I read Angie Thomas' book when it was first published. I was anxious to expand my own horizons after trying to build a more diverse book collection at work and in one of my Amazon searches her book popped up. At the same time, I picked up Renee Watson's two books, This Side Up and Piecing me together, both excellent as well.
Thomas' book went above and beyond in reaching a wider audience and was picked up pretty quickly to be movie bound. When the movie deal was first announced I handed the book to Groovy Girl and challenged her to read it with the prize of going to see it as a movie together later. My little GG is not quite as caught up in reading as some of the rest of us are and it took her a bit to finish it. (like the whole time it took to make the movie!)
Last week we finally found time to go see it as a family before it left our theatre here. She literally had the book in hand and finished it while we were watching previews. She was very happy to finish and still remembered so much, enough that she kept turning to me and saying "that DIDN'T happen in the BOOK" which was so reminiscent of her older siblings Harry Potter experiences.
I thought the book was such a well-told tale and once again it is very easy to say that the book is FAR superior to the movie. I had higher expectations as I'd heard Angie was very involved in the movie-making process. I don't know why she would choose to change some of the things she did but it is what it is. I still firmly believe this is a book that should be in every middle and high school and many adults should read as well. It definitely would help some individuals understand white privilege in a real sense. If you need a copy stop by my free library out front to pick up a copy. If you've already watched the movie I think you will enjoy the book even more. It's much more than just a black & white issue. Oh, and pick up one of Renee Watson's books also. Just to keep up.
Recitatif
7 hours ago