Anger is a Gift
Publisher
Tom Doherty Associates
Publication Year
2018
ISBN
9781250167026
Pages
463 pages
Genre
realism
Format
novel
Item Type
Fiction
Annotation
Six years ago, Moss Jefferies' father was murdered by an Oakland police officer. Along with losing a parent, the media's vilification of his father and lack of accountability has left Moss with near crippling panic attacks. Now, in his sophomore year of high school, Moss and his fellow classmates find themselves increasingly treated like criminals in their own school. New rules. Random locker searches. Constant intimidation and Oakland Police Department stationed in their halls. Despite their youth, the students decide to organize and push back against the administration. When tensions hit a fever pitch and tragedy strikes, Moss must face a difficult choice: give in to fear and hate or realize that anger can actually be a gift.
Grade Level
9-12
Lexile Measure
HL710L
Diversity Topics
Family Relationships; Racial Diversity; LGBTQ (Gender and Sexuality); Disability and Health; Family member death; Single parent; Race discrimination; Gay/Lesbian; Mental illness; death of a father; single mother; racism; gay; gay teenager; same-sex relationship; anxiety; panic attacks; teenager with a mental illness
Main Character
male teenager
Race/Ethnicities
African American
Family Formation
single mother
LGBTQ+
gay male
Awards
Schneider Family Book Award, 2019, Winner, Teen
Keywords
police shootings; protests; rallies; friendship; relationships; high school; police brutality; abuse of power
Diversity Impact
direct
STARS Citation
Oshiro, Mark, "Anger is a Gift" (2018). Diverse Families. 1278.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/diversefamilies/1278