I didn't know I could care so much about basketball until I read Rez Ball, the debut YA by @Makwa_giniw - Byron Graves - an Ojibwe author.

Sucked into Tre's story from the very first page, not only was I rooting for his team of Red Lake Warriors to make it all the way, but also for his larger-than-life heart as he tries to pick up the pieces of his life after his older brother's passing.

A story about indigenous joy, resilience, and community, this book is a powerful testament to the need for stories that sit outside of so many of our lived experiences. And also for the blatant and continued need for further Indigenous voices. So that Indigenous children can see themselves as the main characters that they know they are - and so that we on the outside of the communities can be reminded of it too.

It's a story about basketball, sure, but it is also so much more than that. A perfect addition to our lit circles, book clubs, and text studies, I can see this pulling many reluctant and not-so-reluctant readers into its pages.

It is a book that deserves a spotlight, and to be read widely. Tre's story is staying with me long past the last page. Pre-order now for its September 12th release.

The sports action stood out to me in this one, and I don't even like sports lol. On top of that there is the added layers of the look at life on the reservation, a family processing their grief in a healthy way, and a teen boy who stands up for what he believes in. A truly incredible story.

A longer review can be found on my GoodReads!
The book tackled the themes of grief and discrimination wonderfully through sports. After his brother died, Tre joins the varsity basketball team in hopes of getting the team to win the state championships. Overall, great and easy-to-read book. I easily connected to the characters and was invested in their stories.

In regard to grief, I like how the characters repetitively said that it takes time to get over such a thing. It was heartbreaking to see the point of view of the parents, especially when they blamed themselves for something that was out of their control. The author described the process so well and in such a raw way. It was interesting to read about the battle Tre had with himself: on one side, he wanted to stop living in his brother’s shadow and for others to see him as his own person. On the other hand, he would have done everything to get his brother back. Also, I like the aspect of the community, Jaxson impacted the lives of so many people, and all of them provided support for the family.

It’s inspiring to see Tre go through all of these things for his dream. It made me want to do more to succeed myself. I love how all the older players became brother figures for Tre - they fought for him, helped him when he was sad, and were there as he became the greatest player in the school. However, as engaging as the basketball scenes were, as someone who doesn’t play it, I had no idea what many of the plays mean. It could’ve been helpful if the author had explained some of the key terms in more detail.

It was interesting to read a book from the perspective of an indigenous person. I liked that the author included an Ojibwe glossary at the end of the book. It was horrible to read about all the injustices they experienced and knowing that even worse things could happen in real life. I was shivering at the cop scene, I think the author captured their dread perfectly. Lastly, It was painful but inspiring to see these kids fight for the win in the state championship because they wanted to show others in their community that they could do anything they put their heart into, so much pressure put on their shoulders.