The Hoop and the Harm - by Jawara Pedican (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

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.

Review Quotes

"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

"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