Review by Booklist Review
After Ossie suffers a torn ACL injury at the state championship, he is suddenly unmoored from the game he built his life around. Basketball isn't his only talent, however; he is also a gifted writer. Joining his school's special writing program, Ossie finds himself inspired by authors like James Baldwin and finds solace in the lessons of his teacher, Ms. Hunt. Sadly, some other students in the class--upper-crust prep kids--don't see the value in Ms. Hunt's curriculum and begin a movement to get her fired. As tensions rise, Ossie begins to consider how he, with his large online following, could support Ms. Hunt, but he quickly learns that the noblest of gestures may result in the direst of consequences. Ossie is a refreshingly complex character who is aware of how others--the school's athletics department, college activists safe in their ivory towers--want to use him for his athletic gifts and the fan base it has garnered him. Readers will be inspired by how he learns to stand up against the disguised race-class fissures that have long existed in his school.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
When a career-ending injury jeopardizes his college prospects, a teenage athlete rethinks his future. Arriving back at Braxton Academy for senior year, Ossie Brown--formerly "the six-five basketball star" of his school--is now "just another Black kid" from south Yonkers, ghosted by his teammates and dumped by his girlfriend for his on-court nemesis. Lacking the grades to secure college financial aid, Ossie joins a competitive creative writing program led by passionate Ms. Hunt, whose curriculum embraces "diverse perspectives." The assignments allow Ossie to cultivate relationships with classmates Luis, who is gay, and Naima, who might be more than just a friend. After Ms. Hunt is fired following accusations of using "reverse racism" to promote a "woke agenda," and Luis and Naima's safety is jeopardized, Ossie must choose whether to fight back by finding his own voice, no matter the cost--or do nothing and let his world crumble. Both heartening and heartbreaking, this richly layered, sensitive YA fiction debut from Joseph (Better Than We Found It) unflinchingly confronts systemic racism, classism, and homophobia via a powerful story of self-discovery and social justice that aims, shoots, and scores. Ages 14--up. (May)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A Black basketball star starts his senior year by pivoting to find his true voice in the classroom. Ossie Brown was destined for greatness before an injury in a game ended his high school basketball career. Ossie feels like his future was stolen--and on top of that, his girlfriend dumps him. Grandma Alice comforts him with a reminder that basketball doesn't define him; still, the game helped Ossie cope with his fractured relationship with his widowed mother. A new opportunity opens up when Ms. Hunt, Ossie's Black English teacher at mostly white Braxton Academy, where he has a full-ride scholarship, tells him about the Mark Twain Creative Writing Program. A vivid dream in which his father speaks to him inspires Ossie's application essay. He connects with Luis and Naima, the only other participants who aren't white, but agitation by conservative students against a "woke agenda" leads to Ms. Hunt's replacement by a teacher who exclusively uses texts by white authors. Ossie's online attempt to support Naima's protest has unintended consequences, and he's forced to reevaluate his solo activism. The central characters' relationships will engage readers, and Ossie's dilemma will resonate with anyone whose good intentions have gone sideways. Committed, pragmatic, and reflective Ossie ultimately learns from Grandma Alice's wise counsel: "This thing of ours--life, you see--is only as beautiful as the bonds we make as we journey through it." A thought-provoking exploration of storytelling dynamics in a social media--driven society.(Fiction. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
