The Hate U Give: Book Bans, True Story, Streaming & Age Rating

Few young adult novels have sparked as many conversations—and controversies—as Angie Thomas’s debut. It’s a story about a 16-year-old girl who witnesses a police shooting, and it’s also a story about what happens when that girl finds her voice. The book became a bestseller, a film, and a lightning rod for debates about race, censorship, and what teens should read. Here’s what you need to know about the book, the movie, and why it keeps making headlines.

Year published: 2017 (book); 2018 (film) ·
Author: Angie Thomas ·
IMDb rating: 7.2/10 ·
Rotten Tomatoes score: 97% (critics); 96% (audience) ·
Pages (hardcover): 444 ·
Awards: Coretta Scott King Honor, Odyssey Award

Six key facts about the book and its adaptation, one pattern: the story centers on a young Black woman finding her voice in the aftermath of a police shooting.

Why is The Hate U Give banned?

What are the main reasons for the bans?

• The book is frequently challenged for profanity, drug use, offensive language, and sexual references, according to the American Library Association (ALA, library advocacy group).
• Challengers often cite “anti-police” messaging, though the author states the book critiques systemic issues, not individual officers (Wikipedia).
• As of 2023, The Hate U Give ranked among the top 10 most challenged books in the U.S. (Marshall University).

How common are challenges to this book?

• The book has repeatedly appeared on the ALA’s lists of most-challenged books, including 2017, 2018, 2020, and 2021 (Wikipedia).
• In 2025, Budmouth Academy in the UK removed the book from a Year 10 reading list after a parent complaint about sexual scenes and language (BBC News).
• Nova Scotia education officials removed the book from authorized learning resources after complaints about the N-word and other offensive language (CBC News).

Was The Hate U Give based on a true story?

What real-life events inspired the book?

• Angie Thomas cited the 2009 police shooting of Oscar Grant in Oakland, California, as the primary inspiration (Wikipedia).
• The character of Khalil is fictional, but the narrative echoes the aftermath of Grant’s death and the Black Lives Matter movement (BBC News).
• Thomas has stated in interviews that she wanted to humanize victims of police violence through Starr’s perspective (Marshall University).

How closely does the plot follow the Oscar Grant shooting?

• The plot is not a direct retelling—Grant was killed by a BART officer, while Khalil is shot by a police officer during a traffic stop (Wikipedia).
• Thomas wrote the novel as a short story in 2015, expanding it after the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement (Common Sense Media book review).

Where can I watch or stream The Hate U Give?

Is The Hate U Give on Netflix?

• As of 2025, The Hate U Give is available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video and Hulu in standard subscription tiers in the United States (Common Sense Media movie review).
• The film is currently not on Netflix (US), according to official Netflix library listings (Common Sense Media movie review).

Is The Hate U Give on Disney+?

• It is not available on Disney+ (US); it is distributed by 20th Century Fox (now acquired by Disney) but remains on other services due to existing licensing agreements (Common Sense Media movie review).

Is The Hate U Give available on other platforms?

• Digital rental/purchase is available on Apple TV, Vudu, Google Play, and YouTube (Common Sense Media movie review).

Is The Hate U Give worth watching?

What are critics saying?

• The film holds a 97% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes (critics aggregation site), with critics praising Amandla Stenberg’s performance.
• Common Sense Media calls it “not for young teens” and recommends it for ages 13+ (Common Sense Media movie review).

Who would enjoy this film?

• Target audience includes viewers interested in social justice, coming-of-age dramas, and fans of the book (Common Sense Media movie review).

Can a 13-year-old read The Hate U Give?

What is the age rating for the book?

• The book contains strong language (including racial slurs), drug references, and a graphic shooting scene; many schools assign it for ages 14 and up (Common Sense Media book review).
• Common Sense Media recommends the book for ages 14+ (Common Sense Media book review).

What is the age rating for the movie?

• The movie is rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements, violence, and language (BBFC (UK film classification board)).
• In the UK, the BBFC gives a 12 classification (BBFC).
• Children and Media Australia classifies the film as M and advises it is not suitable under 13, with parental guidance to 15 (Children and Media Australia).

What content warnings are there?

• Mature themes, violence, coarse language, and drug references (BBFC).

Timeline

• 2009 – Oscar Grant is killed by a BART police officer, inspiring Thomas to write (Wikipedia).
• 2015 – Thomas begins writing the manuscript, originally a short story (Marshall University).
• February 2017 – The Hate U Give is published (Wikipedia).
• October 2018 – Film adaptation premieres (BBC News).
• 2020-2023 – Book frequently appears on ALA’s list of most challenged books (CBC News).

Clarity: Confirmed vs. Unclear

Quotes

“I wanted to humanize the victims.”

— Angie Thomas, author, in interviews about the book’s inspiration (Marshall University)

The book was challenged for being “pervasively vulgar.”

— American Library Association, Office for Intellectual Freedom (Banned Books Week)

“Not for young teens.”

— Common Sense Media review, recommending ages 13+ for the film (Common Sense Media movie review)

For the book-ban debate, the stakes are high: schools that remove the book may deprive students of a story that reflects the real experiences of many young Black Americans. For educators, the choice is between protecting students from harsh language and exposing them to a narrative that could foster empathy and critical thinking.

Frequently asked questions