Concrete Rose (novel)
Concrete Rose is a young adult novel by Angie Thomas, published January 12, 2021, by Balzer + Bray. The 368-page book follows Maverick Carter as a young father navigating life in his community, and it connects to The Hate U Give.
Reception was strongly positive. It earned starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, and Shelf Awareness. Time writer Cleyvis Natera praised Thomas for showing how one man’s history reveals larger social forces. The Washington Post’s Nic Stone called it Thomas’s best work and commended its deeper look at a father who challenges stereotypes while depicting street life and community resilience. The audiobook, read by Dion Graham, was also praised for Graham’s natural storytelling and ability to portray both innocence and hardship.
Concrete Rose was a New York Times and IndieBound bestseller. Kirkus named it one of the best YA novels of 2021. Both the print book and the audiobook are Junior Library Guild selections.
Thomas said she was inspired to write the book after readers expressed interest in Maverick as a dad in The Hate U Give; discussions with Russell Hornsby, who played Maverick in the film adaptation, helped spark the idea.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 16:45 (CET).