I was absolutely enthralled by this 445 page graphic novel, which on the surface is the chronicle a high school season of basketball. Much like the author of the book, I don't have a lot of interest in watching sports and I identify more as a nerd then as an athlete. What make this book compelling is the storytelling, which is Gene Yang's superpower. The story is autobiographical—a nerdy math teacher decides to write a graphic novel about a pivotal season of high school basketball, a world he knows nothing about. What he discovers is a former player-turned-coach who has never coached a state championship team, a former coach with a questionable past, and a diverse team of athletes, all with stories of their own. And there is the teacher himself, a hugely successful writer and father of four, trying to make life choices that are bittersweet. Yang manages to take us through the history of the sport of basketball and into issues of race and culture and resilience. And did I mention that there is a huge amount of basketball action? This book worked for me as an adult reader for reasons beyond the basketball action, but I suspect it will work for students and sports fans as well. Very highly recommended for 8th graders through adults. One of the best books of the year!
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