Publication Date: Nov 2015
Blurb:
Forced to live on his own after his mom dies and her boyfriend abandons him, 12-year-old Jayson does whatever it takes to get by. He will do anything to avoid the foster care system. Besides, his real home has always been the beat-up basketball court behind the projects in the North Carolina hills, and his family has always been his friends and teammates. He manages to get away with his deception until the day he gets caught stealing a new pair of basketball sneakers. Game over. Within a day a social worker places him with a family from the other side of town, the Lawtons. New home, new school, new teammates. Jayson, at first, is combatative, testing the Lawtons’ patience at every turn. He wants out, yet the Lawtons refuse to take the bait. But not everyone in Jayson’s new life is so ready to trust him–and even Jayson’s old friends give him a hard time now that he’s attending a school full of rich kids. It’s on Jayson to believe that he deserves a better life than the one he once had. The ultimate prize if he can? A trip to play in the state finals at Cameron Indoor Stadium–home to the Duke Blue Devils and launching pad to his dream of playing big time college ball. Getting there will be a journey that reaches far beyond the basketball court.
What To Expect:
Readers can expect a middle grade sports story great for ages 11 and up with a positive portrayal of foster care.
Content Warnings:
Language: None
Sexual Content: None
Violence: None
Substance Use: Reference to drug use causing the death of the main character’s mother. No specifics provided.
Prejudices: Race is mentioned, and the white main character feels surprised when his wealthy foster parents are black.
Religious Themes: None
Other Topics: Positive portrayal of foster care. Main character lives on his own initially, requiring him to steal and lie to get by. This is portrayed as negative. The main character deals with anger, bad attitudes, and disrespect but eventually accepts love and forgiveness. Themes of redemption (no religious content) and forgiveness.
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