Concrete Rose is just one of the remarkable books that were written by the author Angie Thomas. Some may recognize her other titles: On the Come Up, Blackout (A book I reviewed previously), and The Hate U Give. Concrete Rose is the prequel of The Hate U Give. The Hate U Give is a coming-of-age story about Starr Carter who navigates two different worlds, her low-income neighborhood of Garden Heights where she lives and the predominantly white school she attends. In addition, Starr also suffers a tragedy that impacts both worlds. In the book we see her battle race issues, police brutality, and finding her voice as she navigates the two worlds. The story Concrete Rose takes us back to the time when her father, Maverick Carter, is in his teenage years, and it shows us how he has shaped into the father he has become. 

Concrete Rose takes place during Maverick Carter’s senior year of high school in 1998. In the story, he must battle with the life choices he made in becoming a father and being in the local gang King Lords while also balancing school and work. His toughest dilemma is whether he should stay with the gang or grow up and take care of his child. 

In the novel, Maverick’s mother, Faye Carter, stands out the most to me because of the continuous support of her son despite what choice he made. My favorite part of the book are all the moments he spent with his child, because each time he progressively matured into a man instead of just being a teenager. The author remarkably captures what it is like to be a teen parent and the challenges they face. The book takes you through happy moments and sad moments, but overall, it is a compelling narrative about a personal struggle.  

If you are a coming-of-age teenager, I think this book would be a good choice to read as it does an excellent job of highlighting not only the struggles teens may face but also how to overcome them.