Concrete Rose

Throughout her books, Angie Thomas is just so skilled at handling really heavy topics with a light hand. Not light in a diminishing sense but in the sense that you have a sense that these characters have joy and humor in their lives along the violence, which I think is so important, maybe especially for a teen audience. Anyway this book is just so beautiful and compelling! I was a little surprised when Angie mentioned that readers were asking about Big Mav's backstory because I have to admit, I hadn't really been looking for this backstory. But now that I've read it.......yes, this is actually a crucial story.