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Concrete Rose Hardcover – January 12, 2021
Angie Thomas (Author) Find all the books, read about the author, and more. See search results for this author |
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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.
- Print length368 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherBalzer + Bray
- Publication dateJanuary 12, 2021
- Grade level9 - 12
- Reading age14 - 17 years
- Dimensions5.5 x 1.05 x 8.25 inches
- ISBN-10006284671X
- ISBN-13978-0062846716
- Lexile measureHL500L
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Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
Review
“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
About the Author
Angie Thomas is the author of the award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling novels The Hate U Give, On the Come Up, and Concrete Rose, as well as Find Your Voice: A Guided Journal for Writing Your Truth. A former teen rapper who holds a BFA in creative writing, Angie was born, raised, and still resides in Mississippi. You can find her online at www.angiethomas.com.
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Product details
- Publisher : Balzer + Bray (January 12, 2021)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 368 pages
- ISBN-10 : 006284671X
- ISBN-13 : 978-0062846716
- Reading age : 14 - 17 years
- Lexile measure : HL500L
- Grade level : 9 - 12
- Item Weight : 15.5 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.5 x 1.05 x 8.25 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #21,290 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Angie Thomas was born, raised, and still resides in Jackson, Mississippi as indicated by her accent. She is a former teen rapper whose greatest accomplishment was an article about her in Right-On Magazine with a picture included. She holds a BFA in Creative Writing from Belhaven University and an unofficial degree in Hip Hop. She can also still rap if needed. She is an inaugural winner of the Walter Dean Myers Grant 2015, awarded by We Need Diverse Books. Her debut novel, The Hate U Give, was acquired by Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins in a 13-house auction. Film rights have been optioned by Fox 2000 with George Tillman attached to direct and Hunger Games actress Amandla Stenberg set to star.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2021
Top reviews from the United States
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We follow Maverick Carter at 17 years old. Mav's experiences in a gang, why he is a member to begin with, the loss of those who meant the world to him to gun violence, as well as how he chooses to balance school and fatherhood. Then there is the part-time job he didn't want to take in the first place that turns out to be a source of salvation for him.
As THUG did, Concrete Rose will be a catalyst for many important conversations. Thomas masterfully deals with weighty topics like toxic masculinity and stereotypes against black families (especially black men) and young parenthood. You are given Maverick, all of him. He isn't always perfect and isn't always likeable but he is very real. Thomas is a master at making the reader feel just as invested in his struggles and doubts as he is.
Understanding how Maverick Carter came to be the man we knew from THUG, adds another dimension. You will laugh, cry, cheer and grow right along with him.
Lisa as a teenager was amazing, I loved getting to know her, and seeing how she had dreams and plans for her life. And while she was upset with Mav's lack of plans, she still kind of believed in him, too.
Mav's mom was the best! I loved her the most, I think, but at the same time, I also love Mr. Wyatt and Ms. Rosalie.
Very well written, this story made my heart both heavy and light, and I can't wait for everyone I know to read it.
First of all.. All thanks to @angiethomas for getting me out of my reading slump 🥳🥳
This book was great. If you didn't love Maverick from THUG, you really fall in love with him here. This book really gets into why boys, especially black boys might get into gangs and/or selling drugs and so on... And it's not because they want to tear down their community 🙄. It also really delves into toxic masculinity and the notion that men aren't to feel emotions, shouldn't cry.
"One of the biggest lies ever told is that Black men don't feel emotions" - Mr Wyatt
^^^✊🏽🙋🏾♀️
Highly recommend you read this one 😍
This book gets ALL the stars
Catch me on IG @elisethenovicebookworm
Concrete Rose kept my attention, I was sad for it to come to an end. Maverick will have you yelling at him and rooting for him at the same time!
Top reviews from other countries

Seventeen-year-old Maverick (Mav or Lil Don) lives with his mum. He has no siblings and his father who was the King Lord of the neighbourhood is in prison. Maverick has followed in his father’s footsteps selling drugs, that is until he unexpectedly becomes a father and is left holding the baby when the mother ups and leaves Maverick with their child. Now Mav needs to be responsible.
Mav gets a part-time job at the local shop and is still at school but with his son needing more and more things and seeing his friends with flash new items can Mav stay on the straight and narrow or is the lure of easy money too much for him to keep away from?
I was so eager to read Concrete Rose as I adored The Hate you Give and Maverick is a fabulous character in it. Always teaching his children to be responsible and how to behave around the police, etc. I was intrigued to read his backstory and whilst there are sixteen-years we still don’t know about as this book ends before Starr is born, it was fascinating to see Mav as a young lad who had to grow up quickly and what shaped his life.
The characters are truly amazing. It was fun to see some characters from the first book making an appearance in their younger years. I do wonder if there will be an in-between book, especially as we never get to witness any real beef between Mav and King like in The Hate you Give, or if I am remembering rightly (It has been a few years since I read the first book), Mav does a stint in prison, but this would have been in the missing years.
Angie Thomas has a way with words. She pulls you in the story and you can feel, hear, and be a part of every chapter. I certainly became emotionally involved in the plot and got angry when Mav did and upset when he did too. The setting is easy to visualise too and I would love to see them adapt this book as well.
This is a book that you must read if you read and loved the first. It is superb. You can tell how good a book is when you start going slower towards the end as you don’t want it to end. I now can’t wait for more novels from Ms. Thomas.

Maverick was a fascinating character in The Hate U Give, so I was excited to explore his story in Concrete Rose. As Starr’s father, he often acted like the grounded voice of reason, but subtle hints to his upbringing suggested he wasn’t always so level-headed. And in Concrete Rose, the reader gets a chance to learn about the trials, challenges, and lessons Mav faced as a young man. It’s also interesting to see appearances from other characters featured in The Hate U Give, including King and Carlos. Seeing where bonds and tensions began, only increases the nostalgia for the first book.
Angie Thomas’ remarkable voice is in full form in Concrete Rose. Like The Hate U Give and On the Come Up, this book is written in the first person narrative. But it never falls flat, never loses heart, and never waivers. Mav’s voice feels defined and independent, stirring up the same inspirational determination Starr and Bri’s did. Additionally, the dialogue flows beautifully, and the personalities feel authentically full.
I love the way emotion is explored in relation to Black boyhood. Mav has this nagging insecurity around appearing weak, especially as the son of a King Lord. It’s a very relevant and familiar stereotype, and the protagonist’s inner emotional outbursts and raw expressions give the book a strong sense of heart in the face of expectation. The concept of ‘manliness’ is written with sensitivity, as are the books other themes: racism, teen pregnancy, and grief.
Naturally, I’m comparing this book with The Hate U Give. Concrete Rose is not quite as eventful and the pace is slower, but it’s just as moving. Maverick’s story is well worth telling. And I’ll always be captivated by Angie Thomas’ tales of Garden Heights.


Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 2, 2021
Maverick was a fascinating character in The Hate U Give, so I was excited to explore his story in Concrete Rose. As Starr’s father, he often acted like the grounded voice of reason, but subtle hints to his upbringing suggested he wasn’t always so level-headed. And in Concrete Rose, the reader gets a chance to learn about the trials, challenges, and lessons Mav faced as a young man. It’s also interesting to see appearances from other characters featured in The Hate U Give, including King and Carlos. Seeing where bonds and tensions began, only increases the nostalgia for the first book.
Angie Thomas’ remarkable voice is in full form in Concrete Rose. Like The Hate U Give and On the Come Up, this book is written in the first person narrative. But it never falls flat, never loses heart, and never waivers. Mav’s voice feels defined and independent, stirring up the same inspirational determination Starr and Bri’s did. Additionally, the dialogue flows beautifully, and the personalities feel authentically full.
I love the way emotion is explored in relation to Black boyhood. Mav has this nagging insecurity around appearing weak, especially as the son of a King Lord. It’s a very relevant and familiar stereotype, and the protagonist’s inner emotional outbursts and raw expressions give the book a strong sense of heart in the face of expectation. The concept of ‘manliness’ is written with sensitivity, as are the books other themes: racism, teen pregnancy, and grief.
Naturally, I’m comparing this book with The Hate U Give. Concrete Rose is not quite as eventful and the pace is slower, but it’s just as moving. Maverick’s story is well worth telling. And I’ll always be captivated by Angie Thomas’ tales of Garden Heights.


His girlfriend dumps him, is failing his classes in school and he loses contact with his friends and his old life. When a devastating event rocks his world, the choices he makes afterwards lead to more difficulties, hardships and stress in his life. The constant lure of the drug world to earn decent money makes Mav face tough decisions but the threat of violence that comes with that world is also a factor he needs to consider. When the opportunity for revenge shows up, will Mav take the shot and risk his life, the lives of his loved ones and his connection with his son or will he find a different path out of his problems and away from a life of crime? With a strong female role model in his mother who pushes him to be a better man, can Maverick resist repeating the mistakes that his father made?
🌟🌟🌟🌟. The characters especially Maverick were compelling to read. The dynamics within his family were intriguing as he had a strong support system but yet they still pushed him to learn the hard way how to deal with the consequences and triumphs of his decisions. He was a little frustrating at times with how naïve he was but he is a teenager so that’s to be expected. Mav's mother was a strong woman and mainly raised him alone and considering all the obstacles she had to overcome to do it, she was an amazing influence on his life. I look forward to reading THUG later this month.


Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 16, 2021
His girlfriend dumps him, is failing his classes in school and he loses contact with his friends and his old life. When a devastating event rocks his world, the choices he makes afterwards lead to more difficulties, hardships and stress in his life. The constant lure of the drug world to earn decent money makes Mav face tough decisions but the threat of violence that comes with that world is also a factor he needs to consider. When the opportunity for revenge shows up, will Mav take the shot and risk his life, the lives of his loved ones and his connection with his son or will he find a different path out of his problems and away from a life of crime? With a strong female role model in his mother who pushes him to be a better man, can Maverick resist repeating the mistakes that his father made?
🌟🌟🌟🌟. The characters especially Maverick were compelling to read. The dynamics within his family were intriguing as he had a strong support system but yet they still pushed him to learn the hard way how to deal with the consequences and triumphs of his decisions. He was a little frustrating at times with how naïve he was but he is a teenager so that’s to be expected. Mav's mother was a strong woman and mainly raised him alone and considering all the obstacles she had to overcome to do it, she was an amazing influence on his life. I look forward to reading THUG later this month.


Set seventeen years before the story of Starr, in The Hate U Give, Concrete Rose is the story of Maverick Carter, Starr's dad.
Absolutely going to be reading this when it is out fully.
Fantastic.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Walker Books for an extended sampler, in exchange for an honest review.

Concrete rose is the dad from THUG younger pov in garden heights. The book is enticing, reading this gave a better understanding to THUG such as why Maverick is the way he is, Seven and Iesha relationship, Lisa and Maverick.
It's a good read, this book also gives a further insight into the everyday life and struggles of the "hood" underfunded and underprivileged areas.
I read it commuting to and from work made the journeys fly by!
If you're contemplating it, just do it!