On the Come Up Discussion and On the Come Up Review written by the Ent on 2/21. This post contains affiliate links, you can find out more on our policies page or in the disclaimer at the bottom of the blog.
Know Before You Read
Book: On the Come Up
Author: Angie Thomas
Genre: Teen Fiction
Length: 464 pages
Age suggested : 14 and up
Release Date: February 5th, 2019
Themes: Racism, Stereotyping, High School Relationships (hetero and same sex)
Warnings: Portrayal of racial injustices, violence, heavy swearing, mild sexual intimacy
Quick Summary of On the Come Up
Bri wants to follow her dream of being a rapper, but many real life events stand in her way. From conniving producers to systemic racism, many things are trying to keep Bri down. But Bri won’t let attempts to push back and not let anything stop her while she is on the come up. This is a sequel to The Hate U Give (Which you can read our review for here), but does not follow any of the characters from that book. It takes place in a neighboring city that was still affected by the events in Garden Heights.
On the Come Up Review: (Contain Light Spoilers)
-Why Read On the Come Up-
On the Come Up paints an important story of racial justice. It is significant for kids to see different viewpoints from their own and it is very important for kids to have representation in literature. This book is both depending on the reader. The story is very engaging while also tackling several heavy and difficult topics. On top of handling all these topics, Angie Thomas weaves normal high school life and drama into this powerful story.
Continue reading for more of our On the Come Up Review.
-Plot/Story of On the Come Up-
On the Come Up dives into a neighboring community of Garden Heights. Like The Hate U Give, we follow a teenage girl who experiences racial injustices and try to navigate high school. A slight difference between the two books is that Bri has an overlying plot in which she is attempting to break into the rap industry.
Bri tries to push back against injustice in the recording industry, while also wanting to get into it. While she’s dealing with this very adult work issue, she’s also trying to push back against things in school. The story, although sometimes heartbreaking, all comes together to tell an amazing story of perseverance, grief, and power.
-Characters-
This book is driven by it’s many powerful and contentious characters. The leading lady, Bri, is such a relatable and powerful female character. She knows what she wants, but is thrown obstacle after obstacle. It is made even more interesting as some of these obstacles are caused by her own actions and others are completely external. This lends to her ability to overcome things even more impressive and important. Bri’s immediately family, Jay and Trey, play important roles as her moral anchor, despite how much she occasionally tries to swim away.
Bri’s Aunt Pooh and Supreme play such an important role in the plot as Bri’s managers. Their dynamic and relationships with Bri play greatly into her relatable while pushing major points of the plot along. The best friends of Bri, Sonny and Malik, play fun and interesting roles in her life as she transcends from normal high schooler to controversial celebrity.
Continue reading for our On the Come Up Discussion Questions
On the Come Up Curriculum
We have a On the Come Up Curriculum Aide available for digital download. This download includes:
-On the Come Up Movie and Book Discussion Questions
-Multiple Choice Quizzes for Book and Movie with answers
-Short Answer Quiz
-Essay and Project Prompts
-A Venn Diagram to compare the book and movie, story worksheets & MORE!
*Find our On the Come Up curriculum on Teachers Pay Teachers here!
*You can also check out our Angie Thomas Bundle here!
*A great deal for a full discussion guide! & Thanks for checking out our On the Come Up Discussion Questions and Review!
*We have also create an Angie Thomas Bundle that you can find in our store or at Teachers Pay Teachers
Continue reading for the On the Come Up Discussion Questions!
On the Come Up Discussion Questions
- If you read/watched The Hate U Give, what carryover effects did you see in On the Come Up?
- Which characters did you relate to the most and why?
- Which characters caused the biggest emotional reactions in you and why?
- Have you ever been as passionate about anything as Bri is about rapping?
- How is Bri taken advantage of throughout the book? How can we be an advocate for ourselves and friends?
- What lessons did Bri learn from her father? What lessons did Bri learn from her mother?
Thanks for checking out our On the Come Up Discussion Questions and Review, Before you go, check out some other posts
–The Hate U Give Review and Curriculum
–Concrete Rose (Prequel to The Hate U Give) Review and Curriculum
–Talking your Teens through Just Mercy
–Stamped Remix review and discussion questions
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