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 there’s one thing seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter knows; it’s 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 dad’s in prison. Life’s not perfect; but with a fly girlfriend and a cousin who always has his back; Mav’s got everything under control. Until; that is; Maverick finds out he’s a father. Suddenly he has a baby; Seven; who depends on him for everything. But it’s not so easy to sling dope; finish school; and raise a child. So when he’s offered the chance to go straight; he takes it. In a world where he’s expected to amount to nothing; maybe Mav can prove he’s 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. He’ll have to figure out for himself what it really means to be a man.