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Rez Ball
This debut novel by Byron Graves tells the story of a young athlete determined to play like the hero his Ojibwe community needs him to be.
These days, Tre Brun is happiest when he is playing basketball on the Red Lake Reservation high school team—even though he can’t help but be constantly gut-punched with memories of his big brother, Jaxon, who died in an accident. When Jaxon's former teammates on the varsity team offer to take Tre under their wing, he sees this as his shot to represent his Ojibwe rez all the way to their first state championship. This is the first step toward his dream of playing in the NBA, no matter how much the odds are stacked against him. But stepping into his brother’s shoes as a star player means that Tre can’t mess up. Not on the court, not at school, and not with his new friend, gamer Khiana, who he is definitely not falling in love with. After decades of rez teams almost making it, Tre needs to take his team to state. Because if he can live up to Jaxon's dreams, their story isn’t over yet.
These days, Tre Brun is happiest when he is playing basketball on the Red Lake Reservation high school team—even though he can’t help but be constantly gut-punched with memories of his big brother, Jaxon, who died in an accident. When Jaxon's former teammates on the varsity team offer to take Tre under their wing, he sees this as his shot to represent his Ojibwe rez all the way to their first state championship. This is the first step toward his dream of playing in the NBA, no matter how much the odds are stacked against him. But stepping into his brother’s shoes as a star player means that Tre can’t mess up. Not on the court, not at school, and not with his new friend, gamer Khiana, who he is definitely not falling in love with. After decades of rez teams almost making it, Tre needs to take his team to state. Because if he can live up to Jaxon's dreams, their story isn’t over yet.
368 pages, Paperback
First published September 12, 2023
143 people are currently reading
5945 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 513 reviews
September 26, 2023
I thought this was a great read, that fills a clear niche in YA. Publishing needs to pick up a lot more books by Indigenous authors, as well as books for and about teenage boys. This is both, and I think teens would really love this. I thought it was well written with a well fleshed out main character you'll be rooting for, who has a lot to deal with and has to go on a journey to work things out for himself.
April 20, 2024
This was the biggest surprise. Very little about this book speaks to my taste in books, but I'll be damned if I'm not going to sing its praises to everyone who will listen!
dnf
December 7, 2024I. Give. Up.
63% in.
I know this is a book about a basketball player but, there is just SO MUCH basketball...
63% in.
I know this is a book about a basketball player but, there is just SO MUCH basketball...
April 16, 2024
This was suuuch a stressy read! I was reading this in my office on my lunch break and my coworker kept laughing bc I kept saying "oh no!!" out loud. Oh no!! The sports!! I thought it did such a great job of conveying the stakes and impact of the sports even for a non-sports-fan like me. (I looked up "windmill dunk" on YouTube bc every time they talked about doing one of those I was like, "I bet that what I'm imagining is incorrect." And it was.)
Anyway I really loved Tre as a character, and his parents too, and the memory of his brother. Really heartbreaking look at grief & legacy, and even as I was like "noo Tre get your shit together! nooo" his actions felt very realistic. In a stressy way!! But in a good way!!
In the author's note Graves explains that it's based in part on his own high school basketball career so I am sure that it will hold up for real basketball fans too. But you don't HAVE to be a basketball fan to love this book. I'm proof!
Anyway I really loved Tre as a character, and his parents too, and the memory of his brother. Really heartbreaking look at grief & legacy, and even as I was like "noo Tre get your shit together! nooo" his actions felt very realistic. In a stressy way!! But in a good way!!
In the author's note Graves explains that it's based in part on his own high school basketball career so I am sure that it will hold up for real basketball fans too. But you don't HAVE to be a basketball fan to love this book. I'm proof!
January 16, 2024
This was a great YA book that’s a mix of a sports story, friendships, coming of age, dealing with loss, and representation of modern day life on an Ojibwe reservation. Last year Tre’s older brother Jaxon died in a car accident. Jaxon was a local basketball star, just like his dad before him. Now Tre hopes to make it onto the varsity basketball team himself and help their team accomplish something that no rez team has done before.
March 5, 2024
This is a YA novel that author based on his own experience growing up and playing basketball on Red Lake Reservation in Minnesota. I appreciated learning more about what life was like on the Reservation and some of the author’s life experiences; the books contains some troubling incidents of racism that I especially appreciate the author being willing to share.
For me, the writing itself was a little bland and the book was slow at times; I also would have liked far more character development. Rez Ball has copious amounts of strong language, which I understand is trying to be accurate, but really was a lot, especially for a book perhaps geared at younger and middle teenagers.
I was rather disappointed when I read the author’s note at the end of the book. In the book, interactions between various communities and races seemed very antagonizing and racist toward one another, and frankly, my take-away from reading the book was that the communities had a strong mutual hatred for one another. No problem there if that is what the author's intention is, and it is obviously imperative that we tell stories that accurately depict racism. However, in the author's note, he explains that he experienced some difficult times of racism, but also says that there are “a lot of open-minded, loving caring people” in the towns and communities he portrayed, that he had non-Native friends from the schools surrounding his, and he dated a girl from one of those communities. The open-minded and caring people and friendships and relationships between members of different communities were nowhere in the book and did not align at all with what I just read, and that came off as almost disingenuous to me to portray all of the negative and none of the positive. I would have loved that nuance to be written into the book instead of just the hatred (I think it would have added a richness and depth to the story), and I wonder if younger readers will have the same take-away as I did and not bother reading the author’s note (at least I never read those when I was a kid).
For me, the writing itself was a little bland and the book was slow at times; I also would have liked far more character development. Rez Ball has copious amounts of strong language, which I understand is trying to be accurate, but really was a lot, especially for a book perhaps geared at younger and middle teenagers.
I was rather disappointed when I read the author’s note at the end of the book. In the book, interactions between various communities and races seemed very antagonizing and racist toward one another, and frankly, my take-away from reading the book was that the communities had a strong mutual hatred for one another. No problem there if that is what the author's intention is, and it is obviously imperative that we tell stories that accurately depict racism. However, in the author's note, he explains that he experienced some difficult times of racism, but also says that there are “a lot of open-minded, loving caring people” in the towns and communities he portrayed, that he had non-Native friends from the schools surrounding his, and he dated a girl from one of those communities. The open-minded and caring people and friendships and relationships between members of different communities were nowhere in the book and did not align at all with what I just read, and that came off as almost disingenuous to me to portray all of the negative and none of the positive. I would have loved that nuance to be written into the book instead of just the hatred (I think it would have added a richness and depth to the story), and I wonder if younger readers will have the same take-away as I did and not bother reading the author’s note (at least I never read those when I was a kid).
January 2, 2024
If you like basketball, you'll like this book.
January 16, 2024
Great sports book with Ojibwe representation, a two-spirit side character, and commentary on racism on and off the court.
August 30, 2024
Tre is trying to live up to his superstar big brother Jaxon, who set all the school basketball records before tragically being cut short in life in a car accident. More pressures hit Tre as his Dad had basketball records too, and uncles excelled in other sports. His Rez high school must contend against white dominated competition.
This YA book never lets this tension get out of control. Some realistic parties have easy alcohol. Some bad choices thankfully don't go beyond getting scolded. Sophomore Tre befriends a new senior girl at school, Khiana, who he happens to share in a class. Khiana is two-spirit, but that small fact never plays into the story-line. (Kinda cool have this be just a normal mention-able human trait).
I liked the positivity of this book. It is YA without going overboard. Some serious happy moments had me tear up a few times. You will really find yourself rooting for this basketball team, and the success of Tre and his brother's former teammates.
My only complaints center around lots of basketball action. You can visualize each of the plays that are being run. I'm a swimmer, but found following the action to be no problem. But you might really need to like sports (esp basketball) to fully identify with what is going on. Basketball players are going to LOVE this! Authentic Ojibwe and basketball-playing author really made this story feel real.
There were some drinking incidences that didn't seem to be learned the first, second, and even third times. And varsity drinking where phones are taking pictures is crazy (doesn't everyone know this?). OK, teens (esp boys) are known to not think so clearly, so maybe this is just realistic.
The parents may have been a little overly-fantastic, but YA books need to see how life could/should be done.
I'm glad this book is on high school library shelves everywhere!
Solid 4.25*
This YA book never lets this tension get out of control. Some realistic parties have easy alcohol. Some bad choices thankfully don't go beyond getting scolded. Sophomore Tre befriends a new senior girl at school, Khiana, who he happens to share in a class. Khiana is two-spirit, but that small fact never plays into the story-line. (Kinda cool have this be just a normal mention-able human trait).
I liked the positivity of this book. It is YA without going overboard. Some serious happy moments had me tear up a few times. You will really find yourself rooting for this basketball team, and the success of Tre and his brother's former teammates.
My only complaints center around lots of basketball action. You can visualize each of the plays that are being run. I'm a swimmer, but found following the action to be no problem. But you might really need to like sports (esp basketball) to fully identify with what is going on. Basketball players are going to LOVE this! Authentic Ojibwe and basketball-playing author really made this story feel real.
There were some drinking incidences that didn't seem to be learned the first, second, and even third times. And varsity drinking where phones are taking pictures is crazy (doesn't everyone know this?). OK, teens (esp boys) are known to not think so clearly, so maybe this is just realistic.
The parents may have been a little overly-fantastic, but YA books need to see how life could/should be done.
I'm glad this book is on high school library shelves everywhere!
Solid 4.25*
December 4, 2024
A solid sports book that deals with grief, the pressure and expectations from one’s community, friendship, peer pressure, and racism, all while playing some really good basketball. I got really stressed out near the middle when Tre started making some really bad decisions because of peer pressure and I had to put the book down for a minute, but he grew and it was great. Lots of nostalgia for my own basketball days. There’s a lot of swearing in this book, so be warned if that’s something that bothers you. I also really appreciated the author’s note where he talks about his own experiences as an Ojibwe basketball player.
August 29, 2023
Somewhere between eighth grade and the end of his freshman year, Tre Brun morphed from a short, dumpy, nerdy, Ojibwe gamer to a 6’4” basketball player. After working hard all summer to hone his fitness level and perfect his shooting skills, Tre hopes to make the Red Lake Warriors’ varsity team.
His best friend Wes thinks Tre has the potential to make the team and get a Division 1 college scholarship and make it to the NBA one day. Wes loves filmmaking and convinces Tre to let him start a documentary of Tre’s basketball dreams. But first, Tre must make the team.
Despite his hard work and ball-handling skills, Tre doesn’t make varsity—he’ll have to spend another year playing with his friend Nate on JV. Having a new friend (a girl who loves gaming) makes the loss easier to bear. Friends and family members make life on the Reservation bearable.
You can’t compare life on the Rez to living any place else. Tre knows from personal experience how death stalks every family on the Rez. Nobody offers counseling to kids at Red Lake High School when one of their own meets an untimely death. And no one trains the cops in the nearby towns on how to treat tribe members with respect instead of racial profiling them.
And when Tre gets called up to Varsity at the last minute, he has no idea the pressures he will face as he tries to fill his brother’s shoes, nurture his friendship, navigate peer pressure, and keep his grades high.
Maybe it’s more than anyone should expect from a Warrior.
What I Loved About This Book
Graves, an Ojibwe debut author, captures the dichotomy my students face. Ninety-nine percent of them live on a Rez, and I hear and read their stories about racial profiling, family loss, poverty, and forgotten dreams. Fifty percent of my students don’t have running water at home, yet they love social media, gaming, and basketball.
Rez Ball joins the growing body of literature for and by Native American youth: Books such as The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Warrior Girl Unearthed, Firekeeper’s Daughter, and the middle-grade Mighty Muskrat series.
As an educator, I applaud publishers and marginalized writers for bringing more honest, gritty literature to life. The dialogue sounds authentic, although heavily laden with expletives. Trust me, I hang out with my students enough to appreciate the accuracy of teenage Rez slang.
Teachers, parents, librarians, teens, and privileged white folks will want to grab a copy of this book. Everyone but the teens will probably get knots in their knickers from the language and the underage partying. But if you want to understand a slice of Rez life, you need to read Rez Ball.
You’ll find yourself cheering for Tre and the rest of the Warriors as they fight for hope against the demons of Rez life, white prejudice, and bad ref calls on their way to the championship game.
His best friend Wes thinks Tre has the potential to make the team and get a Division 1 college scholarship and make it to the NBA one day. Wes loves filmmaking and convinces Tre to let him start a documentary of Tre’s basketball dreams. But first, Tre must make the team.
Despite his hard work and ball-handling skills, Tre doesn’t make varsity—he’ll have to spend another year playing with his friend Nate on JV. Having a new friend (a girl who loves gaming) makes the loss easier to bear. Friends and family members make life on the Reservation bearable.
You can’t compare life on the Rez to living any place else. Tre knows from personal experience how death stalks every family on the Rez. Nobody offers counseling to kids at Red Lake High School when one of their own meets an untimely death. And no one trains the cops in the nearby towns on how to treat tribe members with respect instead of racial profiling them.
And when Tre gets called up to Varsity at the last minute, he has no idea the pressures he will face as he tries to fill his brother’s shoes, nurture his friendship, navigate peer pressure, and keep his grades high.
Maybe it’s more than anyone should expect from a Warrior.
What I Loved About This Book
Graves, an Ojibwe debut author, captures the dichotomy my students face. Ninety-nine percent of them live on a Rez, and I hear and read their stories about racial profiling, family loss, poverty, and forgotten dreams. Fifty percent of my students don’t have running water at home, yet they love social media, gaming, and basketball.
Rez Ball joins the growing body of literature for and by Native American youth: Books such as The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Warrior Girl Unearthed, Firekeeper’s Daughter, and the middle-grade Mighty Muskrat series.
As an educator, I applaud publishers and marginalized writers for bringing more honest, gritty literature to life. The dialogue sounds authentic, although heavily laden with expletives. Trust me, I hang out with my students enough to appreciate the accuracy of teenage Rez slang.
Teachers, parents, librarians, teens, and privileged white folks will want to grab a copy of this book. Everyone but the teens will probably get knots in their knickers from the language and the underage partying. But if you want to understand a slice of Rez life, you need to read Rez Ball.
You’ll find yourself cheering for Tre and the rest of the Warriors as they fight for hope against the demons of Rez life, white prejudice, and bad ref calls on their way to the championship game.
October 20, 2023
5 stars. Rez Ball
Jesse Nobess
Jazzy music intro
Racial profiling in way back to rez after trip to mall & book store
Trey has a cute reaction when Kiana asks if he’s seeing anyone especially after he realized she’s a senior and he’s just a sophomore
Kiana is 2 spirit which I assume to mean bisexual
Hard time trying to live ip to his father’s expectations, to his dead brother’s reputation and basketball skills, carry on family tradition
Lots of basketball action, but easy to follow for non sports/basketball fans
Scared Trey is going off rails at one point
Mom’s talk on pride for tribe vs ego
Fabulous ending
Great author note explaining how story is semi autobiographical.
Jesse Nobess
Jazzy music intro
Racial profiling in way back to rez after trip to mall & book store
Trey has a cute reaction when Kiana asks if he’s seeing anyone especially after he realized she’s a senior and he’s just a sophomore
Kiana is 2 spirit which I assume to mean bisexual
Hard time trying to live ip to his father’s expectations, to his dead brother’s reputation and basketball skills, carry on family tradition
Lots of basketball action, but easy to follow for non sports/basketball fans
Scared Trey is going off rails at one point
Mom’s talk on pride for tribe vs ego
Fabulous ending
Great author note explaining how story is semi autobiographical.
October 24, 2023
I'm so glad to have another rec for library patrons who like sports stories. This was a fantastic and emotional read, particularly the basketball games, although some of the non-basketball relationship/friendship elements are kind of thin and inconsistent. I would give this to any teen sports fan; the writing is natural and casual in a way that I would have appreciated as a teen, and the perspective is fresh and heartfelt.
November 14, 2024
Przysięgam, że to czysty przypadek, iż w tym roku po raz drugi sięgnąłem po młodzieżówkę. Wcale bowiem mi nie tęskno do rozterek wieku młodzieńczego, choć od razu muszę w tym miejscu napisać, że nie jest to książka trywialna czy też spłycająca problemy do poziomu banalnej historii miłosnej. Owszem, wątek zauroczenia płcią przeciwną jest tu obecny, lecz na szczęście nie został on sprowadzony do ckliwej opowiastki o tym, jak Kasia buja się w Maćku, który chodzi z Agatą, choć ta Agata sekretnie durzy się w Kamilu, będącym najlepszym przyjacielem Maćka i który również czuję miętę do Agaty, lecz chce być lojalny wobec swojego kumpla. Byron Graves to nie Krystyna Siesicka. W jego bohaterze buzują hormony, ale ta burza zderza się z żałobą po przedwczesnej utracie starszego brata, którego sportowymi śladami chce podążać i z którym nieustannie jest on porównywany. Jako osoba, której oceny i postępy w nauce w podstawówce nieustannie były zestawiane z wynikami szkolnymi klasowej pupilki było mi bardzo łatwo wejść w skórę głównego bohatera i solidaryzować się z jego wątpliwościami, czy kiedykolwiek dorówna legendzie własnego brata. Jestem pod wrażeniem, jak dojrzale autor potraktował ten wątek, wziąwszy pod uwagę, że powieść została sprofilowana pod młodego czytelnika. Choć z rezerwą podchodzę do mocy zbawczej literatury muszę przyznać, że zazdroszczę młodzieży takiej oferty czytelniczej, nietrącącej banałem i nie walącej infantylnością. Będąc młodym i przeżywając rzeczywistość w trójnasób intensywniej wiem, że możliwość przeczytania o swoich lękach, obawach i nadziejach w sensownie podany sposób może przynieść choćby lekkie pocieszenie.
Nie ukrywam też, że bardzo dobrze przeczytało mi się tę powieść pod względem społecznym. O życiu rdzennych mieszkańców Ameryki we współczesnych Stanach nie wiem nic poza tym, że mieszkają w rezerwatach. Jak wygląda ich codzienne funkcjonowanie, z jakimi problemami muszą się mierzyć i jak sobie z nimi radzą lub nie to dla mnie terra incognita. Dlatego też lektura tej książki była jak odkrywanie całkiem nieznanego świata. Znalazłem w niej rzeczy, o których spodziewałem się przeczytać (jak np.: brak perspektyw zarobkowych, niższy poziom edukacji względem szkół stanowych, dyskryminacja w zatrudnieniu na tle etnicznym czy alkoholizm jako sposób rozładowania frustracji), ale również i te, które stanowiły totalne zaskoczenie, jak chociażby: racial profiling, wojny indiańskich gangów czy powszechna dilerka dragów jako sposób na życie i zarobek. Pod tym względem ta powieść otwiera oczy, zwłaszcza europejskie, które o codzienności rdzennych Amerykanów nie mają (bo często nie chcą mieć) zielonego pojęcia.
Nie ukrywam też, że bardzo dobrze przeczytało mi się tę powieść pod względem społecznym. O życiu rdzennych mieszkańców Ameryki we współczesnych Stanach nie wiem nic poza tym, że mieszkają w rezerwatach. Jak wygląda ich codzienne funkcjonowanie, z jakimi problemami muszą się mierzyć i jak sobie z nimi radzą lub nie to dla mnie terra incognita. Dlatego też lektura tej książki była jak odkrywanie całkiem nieznanego świata. Znalazłem w niej rzeczy, o których spodziewałem się przeczytać (jak np.: brak perspektyw zarobkowych, niższy poziom edukacji względem szkół stanowych, dyskryminacja w zatrudnieniu na tle etnicznym czy alkoholizm jako sposób rozładowania frustracji), ale również i te, które stanowiły totalne zaskoczenie, jak chociażby: racial profiling, wojny indiańskich gangów czy powszechna dilerka dragów jako sposób na życie i zarobek. Pod tym względem ta powieść otwiera oczy, zwłaszcza europejskie, które o codzienności rdzennych Amerykanów nie mają (bo często nie chcą mieć) zielonego pojęcia.
November 22, 2025
#️⃣6️⃣2️⃣3️⃣ Read & Reviewed in 2025 🌠☔
Date Read: Friday, November 14, 2025
5️⃣🌟, a memoir about basketball? Sign me up!
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
21th read in "Lush and Beautiful Reads" November🌃
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ┊★˚ .• *
┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ˚✩ ⋆｡˚ ✩
┊ ┊ ︎✧
┊ . ˚ ˚✩
┊
┊
┊
┊
⋆｡˚ ✩ ˚｡⋆
So this book is just about basketball, ye that - just basketball. It's a story on a group of boys just enjoying the sport and is a great introduction to the subject matter. Many friendships are formed because of this sport and its great to learn more on the bonds and the possible fights that may happen on members of your own team and the other.
It's also somehow an indigenous book :OOOOOOOOO, luv the variety in here., Very diverse read indeed.
Tre is a very interesting character and his story is really inspiring and encouraging. And with the (possible jealousy and comparison between him and his brother Jaxon), it's still a terrific representation on sibling comparison and support
Literally if you just like basketball, you would very much enjoy this because this is like the closest there be to a non-memoir book on basketball (i mean I've never read like fiction novels that specifically focus on the sport itself.) And with themes of racism being tackled in here, there is still some other substance to mention when it comes to messaging and commentary.
Date Read: Friday, November 14, 2025
5️⃣🌟, a memoir about basketball? Sign me up!
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
21th read in "Lush and Beautiful Reads" November🌃
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ┊★˚ .• *
┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ˚✩ ⋆｡˚ ✩
┊ ┊ ︎✧
┊ . ˚ ˚✩
┊
┊
┊
┊
⋆｡˚ ✩ ˚｡⋆
So this book is just about basketball, ye that - just basketball. It's a story on a group of boys just enjoying the sport and is a great introduction to the subject matter. Many friendships are formed because of this sport and its great to learn more on the bonds and the possible fights that may happen on members of your own team and the other.
It's also somehow an indigenous book :OOOOOOOOO, luv the variety in here., Very diverse read indeed.
Tre is a very interesting character and his story is really inspiring and encouraging. And with the (possible jealousy and comparison between him and his brother Jaxon), it's still a terrific representation on sibling comparison and support
Literally if you just like basketball, you would very much enjoy this because this is like the closest there be to a non-memoir book on basketball (i mean I've never read like fiction novels that specifically focus on the sport itself.) And with themes of racism being tackled in here, there is still some other substance to mention when it comes to messaging and commentary.
September 19, 2023
Rez Ball by Byron Graves is more than a basketball story: it’s a love letter to community.
Tre Brun’s life is split into before and after when his brother unexpectedly dies in a car accident. Jaxon was the star of the basketball team, beloved by the community and his family. After Jaxon’s death, the whole Red Lake reservation community is mourning. Rez Ball opens at a regional championship game, a game where Jaxon’s loss is felt deeply.
Tre finds himself not only still grieving his brother, with whom he had a close relationship, but also struggling with still living in Jaxon’s shadow. Everywhere Tre goes, everyone sees him as Jaxon’s younger brother. Half the rez won’t even talk about Jaxon for fear of making Tre sad, the other half still compares the brothers. Tre feels stuck in the middle, lost, and wants to live up to Jaxon’s memory and honor it by making the varsity basketball team and helping their team, Jaxon’s team, win the state championship.
Rez Ball is both action-packed and full of emotional resonance. Basketball practice and games are shared in riveting detail through Tre’s eyes. The moment by moment, play by play games had me on the edge of my seat.
Basketball is a key element of the plot—it’s in the title—yet Tre’s journey through the year after his brother’s death is the real focus. Tre uses basketball as a way to feel closer to his deceased brother, to grieve that loss, and to heal. First-person narration offers insight into Tre’s thoughts in the game without veering into sports-announcer territory.
Readers who are really into basketball will enthralled by this book. Readers who aren’t as into basketball will still be delighted, as this book is about more than basketball. And readers who don’t know hardly anything about basketball? (Ahem, me, as a reader, not knowing very much about basketball) They will still be hooked from page one, and might even learn a thing or two along the way.
Themes of grief, friendship, family, love, and community shine through Graves’s strong storytelling. A love interest, friend troubles, pressure to fit in, dealing with prejudice– all these topics are addressed, adding to the realistic plot with thoroughly relatable characters.
From the gossip network to how the community supports their team, the setting is distinct and well described. The Red Lake reservation and surrounding area are places that have their own distinct characteristics, and are explored in all their positive and negative aspects. Readers really get to see Tre’s world through Tre’s eyes.
Rez Ball takes readers through an intense year in one up and coming basketball player’s life, offering readers fresh insights into teen boy life. This cast really shows how varied teen boys are through incredible character development.
This is a book I can’t be impartial about. I’m going to be biased toward liking it, because as a Cherokee mom to two Cherokee boys, there isn’t a lot of Indigenous representation for boys out there. I’m grateful that Rez Ball is available for my kids to read when they’re teenagers, that complex Native boys with big feelings are represented on the page, on the shelf. Some of Tre’s problems are the consequences of his own choices. But he grows through them, just like real kids and teens. My closeness to this definitely affected my reading– there were certainly times I was reading Tre’s actions as a mom, being terrified for Tre’s parents. But moms aren’t the target audience of this book. Teens are. And teens are going to get so much from this book. I’m grateful this book is out there. Wado, Byron Graves. Aliheliga.
The Ojibwe language inclusion made my heart happy. I love seeing Indigenous language on the page, showing our young readers that their language belongs, that they belong. It holds space for them.
Rez Ball is available now. Thank you to the author, Heartdrum, and NetGalley for an e-ARC such that I could share my honest opinions.
Tre Brun’s life is split into before and after when his brother unexpectedly dies in a car accident. Jaxon was the star of the basketball team, beloved by the community and his family. After Jaxon’s death, the whole Red Lake reservation community is mourning. Rez Ball opens at a regional championship game, a game where Jaxon’s loss is felt deeply.
Tre finds himself not only still grieving his brother, with whom he had a close relationship, but also struggling with still living in Jaxon’s shadow. Everywhere Tre goes, everyone sees him as Jaxon’s younger brother. Half the rez won’t even talk about Jaxon for fear of making Tre sad, the other half still compares the brothers. Tre feels stuck in the middle, lost, and wants to live up to Jaxon’s memory and honor it by making the varsity basketball team and helping their team, Jaxon’s team, win the state championship.
Rez Ball is both action-packed and full of emotional resonance. Basketball practice and games are shared in riveting detail through Tre’s eyes. The moment by moment, play by play games had me on the edge of my seat.
Basketball is a key element of the plot—it’s in the title—yet Tre’s journey through the year after his brother’s death is the real focus. Tre uses basketball as a way to feel closer to his deceased brother, to grieve that loss, and to heal. First-person narration offers insight into Tre’s thoughts in the game without veering into sports-announcer territory.
Readers who are really into basketball will enthralled by this book. Readers who aren’t as into basketball will still be delighted, as this book is about more than basketball. And readers who don’t know hardly anything about basketball? (Ahem, me, as a reader, not knowing very much about basketball) They will still be hooked from page one, and might even learn a thing or two along the way.
Themes of grief, friendship, family, love, and community shine through Graves’s strong storytelling. A love interest, friend troubles, pressure to fit in, dealing with prejudice– all these topics are addressed, adding to the realistic plot with thoroughly relatable characters.
From the gossip network to how the community supports their team, the setting is distinct and well described. The Red Lake reservation and surrounding area are places that have their own distinct characteristics, and are explored in all their positive and negative aspects. Readers really get to see Tre’s world through Tre’s eyes.
Rez Ball takes readers through an intense year in one up and coming basketball player’s life, offering readers fresh insights into teen boy life. This cast really shows how varied teen boys are through incredible character development.
This is a book I can’t be impartial about. I’m going to be biased toward liking it, because as a Cherokee mom to two Cherokee boys, there isn’t a lot of Indigenous representation for boys out there. I’m grateful that Rez Ball is available for my kids to read when they’re teenagers, that complex Native boys with big feelings are represented on the page, on the shelf. Some of Tre’s problems are the consequences of his own choices. But he grows through them, just like real kids and teens. My closeness to this definitely affected my reading– there were certainly times I was reading Tre’s actions as a mom, being terrified for Tre’s parents. But moms aren’t the target audience of this book. Teens are. And teens are going to get so much from this book. I’m grateful this book is out there. Wado, Byron Graves. Aliheliga.
The Ojibwe language inclusion made my heart happy. I love seeing Indigenous language on the page, showing our young readers that their language belongs, that they belong. It holds space for them.
Rez Ball is available now. Thank you to the author, Heartdrum, and NetGalley for an e-ARC such that I could share my honest opinions.
December 17, 2023
3.5 stars. Not every day that you get to read a book by a local author, set 20 minutes away from where you live! At any rate, I think this is a great middle-grade book about a marginalized community that has the potential to really connect kids to reading as they see their stories and perspective (if I was a teacher, I’d stick this in my classroom library immediately). Tre and Khiana were especially compelling characters and despite my personal indifference to basketball, I enjoyed all the game sequences and thought the author built tension in crucial moments well. One downside is that the first 100 pages were incredibly slow— which to be honest almost downgraded this to 3 stars for me.
September 24, 2024
This was great. It read like an Ojibwe-fied Disney Channel Original Movie from the 2000s. All the basketball action managed to be really tense and exciting even though I barely knew what they were talking about. I loved how emotionally aware the characters were (at least most of the time). The author's note says that this story is largely based on his experience playing basketball growing up, and I feel like that authenticity really shines through. Overall, this was a very triumphant and heartwarming read.
February 3, 2024
All the stars for this one. Graves draws on his own experiences as a teen on the Red Lake Indian Reservation to give teens a basketball story with plenty of heart and grit, along with thought-provoking social commentary. A strong debut, and worthy recipient of this year’s William C. Morris YA Debut Award.
June 5, 2024
Honestly, this is probably a 4.5. I loved the story, but while he offered an Ojibwe glossary there wasn't a basketball one, so I didn't really know what was happening sometimes. What's a "screen?" What does it mean to "set a pick?" Anyway, outside of not understanding sports ball, the story is stellar and I enjoyed this season with the Red Lake Warriors.
December 29, 2025
An inspiring story about loss, community, and of course basketball. The author wrote the basketball scenes in a highly engaging way. They were action-packed and stressful, in a good way. I also like that the novel is inspired by the author’s real-life experience of playing basketball on an Indian Reservation.
Where the book lost me was the overly simplified writing (sentence structure, description, dialogue, etc.). While I get that the novel is written for teenagers, the author still should have painted more of a picture for the reader, specifically regarding the setting of the “rez.” Plus, the excessive use of profanity will unfortunately prevent me from putting this one in my middle school classroom library, which is a bummer.
Where the book lost me was the overly simplified writing (sentence structure, description, dialogue, etc.). While I get that the novel is written for teenagers, the author still should have painted more of a picture for the reader, specifically regarding the setting of the “rez.” Plus, the excessive use of profanity will unfortunately prevent me from putting this one in my middle school classroom library, which is a bummer.
August 12, 2024
Good sports novel with a likeable and realistic protagonist — good role model for high school boys. I enjoyed the focus on Red Lake basketball and was happy to learn that much of the story was based on the author’s experience living in Minnesota.
November 26, 2025
I really liked this story. I had a hard time keeping track of who all the characters on the basketball team were, but that didn’t make too much of a difference. Some of the game play by plays got a little long for me, but the author did a good job of keeping most of them brief. Read this for Native American Heritage Month and I’m glad I did!
September 21, 2024
Amazing, had me on the edge of my seat every game.
February 19, 2025
3.5 Stars!
I read this for book club! I'm curious to see what others thought of it. Maybe my opinions will change after our discussion.
Rez Ball is a YA book about a boy named Jaxon who is living on an Ojibwa reservation in Minnesota as we follow his dream of making it to the NBA. His entire life he has been following in the footsteps of his other brother and father who were both basketball stars for the Red Lake Warriors. After Tre’s older brother is killed in a car crash, he makes it his goal to to join the varsity team as a tribute to his brother. The author based this book off his own high school basketball career, which added a really nice personal touch to this story.
Although basketball is the key element of the story, you don’t need to know a ton about basketball to enjoy this book. I’ve never played basketball and still found this to be an entertaining story. However, there is a lot of talk about basketball, and I probably would have enjoyed this a bit more if I loved the sport like Tre did. There are moments in the book that felt like I was reading play-by-play of the basketball games. I’m sure young athletes will enjoy the tension that gives them the feeling of being on the sidelines watching these important games. I was pulled into those moments as well, and I think young athletes will especially find this book to be an easy read. Although this is a sports novel, I preferred the parts that talked about how the boys were treated by the all white teams in the area and how it brought up race and different socioeconomic groups in a way that young readers will understand. It also tackles grief and teenagers trying to please their parents. There were some parts in this book that were very well done!
The parts I didn’t love was the whole love triangle thing, and to be honest, it wasn’t really a love triangle because Khiana was never interested in Tre. But I felt like this was just there to add unnecessary drama and came out of nowhere. I’m not sure I’d be super cool if my best friend started dating the person I was interested in either, but it was nice to see them work through everything. But for me being 30 years too old for this plot line, I personally wish it would have been left out of the book.
I also didn’t love the language in this book, and I’m not one to complain about that kind of stuff in books. I wasn’t offended by any means (I’m not easily offended by bad language) but I could see where people would be turned off by the language in this book. It was a lot of F-words. Tre also partakes in a lot of underage drinking. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely know this stuff happens and that it exists, but it just seemed like Tre did a lot of drinking for a sophomore. This was the third book I’ve read about Indigenous characters, and all three books mentioned a lot of underage drinking. Maybe that’s what life is like for them? It seems like it pretty well known that it happens and that parents are even aware it’s going on. It’s just interesting that this book also mentioned it more than once.
Overall I enjoyed this book and I think young readers will enjoy it, but there were parts that just didn’t sit quite right for me.
I read this for book club! I'm curious to see what others thought of it. Maybe my opinions will change after our discussion.
Rez Ball is a YA book about a boy named Jaxon who is living on an Ojibwa reservation in Minnesota as we follow his dream of making it to the NBA. His entire life he has been following in the footsteps of his other brother and father who were both basketball stars for the Red Lake Warriors. After Tre’s older brother is killed in a car crash, he makes it his goal to to join the varsity team as a tribute to his brother. The author based this book off his own high school basketball career, which added a really nice personal touch to this story.
Although basketball is the key element of the story, you don’t need to know a ton about basketball to enjoy this book. I’ve never played basketball and still found this to be an entertaining story. However, there is a lot of talk about basketball, and I probably would have enjoyed this a bit more if I loved the sport like Tre did. There are moments in the book that felt like I was reading play-by-play of the basketball games. I’m sure young athletes will enjoy the tension that gives them the feeling of being on the sidelines watching these important games. I was pulled into those moments as well, and I think young athletes will especially find this book to be an easy read. Although this is a sports novel, I preferred the parts that talked about how the boys were treated by the all white teams in the area and how it brought up race and different socioeconomic groups in a way that young readers will understand. It also tackles grief and teenagers trying to please their parents. There were some parts in this book that were very well done!
The parts I didn’t love was the whole love triangle thing, and to be honest, it wasn’t really a love triangle because Khiana was never interested in Tre. But I felt like this was just there to add unnecessary drama and came out of nowhere. I’m not sure I’d be super cool if my best friend started dating the person I was interested in either, but it was nice to see them work through everything. But for me being 30 years too old for this plot line, I personally wish it would have been left out of the book.
I also didn’t love the language in this book, and I’m not one to complain about that kind of stuff in books. I wasn’t offended by any means (I’m not easily offended by bad language) but I could see where people would be turned off by the language in this book. It was a lot of F-words. Tre also partakes in a lot of underage drinking. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely know this stuff happens and that it exists, but it just seemed like Tre did a lot of drinking for a sophomore. This was the third book I’ve read about Indigenous characters, and all three books mentioned a lot of underage drinking. Maybe that’s what life is like for them? It seems like it pretty well known that it happens and that parents are even aware it’s going on. It’s just interesting that this book also mentioned it more than once.
Overall I enjoyed this book and I think young readers will enjoy it, but there were parts that just didn’t sit quite right for me.
April 29, 2024
This book is told in the first person voice of Tre Brun, an Ojibwe teen who is a blossoming basketball player and only a sophomore in high school. He is emerging from the shadow of his father who was a great high school basketball player and his brother Jaxon who was also a great high school basketball player. I like watching basketball so it was fun for me to read about the game. (But I think if you don't care for the sport, it would not matter. There is a solid plot here.) The author is great at writing moments of high tension where you feel like you are right there with Tre. Tre is working through so many aspects of himself as he is nearing adulthood. Some examples are his relationships with his peers and his relationships with his parents. He is examining the part that racism plays in his life, too. And he is recognizing that his basketball team is coalescing his community in a prideful and joyous way. A little bit into the story, we realize that Tre's family is grieving and that Jaxon was in a deadly car accident. People are (for better or worse) continually comparing Jaxon and Tre. It came as a relief to me that Tre is talented at basketball and loves it and that he invokes Jaxon while playing in order to give tribute to him. The author takes the time to show how social media and media in general are huge players in the high school basketball culture. I liked that the novel was well-rounded in this way. Fantastic debut!
p. 161 "Keep your thoughts within the lines."
p. 161 "Keep your thoughts within the lines."
May 5, 2024
3.75 ⭐️ rounded up.
As a basketball fan, I knew exactly how these games felt. The anticipation and pressure was perfect. Reminded me of movies like Coach Carter or Glory Road.
There is quite a bit of language, so be aware of that for younger readers.
As a basketball fan, I knew exactly how these games felt. The anticipation and pressure was perfect. Reminded me of movies like Coach Carter or Glory Road.
There is quite a bit of language, so be aware of that for younger readers.
September 28, 2023
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. 4/5 stars.
Yes, another delayed ARC review...and one that I sincerely considered DNFing because I couldn't get into it...and then it had me crying at the end of it. ANYWAYS, this is beautiful indigenous rep and I'm also always trying to read more of it and sports books so...this was a no brainer.
Tre is dealing with the legacy of his brother's death after he was the star basketball player and his dad was the star basketball player and now Tre has that expectation. Along with representing his brother. And everyone on the Rez. Not only is this a story of grief and expectations, but it's a story of Rez life and overcoming odds on and off the court.
It's definitely a "teen narrative" and I think that's why I struggled to get into it because it's first person from Tre's POV...and also I know nothing about basketball.
At the end though? I cried.
Yes, another delayed ARC review...and one that I sincerely considered DNFing because I couldn't get into it...and then it had me crying at the end of it. ANYWAYS, this is beautiful indigenous rep and I'm also always trying to read more of it and sports books so...this was a no brainer.
Tre is dealing with the legacy of his brother's death after he was the star basketball player and his dad was the star basketball player and now Tre has that expectation. Along with representing his brother. And everyone on the Rez. Not only is this a story of grief and expectations, but it's a story of Rez life and overcoming odds on and off the court.
It's definitely a "teen narrative" and I think that's why I struggled to get into it because it's first person from Tre's POV...and also I know nothing about basketball.
At the end though? I cried.
February 22, 2024
Byron Graves' Rez Ball is a fantastic addition to the sports-YA genre. While the pace is a little slow for the first quarter, it picks up nicely as we follow Tre, a Minnesota Ojibwe teenager with dreams of basketball glory whose family is still grappling with the recent death of his older brother who was also a school basketball star.
While the strong language may make it a harder sell for certain teachers or parents, it gives the dialogue a natural feel that I think teenage readers will appreciate. One that I'll be recommending for secondary school libraries wanting to add additional sports stories (or specifically basketball stories) or family dramas, or wanting to add more titles with Ojibwe/Anishinaabe (or generally Indigenous) representation.
While the strong language may make it a harder sell for certain teachers or parents, it gives the dialogue a natural feel that I think teenage readers will appreciate. One that I'll be recommending for secondary school libraries wanting to add additional sports stories (or specifically basketball stories) or family dramas, or wanting to add more titles with Ojibwe/Anishinaabe (or generally Indigenous) representation.
December 9, 2023
A non-stop run of emotions from the moment Tre steps onto the basketball court. A story of a young Ojibwe man, who plays basketball for his parents, family, his tribe, the Rez and late brother Jaxon, who he is constantly compared to throughout the novel. Tre has to come to terms with who is he really playing for? Himself or those who expect him to step into his brother's very large shoes. The basketball game scenes had me rooting for Tre and the rest of the Warriors. Not only does Tre have to cope with the loss of his brother, but also peer pressure when it comes to drinking and the heartbreak of first love. This is definitely a book that any teen would devour!
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