Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Though Black high school junior Aiden loves football, he's always believed that his reactions to overstimulation connected with his autism diagnosis would prevent him from joining his older brother, star quarterback Brandon, on the high school team. When he participates in summer tryouts, his overwhelm from a multi-person pileup triggers a meltdown. Assuming he's doomed his chances, Aiden moves on, until a confluence of events results in his making the team, a development that not everyone--including some of his new teammates--is happy about. Then Aiden is involved in a physical altercation with a white teammate, and Brandon, having protected Aiden, is wrongfully charged with assaulting a white police officer. With the future Brandon has worked so hard for--and the brothers' relationship--in jeopardy, Aiden determines to clear his brother's name. Chapter titles count down the days leading up to and following the incident, grounding readers and injecting immediacy into Davis's propulsive debut. Aiden's intimate first-person perspective offers an organic portrayal of a Black autistic teen navigating social stigma and systemic racism. Writing nuanced and complexly rendered characters, family dynamics, and social commentary, Davis delivers a powerful portrayal of identity and siblinghood that's as gripping as it is thoughtful. Ages 14--up. Agent: Kat Kerr, Donald Maass Literary. (Apr.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 8 Up--Despite a disastrous summer football tryout, when fall arrives, star quarterback Brandon convinces the coaches to let his younger autistic brother Aiden join the team. Aggravated by the updated roster, some players turn a post-game hangout into a fight, and when the cops are called, chaos ensues. In the aftermath, the white players walk away unscathed, Aiden is shaken up, and Brandon is wrongly charged with assaulting a police officer. As everything Brandon worked for begins slipping away, Aiden is determined to prove his brother's innocence before the impending trial destroys their family. Davis's debut novel beautifully tackles race, social justice, and disability through direct, candid character interactions. Aiden's experience as a Black autistic teen will leave many people feeling seen while exposing neurotypical readers to an acute awareness of life they have never journeyed through. Aiden and Brandon's relationship is dynamic, vulnerable, and healthy, leaning into the messy reality of love and guilt colliding. The resolution comes with the knowledge that sometimes there is no apology, even when warranted, and all one can do is move forward while hoping for better. Aiden and Brandon are Black. VERDICT A stellar debut about ignorance and privilege and the abuse of it that resonates beyond the final page.--Emily Walker
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
An autistic Black teen in Florida battles on and off the field to define his own destiny and come to his brother's aid. Sixteen-year-old Aiden Wright wants to play football with his older brother during their last school year together before Brandon goes to college. But sensory stress during Aiden's team tryout leads to a meltdown, and he's only invited to play when two other athletes leave. Meanwhile, Aiden is placed in a life skills class that's typically reserved for kids who have challenges. There he's partnered for a project involving getting a part-time job with friendly new girl Isabella, who got in trouble at her old school. When a teammate who's long been cruel to Aiden because of his autism instigates a fight that escalates, Aiden becomes a victim of police violence. Brandon intervenes, trying to protect him, and is arrested and charged with assaulting an officer. Now Aiden battles complicated team dynamics while he tries to get Brandon exonerated. Aiden is a nuanced character with a well-developed inner life. The brothers' realistically drawn relationship is both flawed and vulnerable, showing the different facets of their personalities. The coaches and about half the football players are white, and the Wrights live in a wealthy, predominantly white area of town; Davis' debut explores the intersections of race and socioeconomic differences. An atmospheric gridiron tale that highlights the complexities of team sports, friendship, and bias.(Fiction. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
