Every Variable of Us - by Charles a Bush (Hardcover)

About the Book

After Philly teenager Alexis Duncan is injured in a gang shooting, her promising basketball career comes to a halt. At the urging of new Indian student (and crush?) Aamani, Alexis shifts her focus to the school's STEM team in hopes of earning a college scholarship, but gains more than she could've imagined.

Book Synopsis

After Philly teenager Alexis Duncan is injured in a gang shooting, her dreams of a college scholarship and pro basketball career vanish in an instant. To avoid becoming another Black teen trapped in her poverty-stricken neighborhood, she shifts her focus to the school's STEM team, a group of self-professed nerds seeking their own college scholarships.

Academics have never been her thing, but Alexis is freshly motivated by Aamani Chakrabarti, the new Indian student who becomes her friend (and crush?). Alexis begins to see herself as so much more than an athlete. But just as her future starts to reform, Alexis's own doubts and old loyalties pull her back into harm's way.

Review Quotes

"The author doesn't shy away from showing truths about how poverty affects people, especially in Black communities . . . Raw and authentic." --Kirkus Reviews

"[Charles A. Bush's] characters, born of lived experience, are engaging and relatable. The book's events and their repercussions are intense, the emotions are authentic, and the story's conclusion is satisfying."

"Bush's social realism combined with insightful representation will appeal strongly to teens -eager to see themselves and their struggles represented accurately."

"Exceptionally well written, entertaining, and thought-provoking."

"This is a powerful story, well-written and heartfelt. Be sure to keep a hanky close by. Teachers have a lot of material to choose from for classroom discussions."