Losers Bracket - by Chris Crutcher (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

When a family argument turns into an urgent hunt for a missing child, seventeen-year-old Annie Boots must do everything in her power to bring her nephew home safely. Chris Crutcher, the acclaimed and bestselling author of Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, shares a provocative story about family, loss, and loyalty that is perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds and Laurie Halse Anderson. The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books called Losers Bracket "Genuine and affecting."

When it comes to family, Annie is in the losers bracket. While her foster parents are great (mostly), her birth family would not have been her first pick. And no matter how many times Annie tries to write them out of her life, she always gets sucked back into their drama. Love is like that.

But when a family argument breaks out at Annie's swim meet and her nephew goes missing, Annie might be the only one who can get him back. With help from her friends, her foster brother, and her social service worker, Annie puts the pieces of the puzzle together, determined to find her nephew and finally get him into a safe home.

Award-winning author Chris Crutcher's books are strikingly authentic and unflinchingly honest. Losers Bracket is by turns gripping, heartbreaking, hopeful, and devastating, and hits the sweet spot for fans of Andrew Smith and Marieke Nijkamp.

One missing kid. A family that's more problem than help. Annie's playing for the highest stakes of her life.

• Gritty Realistic Fiction: Explore the unflinching reality of addiction, poverty, and the foster system through the eyes of a teen who has lived it all.
• Missing Child Mystery: When five-year-old Frankie vanishes after a fight, Annie must navigate a web of family secrets to find him before it's too late.
• Teen Athlete Protagonist: On the basketball court, Annie is in control. But when her family life implodes, she learns that some games can't be won with skill alone.
• Found Family: Caught between the family she was born into and the foster family that took her in, Annie must decide where her loyalties truly lie.

Review Quotes

"Crutcher's...expertise gives the narrative, about the harsh realities of what happens when kids are failed by both their parents and the state, its authenticity." - Publishers Weekly

"Annie's voice is strong and often bracing...An appealing narrative voice and fast-moving plot that will engage readers from the first page." - School Library Journal

"Crutcher tells a story that is genuine and affecting in its engagement with complications within the foster care system. ...a critique of the status quo of social services, but this novel is also effective in portraying how truly messy it all can be." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"This novel is as engaging as it is heartbreaking. Annie's story is poignant and hopeful, with dashes of sass, humor, and devastation. ...This is a recommendation read for fans of Andrew Smith, Marieke Nijkamp...[and] those who enjoy riveting realistic fiction." - Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)