International phenomenon Angie Thomas revisits Garden Heights seventeen years before the events of The Hate U Give in this searing and poignant exploration of Black boyhood and manhood.

If theres one thing seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter knows, its that a real man takes care of his family. As the son of a former gang legend, Mav does that the only way he knows how: dealing for the King Lords. With this money he can help his mom, who works two jobs while his dads in prison.

Lifes not perfect, but with a fly girlfriend and a cousin who always has his back, Mavs got everything under control.

Until, that is, Maverick finds out hes a father.

Suddenly he has a baby, Seven, who depends on him for everything.

But its not so easy to sling dope, finish school, and raise a child. So when hes offered the chance to go straight, he takes it. In a world where hes expected to amount to nothing, maybe Mav can prove hes different.

When King Lord blood runs through your veins, though, you can't just walk away.

Loyalty, revenge, and responsibility threaten to tear Mav apart, especially after the brutal murder of a loved one. Hell have to figure out for himself what it really means to be a man.