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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Tre Brun lost his brother last year and now he’s trying to field the expectations of his family and his Rez in his wake. Both brothers were always great at basketball. Tre wants to be an NBA star someday. He wants to make his family and Rez proud. But rolling with the all stars has its share of hangups and Tre constantly reminds himself to focus on the goal and make it to states like no team has done in the Warriors history.
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Byron Graves is a gem and this book is great for high schoolers or mature upper middle school. Lots of cussing, but it lends some authenticity to the teen dialogue. I wish Kyianna had been a bit more developed as a character, but Tre and the rest of the Warriors have an inspirational season that's fun and emotional to follow.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism
I liked this book. It was easy to get pulled into Tre’s story—an emotional one with so many layers to it. I started reading this book at school and was so drawn in that when I remembered I had the audiobook, I started listening at home. I did not, however, enjoy the audio version. I reread everything I had listened too, brought the book home and woke up early to finish reading it this morning. The basketball scenes were well-written and enjoyable, capturing the spirit of a community and the intensity of championship games. I hope there will be more of Tre’s story in the near future.
inspiring
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I enjoyed reading this one. The Native American male protagonist is a rarity in YA literature. It was interesting to learn about their cultures and move past some misconceptions of the way they live. The sub-story of Tre’s relationship with his family and dealing with his grief added depth to a “sports” book which may draw in a reader who is wanting more than just basketball in a book. However, the strictly sports readers get a taste of realistic fiction that may interest them to try other genres in the future.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This YA book is not typically what I would pick up, but I really enjoyed it! This is absolutely a story about basketball so be prepared to experience a lot of games, but I think teens would love it! The main character, Tre, goes to school and plays basketball on the Red Lake Reservation (because of the local ties, there are a lot of fun references to familiar areas). Tre's brother unexpectedly dies in an accident and Tre finds himself navigating grief. Meanwhile the basketball team has taken Tre under their wings, and Tree has an opportunity to help the team win a state championship. The author effortlessly navigates important topics like grief, identity, and family/found family. Now, more than ever, we need to celebrate and elevate stories that are reflective of our beautiful and diverse communities.