The Hoop and the Harm
Udoka Clendon is a first-year university student and a product of basketball systems that have produced professional players.
He’s been pushed relentlessly by the obsessive mentorship of his older brother, which has been tolerated by his hard-working single mother. For years his brother has taken him to tournaments and pushed him to succeed on the outdoor courts of the west end.
Burdened by expectations and self-doubt, Udoka tries to reignite his passion for the game. Now, he’s been given a final opportunity at the city-wide tournament to rediscover his confidence and his sense of purpose—all of which he fears he has lost forever.
With the clarity and poetic style of a seasoned writer, and drawing on his own time as an elite sports prospect, Jawara Pedican shows the trials and traumas of becoming fixated on a dream of sports stardom.
| Format | Your Price | Add |
|---|---|---|
|
978-1-4594-1715-1
|
$14.99 |
| Interest Level | Grade 8 - Grade 12 |
|---|---|
| Reading Level | Grade 3 |
| Genre | Young Adult |
| Category | Diverse Books: #OwnVoices, Diverse Books: Race & Ethnicity, Diversity, SEL: A Self-Awareness, SEL: D Relationship Skills, SEL: E Responsible Decision-Making, Social Emotional Learning |
| Copyright | 2023 |
| Publisher | James Lorimer and Company Ltd., Publishers |
| Imprint | Lorimer Children & Teens |
| Language | English |
| Number of Pages | 272 |
| Publication Date | 2023-08-01 |
Author: Jawara Pedican
Jawara Pedican is a former member of both the McGill University and University of Toronto men's varsity basketball teams. With a wealth of memories from his playing days, he decided to offer young readers a semi-autobiographical account of his experiences and trials and tribulations as a collegiate athlete. He is a kinesiologist and more recently a medical editor for a life sciences marketing agency headquartered in Toronto. He lives in Alliston, Ontario.
Meet the Publisher: Lorimer Children and Teens
Allow us to introduce you to Lorimer Children and Teens, a Canadian publisher who specializes in creating diverse books for reluctant and striving readers. Read on to learn more about Lorimer’s publishing program and unique vision to “get kids reading!” What is Lorimer Children and… View →
Reviews
School Library Journal
“A potent message about the mental toll of elite sports and the value of playing for love of the game will resonate with teens. Recommended for high school libraries.”—School Library Journal
Kirkus Reviews
“The novel does a wonderful job of normalizing opening up and using counseling services, especially for boys and young men who often feel that they have to bottle up their emotions. A sincere, inspiring look at dealing with and overcoming self-doubt, ideal for reluctant readers.”—Kirkus Review