Frothy History, Hitting the (Bookish) Gridiron, and More YA Book Talk: January 30, 2023

Inspired by true events but wholly its own story, Buford’s novel follows Rus, who knows his only shot of getting out of his small town is through football. He’s a varsity tight end, working to get that scholarship that’ll give him a bright future.

But his best friend is arrested and kicked off the team for something he didn’t do, and Rus can’t stand for it. So he takes the knee during the national anthem and becomes the new target of hate throughout town.

He knows, though, if he doesn’t do it and doesn’t lead, then more kids like him and is best friend will be victims of an unjust system.

Feinstein is a sports journalist and has published several sports-themed mysteries for teen readers, particularly younger teen readers. In Backfield Boys, readers meet Tom and Jason, two football players with tremendous skills and promise. So when they are called back to an elite sports camp on scholarship and the coach decides to make Tom — who is Black — a receiver and Jason — who is white — the quarterback (a reversal of their actual skill sets), alarm bells sound for both of them.

Suspecting racial bias, the duo begin to compile the evidence that this decision needs to be rectified, putting their futures, their game, and their scholarships on the line for justice.

Want a f/f football romance? Comin’ atcha.

When the high school football quarterback dies in a carwreck, he’s replaced by Jack Walsh. Jack, as in Jaclyn. Now the community is not only grieving, they’re raging about a female taking the key role on the team.

For Amber, cheer captain is her dream. But the only way she can achieve that is through hard work…and joining in the campaign to get Jack removed from her role as QB.

Problem: what if Amber and Jack are falling for one another?

And, of course, one of the reasons I love sports books is the nonfiction about teams which have gone the distance despite the odds. In Sheinkin’s book, he explores the story of the Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania, often believed to be where the true sport of football emerged in 1907. The book looks at how two legends of the sport, Jim Thorpe and Pop Warner met there and helped create a powerhouse team with a population of students subjugated to violence and discrimination by the government (and, of course, many of their own neighbors).