by LeBron James
First published 2009
LeBron James grows up moving constantly with his mother in Akron, Ohio. At ten years old, he meets four other boys on a youth basketball team called the Shooting Stars. Willie McGee left his parents in Chicago to live with his older brother. Dru Joyce speaks his mind while his father coaches them all. Sian Cotton plays enforcer on the court and football field. Romeo Travis carries bitterness and anger until he accepts his teammates' friendship. After seventh grade, the five boys taste success at a national tournament in Memphis, then lose focus and fall short. They promise each other they will stay together and win a championship. The years test their bond as jealousy, exploitation, and resentment from their community threaten to tear them apart. LeBron's growing fame brings unwanted attention and scandal. The boys must navigate the pressures of attending a predominantly white high school while facing criticism from the black community. Through it all, they hold onto their shared dream and the friendship that defines them.
Genres: family-life, friendship, african-american, coming-of-age, 21st-century, basketball
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, friendship
Setting: Akron, Ohio, Chicago, Memphis
Period: 1990s, 2000s
272 pages · Hardcover · Penguin Press