Angie Thomas's Black Lives Matter-inspired debut, The Hate U Give, has topped the bestseller list since its release, gained fans around the world, and become the most visible title in a much-needed wave of fiction examining police brutality against black communities. It’s also one of the best coming of age books in recent memory, combining a heartbreaking topical story with a warm, funny, vividly specific portrait of a family and a neighborhood. In the weeks before the book hits the big screen, we talked to Thomas about the adaptation process; writing her forthcoming novel, On the Come Up; and the books and authors that helped pave the way for her and Starr Carter’s story.