stphfrmn's review against another edition
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
well I did not expect a basketball book written in verse to make me cry ðŸ˜Â
love how different this book is with the poetry / hip hop verse approach. It packs so much into a short read !
love how different this book is with the poetry / hip hop verse approach. It packs so much into a short read !
bernadettebloom's review against another edition
5.0
Part slam poetry, part rap style. Twin brothers, one of whom has dreams of being a basketball star, go through middle school with all its ups and downs. Some serious topics.
lbb00ks's review against another edition
Vibrant, distinct, exciting and evocative verse novel that brilliantly capture the emotions of an adolescent narrator struggling his way through a turning point in his young life.
raeanne's review against another edition
5.0
I am always a sucker for verse books. Add in the blurb and I was hooked. I got lucky and it was available from my library while I was browsing through. I did take a couple pages to get into the flow and style with the capitalization and spacing. It'd been so long since I read a verse book! But once I was in, I was a goner. I finished it as quick as I could. I can def. see why it's so highly praised and won awards. The only little thing for me was the ending wasn't as conclusive and satisfying as I'd like. I'm the type to want all the answers on the page. But it's really great, even with my hang up.
taylorbrow_'s review against another edition
3.0
Just finished reading this book with my 8th graders to introduce a poetry unit! Many of them gave the story 5 stars and appreciated the approach to poetry that was different than they expected.
Getting teenagers involved and excited about poetry is a struggle but Josh and JB did the trick!
Getting teenagers involved and excited about poetry is a struggle but Josh and JB did the trick!
luna_rondo's review against another edition
3.0
Not bad, but also something I wasn't interested in. I didn't realize this was more middle grade then YA. Also should have realized that it was about basketball and I have zero interest in basketball.
soccerkid's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
wggleworm's review against another edition
5.0
Needless to say, I LOVED this novel in verse. It moves quickly both in the way it is written and the narrative itself. I will definitely be purchasing this for my classroom. Though the characters are younger than my high school set, I don't think it matters as it is rarely brought up and the story is universal.