Angie Thomas, author of “The Hate U Give,” spoke to students and signed autographs at a Meet and Greet held at Westerville South High School.
The Westerville Public Library and the Westerville City Schools Spirit Book Club hosted author Angie Thomas on Thursday, September 13. Before addressing a sold-out audience in the Westerville Central High School auditorium that evening, she attended a Meet and Greet held in the Media Center at Westerville South. There, she spoke with and signed autographs for approximately 60 students from Westerville North, South, and Central high schools. Junior Oluwagbemileke Esan introduced Thomas to the gathering at South. He is reading her book, The Hate U Give, in his Cultural Studies in Literature class, taught by Sarah Detrick. The author was visibly touched by the thoughtful questions and comments from Westerville’s passionate students.
The Hate U Give was an instant bestseller that has been called “a stunning, brilliant, gut-wrenching novel that will be remembered as a classic of our time” by the New York Times. It is currently being adapted for film release in October. It has also been on the New York Times bestseller list for more than 80 weeks in the Young Adult Novels category. The book focuses on 16-year-old Starr Carter, who navigates between the poverty-stricken neighborhood she has grown up in and the upper-crust suburban prep school she attends. As life unfolds, Starr finds herself even more torn between the two vastly different worlds she inhabits.
Thomas was born, raised and still resides in Jackson, Mississippi. She is a former teen rapper who was featured in an article in Right-On Magazine. She holds a BFA in Creative Writing from Belhaven University.
The Westerville Library and Westerville City Schools will continue to work together to bring authors to the district. The next author visit scheduled will take place in February 2019 – Jason Reynolds (Ghost and All American Boys).
For additional information, please contact Cynthia DeVese at devesec@wcsoh.org or Dr. Jill Williams at williaJi@wcsoh.org.