Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for this DRC.
This is good book about basketball, being a team, how people have different roles in teams – not everyone is a player! – family, and loss. Tony wants to carry on with basketball to honor his friend Dante who shot by a police officer. The basketball is great and I really enjoyed learning about the role of the statistician.


#ShotClock #NetGalley

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the representation and that it's a sports book that's very exciting for kids who really love basketball. It has a good social justice theme. The one thing was that sometimes the language teetered from middle grade to teens. Overall, great book!

I was not expecting a children's book about basketball to hit so hard, but I loved it precisely because it did. Butler and Reynolds put everything into it, from the hopes and dreams of the kids on the court to the horrifically true fact that they might lose their lives simply by playing basketball by their house while black. It's a sad truth in America and one that doesn't get a lot of discussion in a way for younger readers to interact with, but I loved how this book makes it a central theme without it being the heart of the story.
Tony's story starts out with the tragic loss of his best friend to a cop's careless bullets and the aftermath of that is a big part of the story, but it's all about the hoops and working hard to achieve your dreams even when they might not be how you originally imagined them.
The emphasis on family, community, and opportunities is a fantastic element of the overall message. The importance of justice and coming together as a community to peacefully demand it is another check on the positive side of the ledger for this one.
The only thing I could possibly complain about is that the way the boys talk is a little difficult for me to make out, but I know that's just because English isn't my first language, and language localization and slang sometimes trip me up. Otherwise, this book is perfect and I highly recommend getting into as many people's hands as possible.

Very happy thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins Children's Books, and Katherine Tegen Books for the moving read!

Growing up in the Milwaukee projects, family, friends and basketball are what keep African-American, 13 year-old Tone going. When his best friend D. is killed by the police, Tone is determined to honor D’s legacy by making the team that D carried to two national championships. A dream team of authors – one a NBA All-Star and one who nails teen dialog, combine to produce a sports novel packed with on court action, activism, community and heart. Even better the plot manages to both defy expectations and surpass them. As Tone learns, there is more than one way to win. Thank you to NetGalley and Katherine Tegan books for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Any middle school student with an interest in AAU basketball should be drawn to this book about a middle school AAU team in Wisconsin. The book takes place just after a high school AAU player - and brother of one of the boys on the younger team - is shot and killed by a police officer. The mix of basketball and social justice was compelling. I also liked how the protagonist actually doesn't make the team but instead is asked to be the statistician and then showed how important of a role the statistician played in the team's success. The pacing of the book was a bit off and the setting was confusing - I assumed it took place in Milwaukee but then Racine (Butler's hometown) was mentioned at one point along with references to the greater Milwaukee area instead of Milwaukee. I read an ARC so perhaps the Racine reference will be removed in the final version.

Everything Reynolds writes is authentic and real. Another great YA book that is a must for a classroom library. Those who are interested in basketball will eat it up thanks to the collaboration with Caron Butler.

Dynamic authors Caron Butler formerly of the NBA and Justin A. Reynolds have collaborated on a story so richly narrated that middle school readers will want to be in on it whether they are basketball fans or not. This is so much more than a sports story.

Main character Tony lives for basketball and attends tryouts for an elite basketball team in his city. At the same time he is mourning the death of his friend and idol who has been shot and killed by a police officer. Tony must also deal with the frequent absences of his mother who is in need of periodic hospitalization.

There are so many strengths in this book - wise and understanding coaching, a supportive community and a young team that puts aside personal egos and learns what it means to really play as a team. Readers will be cheering not only for the points on the scoreboard but also for the men these adolescents will become.

Butler and Reynolds have developed a fresh and captivating set of circumstances with fast=paced action along with moments of incredible humanness. May the story continue on.

Even though basketball isn’t my thing, this book drew me in. While the story takes place in a place where a shooting has taken center stage, the shooting isn’t the focus, Instead, these young men build their character through the game, led by strong role models and hard work. Police shootings are now a frequent focus in YA and MG literature, but this story approaches the topic from a new angle.

I know a lot of basketball fans who will fly right through this one-even adults! Former NBA star, Caron Butler and author Justin A. Reynolds collaborated to write this book about an AAU teenage team in Milwaukee reeling from the death of a local basketball star who was shot and killed by a police officer. Tony is best friends with Terry, the younger brother of the boy, Dante, who died. Tony doesn’t make the team and is devastated to be offered the job of team statistician. He swallows his pride and accepts the offer from Coach James, a former NBA star. The story is about the team trying to process what happened as well as learning to work together as a team. I loved the way Tony’s family was supportive and how the coach treated all his players like a family with his tough love. Most importantly, he taught them that there are myriad opportunities out there if they are shown the way and willing to put in the work.

Shot Clock is so much more than just a “basketball book.”
Shot Clock is so much more than just a “middle-grade book.”
Shot Clock is something so special, so needed – and I’m still not over the impact it made in my own life.

I initially wanted to read this book because A) it’s by Justin, whose books I have absolutely adored and B) it’s about basketball, which is something I’m really passionate about. I was given the opportunity to read an ARC of this book during the NBA playoffs, which just feel like the most perfect timing.

I’m not sure why I wasn’t expecting to be emotional while reading Shot Clock. I mean, every other book I’ve read by Justin has made me choke on my own tears with laughter at some point or another, so why would this be any different? However, there was something about this that touched a different part of my heart, in a way other books rarely have in the past.

(I find it important to state that my review is not OwnVoices). This might be middle-grade, but it didn’t pull punches in the slightest. Shot Clock dealt with subjects like police brutality, underage crime and juvenile detention, depression, and other heavy topics that make it stand out among its peers. These are the hard-hitting topics that I’ve seen more and more in young adult fiction, but haven’t noticed much in MG. Every single challenging moment is handled with such finesse and such grace that rather than it feeling harsh or abrupt, it comes across as an opportunity to learn and grow. This is the kind of book that I would have benefitted from so much during my middle and high school years (though let it be known that even adults can still benefit from it. I know I did).

Now, I don’t want you reading this review and thinking, “Oh, it’s just another sad/hard/challenging book.” Trust, it doesn’t hold back from the challenging subjects, but it’s also filled with Justin’s signature humor and family vibes, making it such a well-balanced story! While reading it, I felt as though I was part of Tony’s (slightly chaotic) and absolutely precious family. I expected to find myself sitting next to Big Mama or hearing Munka tapping away on her phone. Every moment of heartache or struggle was balanced by a moment of laughter and camaraderie.

Shot Clock is absolutely exceptional when it comes to the basketball moments as well! What, did you think I’d forget to talk about that? Nah, I love the sport far too much to miss my chance to rave about the phenomenally detailed chapters with vivid descriptions of the games. I felt like I was watching it happen, rather than reading it. If you’re a basketball fan, you will love this aspect so much. It actually made me learn even more about how the game works and now I can say that I wholly respect the role of the statistician!

My thoughts as I set down this book were twofold:
1) There need to be more books like this.
2) I want to turn back to page one and read it all over again.

Thank you Justin. Thank you Caron. Shot Clock is on another level entirely.

[CW: (major) Gun violence, Police brutality, Murder, Death, and Grief, (moderate) Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness]

I will be purchasing this novel for my classroom library! My students cannot get enough of sports books, and I think they're going to love this one! I really enjoyed this novel.

As Tony struggles to make sense of a the senseless murder of his close friend, he reflects on his own future, both as a basketball player and as a potential statistician. With the help of an AAU coach guiding him in the right direction and a wealth of family love and support, Tony begins to open his eyes to the world around him in ways he never before considered.

This is middle-grade novel with authentic voice, contemporary conflicts, and an enduring message of hope. A must-read for young student-athletes and I cannot wait to recommend it to students.

**I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

What a slam dunk this book was, but how could it not be when you have a former two-time NBA all star player, Caron Butler, and Justin Reynolds writing a timely story about basketball, family, teamwork, and so much more. Tony wants to make the AAU basketball team, but everything changes when his friend, Dante, is killed by a policeman. Tony doesn’t make the team, but his coach believes in him and suggests he become the team statistician. While Tony doubts his abilities at first, he remembers that Dante told him, “Never underestimate yourself.” He knows if the team wants to reach their goals and make it to the finals, they have a “long way to go and we can do it if we believe in ourselves and each other.” Does the team believe in themselves enough to make the finals?