All of these factors pile up, and he is forced to make decisions that reveal his personality. Soon, Maverick is pushed to his limits by the loss of a family member and the discovery that his ex-girlfriend Lisa is also pregnant.

His oldest son, Seven, is just a few months old when Iesha, Seven’s mother, drops him off with Maverick, completely transforming his life by forcing him to balance teen parenthood, school, a new job, and gang activity. It’s 1998, and Maverick Carter is seventeen years old. In Concrete Rose, Thomas transports us through time for a better understanding of Maverick’s past. Although those facts might cause people to look at him askance, we can see that they do not detract from his success or his standing within his community. We know that Maverick was previously involved with gangs and that his two oldest children were born only a year apart, to different mothers.

He works hard and is committed to his wife and children. In The Hate U Give, Maverick owns the neighborhood grocery store. Readers familiar with The Hate U Give know the adult version of Maverick Carter.

There are lessons in it for those who want or need them, but for all of us, there is a great story. Thomas’ ability to bring a brilliant character to life on the page makes this book a joy to read. Maverick Carter has been called a “fan favorite” in both the film and novel versions of The Hate U Give, and Angie Thomas has been praised widely for her previous novels. Thomas’ characters are compelling, and her plots move forward quickly, but in Concrete Rose, Thomas gives us the gift of a rarely told story - the story of a young Black man whose gang affiliation, teen parenthood, and failing grades would make him easy for many people to disregard. Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas is a triumph, and anyone who enjoyed Thomas’ The Hate U Give (2017) should read it as soon as possible.

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