Not talking about you

Gr 6--8--Eighth grader Khalil is new in his suburban school, his family having recently moved from Toronto. He's also one of the only kids of color in his community, his family having roots in St. Vincent. He's an all-around athlete, but at first, he's lost when new friend Cameron draws him into his circle of basketball-obsessed boys. Khalil proves a quick study, though, and lands a spot as a starter on the school's team. Spending more time with Cameron's crew, he begins to experience coded and explicit racial prejudice from his white teammates, against Navdeep, who is South Asian, and Arnold Chen, who is Chinese. Khalil struggles to think the best of Cameron, but when he catches him using an extremely offensive epithet in an IM session on a school computer, he's forced into crisis. Some passages are dense with basketball descriptions, making the book more suitable for fans of the game. Several scenes portray racist language, which could upset some readers, but it's presented in the context of illustrating casual discrimination and veiled hostility. The book is written at a third grade reading level. VERDICT A compelling read for basketball fans with a powerful message about the persistence of racial bigotry. Recommended for libraries serving middle schoolers.

A boy learns to stand up for himself even at the risk of ending a friendship. Khalil Harris is a Black boy with roots in the Caribbean--his grandparents live in St. Vincent--who just started eighth grade at his new suburban school after moving from Toronto. He is a bit on the shy side, although he is a versatile athlete. One sport he is not so good at is basketball, but now, thanks to his new friends, basketball starts to take up more space in his life. Even though he's befriended by Cameron, a highly popular White boy, it's not an easy transition from life in the city to this largely White community. Among other microaggressions, Cameron stereotypes Khalil based on his race and makes fun of his mother's cooking, much to Khalil's discomfort. Cameron is also racist toward people of other racial backgrounds. Khalil mostly ignores Cameron's slights, but he sometimes tries to correct him, to no avail. Eventually, Cameron's behavior becomes too much to ignore, and Khalil is faced with a difficult decision. The author does a good job of interweaving important social issues into a story about a tween who is learning to advocate for himself and others even if it ruffles feathers. The straightforward language and conversational tone make it a good choice for reluctant readers. An accessible work, ideal for starting discussions on navigating racial bias and stereotyping. (Fiction. 10-14) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.