Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

A story with a lot of heart about a basketball team that goes through a lot to be together. A sick parent, a son trying to ease the burden of money after his mother is laid off from her job, and what it means to be a part of a team. I was surprised at how deep this story got. The authors dug deep when it could have been left on the surface. I especially appreciated Jaiden's journey of self-discovery. That some times it is okay to be the kid he is.

Definitely a story for all library and classroom shelves. This would be a good book discussion book or a book for assigned reading. This realistic fiction book handles a lot of the big emotions going on in kids' lives at this age and would provide a springboard for discussions of those feelings.

Love this! Andrea Williams always has a style that is easy to read and always enjoyable. You will enjoy this read about LeBron James as you dive into his life. A great book that you are sure to appreciate!

Remember playing in a sports team growing up? For me, I always played softball until the eighth grade (because I refused to slide). We Are Family takes me down memory lane back to my youth sports.
We Are Family is a multi-viewpoint story of several seventh grade students who play basketball. They all signed up to be on the Hoop Group team and be scouted for top rank high school teams. But when Coach Williams can’t coach anymore, the players are left without a coach and with high levels of animosity.
High school basketball may be the only ticket out of Lorain and creating a future for themselves. But will the players let their differences define them and squash the sport they love? Or will they become a reunited team and a family, killing the competition in the process?

We Are Family by LeBron James and Andrea Williams is a YA novel that any sports lover and/or reader of coming of age stories will enjoy. James and Williams fit in their knowledge of the sport while also giving importance to their characters. The chapters are at an appropriate length and allow the reader to imagine they are playing on the court. Overall, this book will be a hit to a certain audience.

I featured this book as a Book of the Day spotlight and included it in my weekly roundup and monthly post of new releases on my Black Fiction Addiction platforms.

I liked this book. Five kids with different reasons for wanting to be part of Hoop Group even though the group is in jeopardy. All five have something going on in their lives going up against their dreams. That and the book was really easy to get into reading.

OMG So cute. I can’t wait to have my kids read this some day. I think it’s fun that Lebron James released a book to begin with but the message was shockingly good (sorry Lebron).

I received an electronic ARC from HarperCollins Children's Books through NetGalley.
Readers see life from five different seventh graders perspectives (Jaylen, Tamika, Anthony, Dex, Chris). They're linked through their love of basketball. Each brings their own baggage and skills to the after school program that has been around for decades. Unfortunately, this is a year of changes as the coach has to quit for health reasons and each of their families has a crisis - job loss, abuse, estrangement. James and Williams bring these young people to life and readers will jump in with them as they learn about each other, about the game, and about having hope and belief in themselves and others. Middle graders will find themselves somewhere in these characters and connect to their life paths. A must have for school libraries.

This was a very enjoyable book. I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of the characters in this children's book. LeBron James is truly a talented man with the way he shines light on the type of challenges these young kids grow up in.
The main characters are a ragtag group of hoopers, each with their own problems. As the book continues, this group bands together to save their dying program. The story switches perspectives throughout the book, making it very fun to see each person's thoughts and how circumstances affect them. Slight criticism would be a bit more basketball commentary, as there was not a whole lot of gameplay. This is not a big thing however as this book had rich character backstories and development.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this short children's book. I would recommend it to kids ages 9-14, as it is easy to read, yet shares great morals and is heartwarming to read. I give this book 5 stars

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.

I posted my review on Goodreads and Barnes and Nobles. I will post my review on Amazon and my blog closer to release date

Kids have dreams. Jayden and his middle school teammates are hopeful that the after school hoops program will give them and their dreams a chance for their next steps in making their dreams come true. Along the way they face family challenges that they discover require determination, persistence and personal growth. Strong characters make this a well-rounded read and I'd expect it to not be needing shelving!