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Content snapshot
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Violence
Barely any
Basketball roughness; a break-in at a neighbor's home
Language
Barely any
Mild profanity; authentic vernacular speech
Sexual Content
None
No sexual content
Substance Use
None
No substance use
Emotional Intensity
Barely any
Questions of identity and belonging when navigating two worlds
What this book is about
Fourteen-year-old Lincoln Mendoza has moved from his San Francisco barrio neighborhood to a predominantly white suburb. He plays basketball for his new school but faces a tense playoff game against his old barrio team, coached by the man who first believed in him. Soto's YA novel is a sharply observed story about identity, belonging, and what it means to take sides.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Racial and neighborhood identity questions
Reader Verification
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