Concrete Rose

A Printz Honor Winner

By: Angie Thomas

Narrated by: Dion Graham

International phenomenon Angie Thomas revisits Garden Heights seventeen years before the events of The Hate U Give in this searing and poignant exploration of Black boyhood and manhood. A Printz Honor Book!

If there’s one thing seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter knows, it’s that a real man takes care of his family. As the son of a former gang legend, Mav does that the only way he knows how: dealing for the King Lords. With this money he can help his mom, who works two jobs while his dad’s in prison.

Life’s not perfect, but with a fly girlfriend and a cousin who always has his back, Mav’s got everything under control.

Until, that is, Maverick finds out he’s a father.

Suddenly he has a baby, Seven, who depends on him for everything. But it’s not so easy to sling dope, finish school, and raise a child. So when he’s offered the chance to go straight, he takes it. In a world where he’s expected to amount to nothing, maybe Mav can prove he’s different.

When King Lord blood runs through your veins, though, you can't just walk away. Loyalty, revenge, and responsibility threaten to tear Mav apart, especially after the brutal murder of a loved one. He’ll have to figure out for himself what it really means to be a man.

I wanted more

Loved a deep dive into a world I know nothing about as a Caucasian woman. It ended too fast for me and felt like there were so many things left unexplored.

Love Maverick

This was a wonderful read and just as good as The Hate U Give and On The Come Up. I love the intersections with the other stories. I am now left wanting more because I want to hear about how Maverick ends up taking a charge for King. Can that be next please?!

Solid storyline with interesting characters

I absolutely love The Hate U Give so this preview into Maverick's life was refreshing. How Starr and Seven were so close in age and Mav's relationship with Mr Wyatt. I loved all the foreshadowing with Brenda, Ms Rosalie, Khalil and even DeVante.

Great Prequel

I’m so glad I got this prequel to The Hate U Give. I loved hearing the story of Maverick. The audible performance was great.

Relevant

An amazing story about the life of Starr Carter's parents.

Mav is an inspiration

Although I'm left to wonder what happened to Seven when he grew up & what about King?

I'm invested in these characters now and can't wait to find out their stories.

The author created a true to life no holds barred look into what is happening now & we need to appreciate this raw unflinching look into this world

Mav's hopes and dreams endeared him to me from jump. They made his character real to me not his mistakes and his choices.
But they only helped him grow.