(2) 4-6 Narrator Tony Washington's friend Dante Jones, the number-two-ranked high-school basketball player in the country, was shot and killed by the police on the kids' neighborhood court. Now Tony, who is still very much in mourning, is determined to make the under-fourteen AAU team to honor Dante and to live out his own hoop dreams. When he doesn't make the team, he feels even more lost and ready to give up: "Who even cares about a silly game throwing a stupid ball into a dumb net?" But Coach James finds a way for math-nerd Tony to be on the team: in the role of statistician. The book is divided into four quarters, and descriptions of Tony's analytics and sports action sequences are enhanced by former NBA standout Butler's deep knowledge of the game. Off the court, too, players have worldview-expanding experiences through Coach's guidance and visits to an art museum at an HBCU, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Disney World, and the ocean. Though heavy on sports metaphors for life, the story is notable for its consideration of racism, justice, inequality, and trauma along with exciting basketball action and memorable characters.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2022

(2) YA Jamal and Q were close until Jamal's parents died in a tragic car accident, with Jamal secretly blaming Q for their deaths because Q called Jamal's dad while Dad was driving. Two years later, Jamal rescues his estranged friend from drowning, only for Q to die later at the hospital. Beyond the grief of losing his parents, Jamal must confront the grief of Q's death not once, but twice: an experimental medical procedure is offered to "restore" Q for a short time so that his loved ones have the opportunity to say goodbye. Reynolds (Opposite of Always, rev. 3/19) weaves themes of friendship and tragic loss into a sensitive tale of two teens who have lost their way in the midst of grief and misunderstanding. He manages to make the science-fiction premise feel realistic, offering a compelling backdrop as Jamal and Q attempt to repair their relationship. The author also deftly uses humor throughout this fast-paced, engagingly written book, providing levity in a story dealing with heavy issues such as death, reconciliation, and learning how and when to let go.

Reviewer: Monique Harris | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2020

(2) YA In this contemporary-set, time-bending love story, African American teens Jack (a high school senior) and Kate (a college freshman) meet at a party and fall in love. After Kate dies of complications from sickle cell disease, Jack begins to travel back in time over and over trying to save her. Jack is an everyday hero readers will root for as Reynolds spins this poignant, dizzying tale of love and loss.

Reviewer: Monique Harris | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2019