CW: suicide, drugs, attempted sexual assault, homophobic slurs ( )

Read by Dion Graham. Sticky has been a foster kid for most of his young life, cycling in and out of homes, living day to day. He’s learned how to survive the system and keep his emotions in check. The one constant in his life is basketball. He lives for the game and he can play. He earned his chops playing with the black men at the rec center who trash-talk and mentor him in turn, providing an informal family for Sticky. His girlfriend Anh-thu is loyal and loving. With his skills, there’s a chance Sticky can play college ball but can he overcome the barriers he’s had to deal with all his life? Graham hits nothing but net with this performance. The motley crew of ballers at the rec center are warmly portrayed, a family of tough love. Sticky is focused and resilient, readers will cheer for him. The gym comes alive: you can almost hear the squeak of sneakers on hardwood. ( )

The book takes place mostly at the local rec center (which is also a homeless shelter. Sticky has been to four different foster homes--the book is framed around these different place. De la Peña's structure is not linear--the reader discovers Sticky's past but the basketball scenes are in chronological order. Sticky plays pick up with a group of regulars and he is the youngest int he group. This is also a love story. The language is rich. Thee is trash talking, eloquent descriptions of the game. The subject matter is raw at times. There is sexual content and a molestation scene.

People say a skinny white dude can’t ball, but Sticky don’t pay them no mind. He don’t talk much, but lets his mad balling skills do the talking. Once he steps onto the scuffed boards of Lincoln Rec with his boys and a ball, the world disappears. Balling takes him to a place where no one else can go.

Though shuffled from foster home to foster home all his life, and afflicted with a severe case of OCD, seventeen-year-old Sticky has one thing going for him – he can ball. He’s spent years perfecting his shots and, despite setbacks in his personal life, basketball has always been there for him. Sticky’s dreams of playing college ball and making it into the NBA are threatened on the day he makes the worst decision of his life.

“Ball don’t lie” is raw. It’s honest. It’s gritty. It’s a Broadway play waiting to be cast. It’s waiting for you.

Highly recommended for ages 14 and older, especially reluctant readers.

Book review link: https://shouldireaditornot.wordpress.com/2017/06/10/ball-dont-lie-matt-de-la-pen... ( )

This writer is known for writing for reluctant readers but with his intensive basketball plays, I could see it turn off even the most die hard fan. I found myself skimming the last 20 or so pages to finish the book. The story went from past to present and it could be confusing for some readers. Vulgar language, drug and sex scenes although not graphic. ( )