Can you summarize the introduction to The Hate U Give?

The story is told from the first-person point of view of Starr. She is an African American teenager who feels trapped between two worlds—the world of her neighborhood, where "some days, we are at the bottom in Garden Heights, but we still share the feeling that damn, it could be worse" and of her mostly-white and upper-class high school, where "it's dope to be black until it's hard to be black."

In the introductory chapter, Starr is at a party with lots of illegal activity and knows she'd be in big trouble if her parents knew. She has been invited by Kenya and hangs out with her for a while, but Kenya ditches her and leaves Starr feeling incredibly awkward, standing against a wall. She is rescued by Khalil, whom she grew up with but hasn't seen in a while. Based on a quick assessment of his expensive clothing and diamond earrings, she figures out that Khalil has gotten mixed up in drug dealing and thinks, "I wish he wasn't that kinda busy though. I don't know if I wanna tear up or smack him."

The two old friends find their rhythm and are enjoying playful banter when shots ring out. Khalil grabs Starr, and they head for his car. Later, while the two debate the value of Tupac and reminisce over childhood memories of Harry Potter, blue lights pull up behind them, and this sets up the horrific conflict that drives the rest of the novel.

What is the plot of The Hate U Give?

The Hate U Give is a 2017 young adult novel inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement and the 2009 shooting of Oscar Grant, a Black man killed by a White police officer using excessive force. The main character is Starr Carter, a Black teenager attending a predominantly White private school. She and her childhood friend Khalil are thrust into the public spotlight when they are pulled over by a cop car late at night. After stepping outside the car due to orders from the policeman, Khalil is shot to death by the cop when he leans into the car to check on Starr.

Starr is horrified by the excessive force and becomes uncomfortable as she is entangled in the public reaction to the shooting. Khalil is demonized by the media due to his stint as a drug dealer, even though Starr knows he only did this to help his family. Starr tries to go to the police, but the policeman who shot Khalil is never brought to justice. Riots and peaceful protests ensue, and Starr decides to take a more outspoken role in speaking out against the racism inherent in Khalil's murder. Starr has to face both threats and estrangement from her White friends at the private school as she fights for what is right.