Trauma abounds in this earnest verse novel that ultimately—perhaps boldly—offers minimal consolation.
Tragedy turns a top basketball prospect toward a life of hard, hurt-filled choices—but it’s never too late to become more than our pain.
When her loving ex-con father is assassinated, Aaliyah Davis’ already tumultuous life in Buffalo, New York, is turned upside down. A star hooper, like her father before her, and an unrepentant tomboy, to the chagrin of her absentee mother, 16-year-old Aaliyah experiences the sort of trauma no one should have to but that is unfortunately all too common. Her story is presented here in raw, poignant verse with first-person adolescent lyricism. With basketball no longer an effective distraction from her growing anger, a budding relationship with a schoolmate who’s suffered similarly from gun violence quickly turns into an opportunity for revenge. Until a stint in juvenile detention that pointedly parallels her father’s incarceration, learning to trust the right people proves to be disastrously difficult for Aaliyah and many of the young people in this complicated story of loss, betrayal, and widespread neglect—but it’s a hard-earned lesson that ultimately sets her free. Accessible for reluctant readers, the attractive design and fluid writing style make this a broadly appealing work. Main characters are Black.
Trauma abounds in this earnest verse novel that ultimately—perhaps boldly—offers minimal consolation. (Verse novel. 12-17)Pub Date: Jan. 11, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-9785-9559-0
Page Count: 200
Publisher: West 44 Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
An entertaining mix of endearing characters, strong feelings, and pulse-pounding adventure.
American teen movie star Zander Rune has an image problem, and it’s endangering his career.
Zander’s agent has a plan: Zander will go on a wilderness survival reality show with one lucky fan. Charlie Hart, who’s from a small Australian town, is facing her own struggles over a personal tragedy, her best friend Ember’s leukemia, and uncertainty about her future now she’s finished high school. Ember wins the contest, but her doctor advises her against going on the show. So Charlie—whose crush on Zander ended the day he was charged with a DUI—reluctantly agrees to go in Ember’s place: Her participation will give an infatuated Ember the chance to meet Zander before they embark. As the four-day trek through Australia’s Blue Mountains begins, Charlie’s animosity toward Zander is clear—although she won’t explain why, leaving him resigned to just getting through the challenge. But when the pair is thrust into increasingly dangerous situations, their feelings shift. White-presenting Zander and Charlie skydive, rappel, hike—and deal with lots of emotions. The juxtaposition of the wilderness challenges against the internal turmoil they’re each working through will keep readers engaged. The dual narration allows access to both leads’ perspectives and emotional journeys, supporting deeper storytelling. Readers will enjoy watching the duo learn and yearn as they navigate the mountains, forests, and streams.
An entertaining mix of endearing characters, strong feelings, and pulse-pounding adventure. (content note, author’s note) (Romance. 12-17)Pub Date: May 20, 2025
ISBN: 979887481172
Page Count: 318
Publisher: Blackstone
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A provocative shot but far from a slam-dunk.
After a promising young talent is shot dead on a neighborhood basketball court, the game takes on new meaning for a community in mourning.
Middle schooler Tony “Tone” Washington lost a close friend when a police officer opened fire on honor student Dante Jones, cutting the nationally ranked basketball player’s life short. The working-class Milwaukee neighborhood Tone and his family live in is no stranger to injustice, so in the aftermath, a rally, protest, and candlelight vigil are organized in tragically routine fashion. All the while, Tone’s focus is on making an elite local AAU basketball team, partially in commemoration of his late friend but also because—despite recognizing some of the disconcerting aspects of so much of your future being determined as a young teen—the sport takes up a significant space in the lives and dreams of the boys in his neighborhood. But the overlap of hoop dreams and police brutality ultimately makes for some uncomfortable and uneven narrative beats. As Tone narrates his interactions with Dante’s younger brother, Terry, the latter boy is obviously and justifiably angry and hurt because of his very personal loss, making Tone’s dogged focus on basketball strike a hollow note. Despite some compelling reflections on community and emotional health, sports clichés abound on the way to the national championship, and the impact of Dante’s death only three months earlier is not fully explored. Most characters are assumed Black.
A provocative shot but far from a slam-dunk. (Fiction. 12-16)Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-06-306959-6
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 12, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
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