{"product_id":"2940169439236","title":"Ball Don't Lie","description":"\u003cb\u003eNewbery Award-winning author Matt de la Pena's \u003ci\u003eBall Don't Lie \u003c\/i\u003eabout basketball \"is a must-read.\" [\u003ci\u003eThe Bulletin\u003c\/i\u003e]\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSticky is a beat-around-the-head foster kid with nowhere to call home but the street,  and an outer shell so tough that no one will take him in. He started out life so  far behind the pack that the finish line seems nearly unreachable. He's a white boy  living and playing in a world where he doesn't seem to belong.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut Sticky can ball.  And basketball might just be his ticket out . . . if he can only realize that he  doesn't have to be the person everyone else expects him to be.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMatt de la Peña's breakout urban masterpiece, \u003ci\u003eBall Don't Lie\u003c\/i\u003e takes place where the street  and the court meet and where a boy can be anything if he puts his mind to it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e[\u003cb\u003eSTAR\u003c\/b\u003e] \"\u003cb\u003e[An] inspiring story.\u003c\/b\u003e Sticky is a true original, and de la Peña has skillfully brought him to life.\"-\u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e, Starred\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003cb\u003eRiveting\u003c\/b\u003e...Teens will be strongly affected by the unforgettable, distinctly male voice; the thrilling, unusually detailed basketball action; and the questions about race, love, self-worth, and what it means to build a life without advantages.\"-\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003cb\u003eStunningly realistic\u003c\/b\u003e, this book will hook older readers, especially urban teen males.\"-\u003ci\u003eVOYA\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\"The characters live and breath...This is \u003cb\u003ea must-read.\u003c\/b\u003e\"-\u003ci\u003eThe Bulletin\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"De la Peña does an excellent job of combining the streets with the sport. \u003cb\u003eGritty and mesmerizing.\u003c\/b\u003e\"-\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I  have never before seen blacktop ball depicted so well. In this novel,  you will find its flash, its power, and its elegance without chains.  \u003cb\u003eThis is powerful\u003c\/b\u003e stuff.\"-Antawn Jamison, forward for the Los Angeles Clippers\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003cb\u003eFrom the very first sentence, this book grabbed me and didn't let go.\u003c\/b\u003e The deeper I got into it, the more I felt like Sticky's story was my story. His heart, his handle, the guys in the gym, his potential pitfalls, his dreams. All of it. In a weird sense, this is my life.\"-Grayson Boucher (\"The Professor\") of tha AND 1 Mix Tape Tour\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Truly authentic in its examination of both the game I love and the invariable missteps toward manhood. \u003cb\u003eYou cannot fail to be moved by the eloquence and truth of this story.\u003c\/b\u003e\"-Rick Fox, former forward for the Los Angeles Lakers\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAn ALA Best Book for Young Adults\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAn ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers\u003c\/b\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47097970458864,"sku":"2940169439236","price":20.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940169439236_p0.jpg?v=1763682797","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940169439236","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}