THE AUTHOR

This compelling middle-grade novel explores the intense world of youth basketball through the eyes of student-athletes chasing dreams and a young journalist seeking truth. Duncan Tonatiuh masterfully captures the pressure-cooker environment of middle school sports, where two rival teams and their star players navigate the blurred lines between healthy competition and dangerous obsession. The crosstown rivalry between Walthorne North and South middle schools serves as the perfect backdrop for this timely examination of ambition, ethics, and community dynamics in youth athletics.

What sets this sports narrative apart is its multidimensional approach to storytelling, weaving together athletic aspirations with journalistic integrity as the young reporter uncovers uncomfortable truths. Readers will appreciate how Tonatiuh addresses complex themes of sportsmanship, peer pressure, and moral courage without sacrificing the fast-paced excitement of basketball action. Young athletes and aspiring writers alike will find themselves reflected in these authentic characters who must confront the consequences when school spirit turns toxic, making this both an engaging read and an important conversation starter about the true meaning of competition.