The Hate U Give
by Angie Thomas
- Lexile
- 590L
- Grade range
- Grades 9–12
- Age range
- Ages 14–18
- Pages
- 444
- First published
- 2017
- Genre
- YA Contemporary
- ISBN-13
- 9780062498533
About this book
Starr Carter, a 16-year-old Black girl, is the sole witness when her unarmed childhood friend is shot and killed by a white police officer. Thomas's debut novel has been adopted into 9th-12th grade contemporary-literature units in multiple state curricula since 2018 and is among the most-frequently challenged books in US public schools.
Themes
- police violence
- race
- code-switching
- activism
- family
Content notes
- police shooting
- profanity
- sexual references
- drug references
Common Sense Media recommends age 14+.
Where this book is assigned
Common Core State Standards (ELA)
- recommended· 10th grade · Californiasource: CA CCSS ELA grade 10 contemporary-literature selection
- recommended· 10th grade · New Yorksource: NYC DOE Summer Reading — high school contemporary selection
Similar grade-level books
Common questions
- What grade level is The Hate U Give?
- The Hate U Give is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 9–12, with a Lexile measure of 590L. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
- What is the Lexile level of The Hate U Give?
- The Hate U Give has a Lexile measure of 590L according to MetaMetrics. Lexile measures text complexity, not content maturity — check the grade range and content notes separately for age-appropriateness.
- What curricula assign The Hate U Give?
- The Hate U Give appears on reading lists for Common Core State Standards (ELA). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
- Is The Hate U Give banned in schools?
- The Hate U Give has documented removals from at least one public-school district in 7 states (TX, MO, FL, PA, SC, TN, UT) per PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. Policies vary by district.
- What themes does The Hate U Give explore?
- Central themes in The Hate U Give include police violence, race, code-switching, activism, family. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.