Some Kind of Hate

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Published by: Scholastic Press
Release Date: November 1, 2022
Pages: 336
ISBN13: 978-1338746815

 

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OVERVIEW

We all make choices.

Declan Taylor is furious at the world. After winning state as a freshman starting pitcher, he accidentally messes up his throwing arm. Despite painful surgery and brutal physical therapy, he might never pitch again. And instead of spending the summer with his friends, Declan is forced to get a job to help his family out. On top of that, it seems like his best friend, Jake Lehrer, is flirting with Declan's crush and always ditching him to hang out with the team or his friends from synagogue.

So Declan ends up playing a lot of Imperialist Empires online and making new friends. It's there he realizes he's been playing with Finn, a kid from his class. Finn is the first person who might be just as angry as Declan-he gets it. As the two spend more time together, Finn also introduces Declan to others who understand what it's like when the world is working against you, no matter how much you try. How white kids like them are being denied opportunities because others are manipulating the system. And the more time Declan spends with Finn, the more he sees what they're saying as true. So when his new friends decide it's time to fight back, Declan is right there with them. Even if it means going after Jake and his family. And each new battle for the cause makes Declan feel in control of his rage, channeling it into saving his future. But when things turn deadly, Declan is going to have to decide just how far he'll go and what he's willing to sacrifice.

In a stunning story set against the rise of white nationalism comes an unflinching exploration of the destruction of hate, the power of fear, and the hope of redemption.

A 2023 SYDNEY TAYLOR HONOR BOOK

PRAISE

“Thoughtful, meticulous, and devastatingly revealing, Some Kind of Hate opens readers’ eyes into how ordinary people--a neighbor, a classmate, a teammate, a friend--can become brainwashed and indoctrinated into the frightening and bigoted world of white supremacy. To stop hate, Sarah Darer Littman has written a critical, heart-wrenching, and hopeful book that not only shows how and why the seeds of hatred grow into a destructive force, but also the importance of owning one’s actions, which allows for the possibility of redemption and forgiveness.”
—Liza Wiemer, author of the Sydney Taylor Notable Book The Assignment

“Some Kind of Hate is not an easy read, but it’s a necessary one, one that is unflinchingly realistic and brutal, and yet, somehow, hopeful. I wish for it to find its way to every library and classroom shelf where it might help more than one reader realize that it’s never too late to say no to hate and open our eyes and hearts to love.”

—Gae Polisner, author of In Sight of Stars

“Littman’s latest novel presents an unvarnished and eye-opening account of how a frustrated young athlete becomes radicalized into a hate group, while examining the causes and consequences of unchecked antisemitism. This is truly a story for our times--a raw and visceral exploration of how a single, traumatic event in a person’s life can quickly turn him down the dark path toward extremism, and ultimately, redemption.”
—Jonathan A. Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League

"This por­trait of a con­fused teen, ripe for manip­u­la­tion, is worth read­ing and tak­ing to heart. It high­lights the many dan­gers that sur­round us and the impor­tance of stay­ing edu­cat­ed and vigilant."
—Jewish Book Council

RESOURCES

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INTERVIEWS

9/1/2022 Book of Life podcast interview with Heidi Rabinowitz

6/1/2022 WNNH Interview with Paul Bass

VIDEO