Starr is a sixteen-year-old girl who lives between two worlds: the poor black neighborhood where she was born, and her high school located in an elegant white residential area. The difficult balance between the two shatters when she witnesses the shooting death of her best friend, Khalil, at the hands of a police officer. From that moment on, everything Starr says about the terrifying night that changed her life can be used as an excuse by some and as a weapon by others. And worst of all, both sides have her in their sights and threaten to end her life. Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, Angie Thomas's debut about an ordinary girl in extraordinarily difficult circumstances addresses issues of racism and police violence with intelligence, heart, and unwavering honesty.
