by Mike Lupica (Author)
From the #1 bestselling author of Heat, Travel Team and Million-Dollar Throw comes a feel-good basketball tale reminiscent of The Blind Side.
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. 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. 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 bigtime college ball. Getting there will be a journey that reaches far beyond the basketball court.
"Eager fans will find this a slam-dunk. A must-purchase."-Booklist
"Lupica's announcer-like delivery will have you breathless, on the edge of your seat, cheering."--Florida Times-Union
Author Biography
Mike Lupica (mikelupicabooks.com) is the #1 bestselling author of many popular books for young readers, including Fantasy League, QB 1, Heat, Travel Team, Million-Dollar Throw, and The Underdogs. He has carved out a niche as the sporting world's finest storyteller. Mike lives in Connecticut with his wife and their four children. When not writing novels, Mike Lupica writes for New York's Daily News and appears weekly on ESPN's The Sports Reporters.
Number of Pages: 288
Dimensions: 0.9 x 8.2 x 5.4 IN
Publication Date: August 23, 2016
Accelerated Reader:
Quiz Name: Fast Break
Interest Level: Middle Grades, 4-8
Reading Level: 5.2
Point Value: 9
