Books Loved by Middle School Students Around the World

Author: Gary Soto [USA]
Publisher:
Publication Date: 1998-09-01
Features: Lincoln Mendoza is a brown-skinned Mexican-American boy. Although he moved from a poor, minority neighborhood to a affluent suburban area, his heart hasn’t changed. Tony Gonsales is still his closest friend, and he remains loyal to his former team—the Franklin High School team—even though he now has to play for a new team—the Columbus High School team. The two teams are about to have an official match, and Lincoln is in dilemma—how can he fully commit to playing against his white teammates in brand-new Air Jordan basketball shoes, while his old friends wear worn-out rubber-soled canvas sneakers? The game finally arrives, and Lincoln’s inner conflict is as intense as the competition on the court. But after the game ends, Lincoln learns many lessons—he understands victory and honor, personal transformation, and the meaning of friendship even more deeply. This book has won eleven honors, including the ALA Honor Award, the School Library Journal Honor Award, and the New York Public Library Teen Book Award, among others.