Concrete Rose (novel)

Concrete Rose is a young adult novel by Angie Thomas, published January 12, 2021, by Balzer + Bray.

This article is about young adult novel by Angie Thomas. For the studio album by Ashanti, see Concrete Rose.

Concrete Rose
Cover art for the novel The Hate U Give, published in 2017. The cover art depicts a young African-American female teenager holding a title card with the novel's title; the title card obscures the entirety of the teenager's torso, and the only visible clothing includes a red hairband, blue denim cut-off shorts, and white athletic shoes.
AuthorAngie Thomas
CountryUnited States
PublishedJanuary 12, 2021
PublisherBalzer + Bray
Pages368
ISBN9780062846716
Followed byThe Hate U Give 

Critical reception

Concrete Rose was generally well-received, including starred reviews from Booklist,[1] Kirkus Reviews,[2] School Library Journal,[3] and Shelf Awareness.[4]

Time's Cleyvis Natera stated, "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."[5] Nic Stone of The Washington Post echoed the sentiment, saying,

[O]ne of my favorite things about Angie Thomas is that she's always willing to dig a little deeper, to peel back another layer. This is what makes her latest novel, Concrete Rose — her best, in my opinion — a gift. It not only eviscerates the 'fast Black girl' stereotype and debunks the myth of the Bailing Black Baby Daddy, it gives us insight into the life of a boy most people wouldn't even attempt to look at beyond the surface.[6]

The audiobook, narrated by Dion Graham, also received a positive review from Booklist, which said,

Graham is a natural and convincing storyteller. Graham's solo narration showcases a keen ability to embody both the innocent and the often-troubled side of Maverick. Graham's voice also adapts well to fast-moving scenes, acquainting listeners to the edginess of street life as well as the unrelenting wisdom of a community that continues to grow amid adversity.[7]

Awards and honors

Concrete Rose was a New York Times and IndieBound bestseller.[2] Kirkus Reviews named it one of the best young adult novels of 2021.[2] Both the book and audiobook editions are Junior Library Guild selections.[8][9]

Awards and honors for Concrete Rose
Year Award Result Ref.
2021 Cybils Award for Young Adult Fiction Finalist [10]
Goodreads Choice Award for Young Adult Fiction Nominee [11]
2022 Michael L. Printz Award Honor [12]
Carnegie Medal for Young Adult Fiction Longlist [13]

Inspiration

Thomas was inspired to write the book due to readers' interest of Maverick as a dad in her novel The Hate U Give.

So many kids would tell me Maverick is the best dad they've seen; they wish their dad was like him. We know he was once in a gang and did drugs — and for some people, that doesn't line up with the father and the man we see. I started to think about the character on a deeper level. Having conversations with Russell Hornsby, who played Maverick in the movie, really sparked the flame.[14]

References
  1. Davenport, Enishia (January 1, 2021). "Concrete Rose". Booklist. Archived from the original on February 1, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  2. "Concrete Rose". Kirkus Reviews. November 9, 2020. Archived from the original on February 1, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  3. Thomas, Desiree (December 1, 2020). "Concrete Rose". School Library Journal. Archived from the original on February 1, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  4. Kenner, Kharissa (January 26, 2021). "Concrete Rose". Shelf Awareness. Archived from the original on February 1, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  5. Natera, Cleyvis. "Angie Thomas' New Prequel to 'The Hate U Give' Challenges the Cult of Masculinity". Time. Archived from the original on January 19, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  6. "Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas book review". The Washington Post. January 21, 2021. Archived from the original on February 28, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  7. Jamison, Andrea (March 15, 2021). "Concrete Rose". Booklist. Archived from the original on February 1, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  8. "Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas". Junior Library Guild. Archived from the original on January 25, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  9. "Concrete Rose (Audiobook) by Angie Thomas". Junior Library Guild. Archived from the original on August 7, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  10. "2021 Cybils Finalists". Children's and Young Adult Book Lover's Literary Awards. Archived from the original on March 28, 2023. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  11. "Concrete Rose". Goodreads. Archived from the original on February 1, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  12. Morales, Macey (January 24, 2022). "American Library Association announces 2022 Youth Media Award winners". American Library Association. Archived from the original on January 28, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  13. "Longlists Announced for Yoto Carnegie Greenaway Awards 2022". The Yoto Carnegies. February 16, 2022. Archived from the original on April 8, 2023. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  14. Egan, Elisabeth (January 28, 2021). "Books Are Back in the White House — And One of Them Is by Angie Thomas". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on March 5, 2022. Retrieved March 5, 2022.
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