Book Review: Rez Ball by Byron Graves

Tre loves basketball and plays on his high school team on the reservation but Tre is haunted by memories of his late brother Jaxon. When he has the chance to fill Jaxon's shoes on the varsity team, will Tre rise to the challenge? 

Tre's loss of his brother and his pressure to fill his shoes make him a character that readers instantly connect with. He has big dreams to play for the NBA and any avid basketball fiction reader will find interest here. Reservation life is presented as being a tight-knit community that offers support. One of the strong aspects is the diversity on within the reservation community, showing there is diversity within a culture. Graves includes a glossary explaining Ojibwe terms which helps add context and understanding.

"While the start feels a bit forced, the novel quickly settles into its coming-of-age sports-underdog story, giving readers tense, fast-paced descriptions of high-stakes basketball games interspersed with textured descriptions of life on the reservation.

This one shoots and scores." - Kirkus Review

Book Information:

Graves, B. (2023). REX BALL. Heartdrum. ISBN 9780063160378