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If you loved
Books like Taking Sides
A grounded, heartfelt exploration of what it means to be caught between two worlds, anchored by the familiar rhythm of a bouncing basketball. These 12 books are the closest matches in mood, pace and themes, with what each one shares with Taking Sides.
- conflicted
- hopeful
- nostalgic
- community-focused
- 01
Buried onions
Gary Soto
A sun-baked, sorrowful exploration of a young man trying to outrun the cycle of violence in his neighborhood.
- 02
Novio Boy
Gary Soto
A warm, laugh-out-loud glimpse into the frantic, sweaty-palmed world of a first teenage date.
- 03
Brothers in Arms
Paul Langan and Ben Alirez
A tense, emotionally charged exploration of grief and the heavy cost of revenge.
- 04
Any Small Goodness
Tony Johnston · 2001
A warm, accessible slice of neighborhood life that celebrates family, friendship, and the everyday triumphs of growing up.
- 05
The Moves Make the Man
Bruce Brooks
A sensitive, grounded exploration of a fragile bond forged on the basketball court amidst the heavy weight of emotional turmoil.
- 06
The Fallen
Paul Langan
A tense, emotionally charged exploration of a teenager navigating profound grief while dodging the immediate, physical dangers of his neighborhood.
- 07
Choosing Up Sides
John Ritter · 2000
A tense but tender historical journey through the heavy expectations of a strict father and the quiet rebellion of accepting oneself.
- 08
The inexplicable logic of my life
Benjamin Alire Saenz
A tender, tear-soaked exploration of the fierce, unconditional love that binds families together through life's most painful transitions.
- 09
Aristotle and Dante discover the secrets of the universe
Benjamin Alire Sáenz
A sun-drenched, tender exploration of boyhood, identity, and the quiet miracles of first love.
- 10
Slam!
Walter Dean Myers
A rhythmic, grounded coming-of-age story that hits with the fast-paced energy of a streetball game and the heavy reality of growing up.
- 11
Crossing the wire
Will Hobbs
A harrowing, high-stakes survival journey through unforgiving landscapes driven by desperate hope and familial duty.
- 12
Night hoops
Carl Deuker
A gritty, sweat-soaked exploration of how the rhythmic thump of a basketball in the dark can forge a lifeline between two troubled kids.
