mav lives with his mother and son, Seven. He has aunts, uncles, cousins, grandmother, as well as his neighbors. The bond is apparent, especially between him and his mom. His father is incarcerated as are some members of his gang. Incarceration rates are among some of the highest numbers with African Americans. Gang life is referenced from selling drugs to rival gangs to loyalty to members no matter what. Mav struggles with wanting to break free from the generational gang cycle but has limited opportunities to make money needed to support his son and soon to be born child at 17 years old. The unsafe neighborhood sets the background for trying to stay out of trouble versus falling victim to the streets. The music referenced in the book is rap and hip-hop which are integral to black culture. Tupac Shakur and the title of this book symbolize the poem he wrote and how roses can grown in the harshest conditions given the right needs. The home cooked meals and food described are typical of African American cuisine. The role of food is traditional and a way to show love in this culture. 



4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

  • Booklist, 03/15/21 *

  • Booklist starred, 01/01/21

  • Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, 01/01/21

  • Horn Book Magazine starred, 03/01/21

  • Kirkus Reviews starred, 12/01/20

  • Michael L. Printz Honor, 2022

  • New York Times, 03/07/21

  • Publishers Weekly starred, 11/30/20

  • School Library Journal Xpress starred, 05/27/22 *

  • School Library Journal starred, 12/01/20


Full-Text Reviews
Booklist starred (January 1, 2021 (Vol. 117, No. 9))

Grades 9-12. Thomas delivers a poignant prequel to The Hate U Give (2017) with Concrete Rose, set 17 years prior. Seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter is the son of a former gang member who, nevertheless, follows the same path, selling drugs for the King Lords to help his mom with bills while his dad is in jail. He thinks he has everything figured out until fatherhood stares him in the face in the form of baby Seven. Maverick comes to realize that there’s so much more to life that can be lost now that Seven needs him. Then, someone close to Maverick is murdered, leaving him with more hard choices to make. He must define duty, family, and loyalty for himself and figure out if he will—or even can— leave gang life for good. Thomas already delivered a dynamic, rich character with Maverick as Star’s father in The Hate You Give (THUG). This insightful novel lets readers see Maverick as a teen himself and walk a mile in his shoes, before and during his evolution into the man, father, and husband that he is in THUG. Maverick’s story is one that offers hope, encouragement, and optimism, and it shows those going through difficult times of their own that they can take control of their own destiny.HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: THUG fans—and there are a lot—will relish the chance to dig into Maverick’s teenage experiences and meet Thomas at one of her many virtual events.


  • 5. CONNECTIONS

Thomas, A. (2017). The Hate U Give. Balzer + Bray. ISBN: 978-0-06287-234-0

Farley,G. (2021). Bones of a Saint. SOHO Teen. ISBN: 978-1-66881-248-8

Activities:

Character development of Maverick or Lisa



















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