If you enjoyed The Hate U Give, then add this prequel to your list. It's told from the perspective of Starr's dad, Maverick, and provides the backstory on how he became a father so young (twice!) and how he navigated the gang/drug turf. For anyone who has ever judged teen parents, this book does a good job helping you see the world from their shoes... and the tough decisions they face in trying to make ends meet.

Angie Thomas does a great job capturing her characters' voices, and I highly recommend the audio version of this book – the performance really brings those voices to life.