Anger is a Gift

 By: Mark Oshiro 

Location: FIC OSH

Genre: Young Adult, LGBGT, Fiction

“Anger is a gift. Remember that." She stood. "You gotta grasp onto it, hold it tight and use it as ammunition. You use that anger to get things done instead of just stewing in it.”

Official blurb: "ANGER IS A GIFT is an explosion of fury and revolution. Mark Oshiro's beautiful and brutal debut proves that not only can anyone be a hero, but great change comes when the heroes work together."

Moss Jeffries is many things—considerate student, devoted son, loyal friend and affectionate boyfriend, enthusiastic nerd.

But sometimes Moss still wishes he could be someone else—someone without panic attacks, someone whose father was still alive, someone who hadn’t become a rallying point for a community because of one horrible night.

And most of all, he wishes he didn’t feel so stuck.

Moss can’t even escape at school—he and his friends are subject to the lack of funds and crumbling infrastructure at West Oakland High, as well as constant intimidation by the resource officer stationed in their halls. That was even before the new regulations—it seems sometimes that the students are treated more like criminals.

Something will have to change—but who will listen to a group of teens?

When tensions hit a fever pitch and tragedy strikes again, Moss must face a difficult choice: give in to fear and hate or realize that anger can actually be a gift.

"I really really loved Anger Is A Gift and would highly highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of The Hate U Give, Dear Martin and other novels depicting teens dealing with social justice issues. It is a striking and unforgettable debut novel and I cannot wait to see what Mark Oshiro publishes in the future." Emma

"Moss is a powerful narrative voice. Mark Oshiro's ability to bring him to life is absolutely remarkable, as is the unflinching way he looks at violence and oppression. I want to recommend this book because of how necessary it is, but I also think a couple of notes are needed. White readers need to go in ready to address privileges and preconceptions that we have. Queer people and people of color need to be prepared for the emotional toll of this novel, because it is difficult. But if you can handle it, I think this is one of the most important YA novels we have. And it deserves to be read and shared as widely as possible." CeeCee