Hooper

by Geoff Herbach

From Geoff Herbach, the critically acclaimed author of the Stupid Fast series, comes a compelling new YA novel about basketball, prejudice, privilege, and family, perfect for fans of Jordan Sonnenblick, Andrew Smith, and Matt de la Peña. For Adam Reed, basketball is a passport. Adam’s basketball skills have taken him from an orphanage in Poland to a loving adoptive mother in Minnesota. When he’s tapped to play on a select AAU team along with some of the best players in the state, it just confirms that basketball is his ticket to the good to new friendships, to the girl of his dreams, to a better future. But life is more complicated off the court. When an incident with the police threatens to break apart the bonds Adam’s finally formed after a lifetime of struggle, he must make an impossible choice between his new family and the sport that’s given him everything.

Genres: Sports, Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary, Basketball, Fiction, Family

352 pages, Paperback

First published February 20, 2018

About the author

I am the author of the YA title, Stupid Fast (June 2011 from Sourcebooks Fire). I also wrote The Miracle Letters of T. Rimberg, a Novel from Three Rivers Press. When I'm not writing books, I'm writing for Radio Happy Hour or developing ridiculous musical bits.

When I'm not writing, I'm teaching writing at Minnesota State, Mankato, which means I write a lot of comments about writing on student writing.

Writing a lot of writing and reading about writing and writing on reading.

Reviews

[AviP_C2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was amazing I loved it. This book was awesome because it was a very interesting topic for me because I am a hooper. When Adam Reed (the protagonist) meets The Bully Adam is freaked out and gets beat up by the buff football Bully. But Adam slowly starts becoming a star in his local school. After winning eleven consecutive games, the team gets invited to the NEO Nike tournament. They have to play six games in that tournament. After they win in the NEO Nike tournament. I really want to be like Adam one day. I want to go to the NEO Nike Tournament. Overall this book was a 5/5 because I could connect to this a lot.

[Vicky Again · Rating 4 out of 5]

psst! want more fun stuff on Hooper? check out my stop on the blog tour for a giveaway and more!

4 stars

I'm not a basketball fan, or a sports fan in general. But I did really enjoy Hooper. A lot more than I expected to.

At first it came off as a kid playing basketball to be successful--but this grew so much more into that.

It's honestly quite understated, kind of like Nina LaCour's We Are Okay in the way that there are a lot of things being said without actually saying anything. For one, Adam is an immigrant from Poland and so part of the narrative revolves around what it's like for him to be an immigrant and not have a perfect grasp on English--thing like hearing "MVP" as "envy pee" which gave me a laugh.

I did think that there was a little hitch here because at the beginning this barrier was really emphasized and by the end it was never mentioned. Although it's great that the communication barrier is down and Adam is talking to people, even if its not perfectly, I feel like he could still encounter a few things that he wasn't too sure of. I definitely wanted to see growth, but I did think it was almost too fast in the language aspect.

There's also commentary about justice--not only with Adam's best friend who is getting into some trouble that wasn't really his fault, but also with his teammate Khalil who is also getting into unwarranted trouble because of racism.

I really liked how all of the storylines weaved together. There was the thing between Adam and his best friend possibly getting expelled--but there was also something about Adam blowing off his best friend. And his best friend staying with Adam's family. And Adam's mom feeling neglected as well.

It really all comes through in a great big circle as the subplots intertwine, and I really enjoyed that about this book.

It talks about so many realistic things--justice, friendship, immigration, family--and I thought that this was the best aspect of the book.

It was real and although Adam definitely isn't perfect at the beginning, and still not perfect at the end, he really learned a lot about life throughout the book. He finds courage and he faces bullying and it all really comes full circle.

I also really enjoyed how developed the side characters were--both Adam's adopted mom Renata and his best friend Barry and his love interest Carli and his teammates and even the guy who bullies him. They all really contributed to what made this book feel so whole and complete.

It was easy to read and I sped through it in a couple of days. Of course, there's sporty stuff in there, but even as a non-sporty person, I could really appreciate the base of this story. It's not really about basketball (although basketball is cool) or what it's like to be a Polish immigrant. It's about growth and learning and figuring out how to do what is right.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one and think that anyone looking for a more nuanced read, or readers who love basketball, will enjoy Adam's story in Hooper.

Thank you so much to Jean Book Nerd Blog Tours and Harper Collins for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!

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[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adam Reed, formerly Adam Sobieski, spent his childhood in Poland in less-than-ideal circumstances. Now that he has been adopted by Renata, his American mother, he lives in Minnesota and attends the local high school, where he is an up-and-coming basketball star and best friend to outsider Barry, who has a number of family issues himself. Though Adam knows that basketball is his passport to all the good things life has to offer, and has in fact been invited to join a prestigious travel team called the Fury, there are some roadblocks standing between him and success. He lacks confidence in his skills as an English speaker, so he often does not talk to his classmates or teammates, leading them to assume he is either disabled in some way or a snob. He also has problems managing his anger and worries about losing his temper as he sometimes did in Poland, which would jeopardize his career. With the help of Carli Anderson, another basketball star who has great empathy for Adam, and his teammates on the Fury, Adam slowly begins to come to terms with his past and to come into his own as both a person and a basketball player.

I have yet to read a Geoff Herbach book I didn't love. While Hooper is more serious than Herbach's wonderful Stupid Fast trilogy, it is every bit as engrossing and fast-paced. Herbach has such a talent for creating believable characters, and Adam may be his most layered protagonist yet. Though many issues are touched on in this book - identity, diversity, racism, child abuse, immigration - the strength of the main character keeps the story from becoming bogged down in political messages. The motivation to keep reading is not the desire to see how one particular conflict is resolved, but to find out what happens to the endearing Adam in all aspects of his life.

The descriptions of sports in this book are also great. I am not someone who follows sports, but I love sports fiction, and the basketball action in this book is as entertaining as everything else. Herbach does a perfect job of balancing descriptions of plays with Adam's thoughts during games and practices, and even someone like me who knows very little about sports vocabulary has no problem following everything that takes place. Herbach always reminds me of Chris Crutcher; with this book, the comparison becomes even more apt. But whereas Crutcher's characters are often very obvious representations of particular causes and problems, Herbach's Adam is just a completely believable and well-rounded person who happens to face some issues. Even after he ceases to have these problems, he would still be interesting to read about.

Hooper is geared toward a teen audience, but the content is certainly appropriate for younger readers as well. There is some romance, but nothing particularly steamy, and the interplay between Adam and his teammates is very reminiscent of the way characters interact in Jason Reynolds's middle grade Track series. Kids who like Fred Bowen as fourth and fifth graders could also easily move on to this book in middle school and enjoy it, especially if they are big basketball fans.

It's early in the year, but I'm already fairly certain Hooper will make my list of favorite books of the year. I'd love to see Herbach also receive some award recognition for his consistently excellent writing. Maybe in 2019? Either way, Hooper is a must-read for fans of YA sports novels.

This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.

[Madison · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is going to be hard to put the magic of this book into words. What at first seems to be a simple tale about a boy who plays basketball is actually a richly detailed and poignant story of family, belonging, racial injustice, finding home, and settling into the person you were meant to be. Hooper, with a style all of its own, captures these timely themes in an original and approachable way.

“Basketball will be your passport.” Adam doesn’t exactly understand what that means. After all, he already has a passport from when Renata adopted him and brought him from Poland to his new home in the USA. But he does love basketball. Loves the freedom he finds only on the court. Loves the way it silences the anger and painful memories. As his basketball skills start to give him new opportunities on the court, Adam must balance these with the challenges he faces off the court. And maybe, through it all, he will discover a home, family, and friends, and finally a place where he belongs.

Hooper is a timely, addictive, and powerful book. The first thing that struck me was the clarity and uniqueness of Adam’s voice. Herbach’s writing immediately conjured for me the voice of this 16-year-old boy, with slightly faltering English, and a unique view of his world. Through his adventures of the next few months, Adam’s English improves, as does his understanding of social situations, how others view him, and how he can influence this.

Hooper highlights the importance of relationships: friendship, family, romantic relationships, team cohesion, and that incredible feeling that you belong. Through each of these relationships - with his friend Barry, with his adopted mother, with his new and old teammates, with crush/friend/more Carli Anderson - Adam learns something about himself and about others.

I didn’t want to put this book down. There was just something that captured me. The short chapters, awesome chapter titles, and Adam himself made this a book that was all too easy to love. But it continually surprised me, first with how much I enjoyed it and also with the many layers that are continually added to the story. Racial prejudice and injustice become important themes in the story, as Adam learns the power of one voice and the power of many voices. So too, bullying, violence and how to control these situations are timely subjects. And of course, the themes of accepting others, understanding and celebrating difference, and learning to work together are neatly woven throughout the story. Never preaching, but, as Adam’s friends do for him, gently showing.

Okay, I knew I wouldn’t be able to do this book justice. No words can fully express how this book surprised and enchanted me, captured my attention, and impressed me with its unique character voice, portrayal of topical themes, and how it entwined all this in a highly readable book about a brave young boy and his love of basketball.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

OK, I RARELY read sports books. And when I do, I NEVER give them 5 star reviews. Usually because in order for it to be a true sports book, and not just a realistic fiction book with a team in it, the plays have to be pretty heavy handed, the dialogue and the storyline suffer (in my opinion), and the characters are flat outside of their athletic ability.

This was not that type of sports book.

Yes, there were plays. Yes the main character was good at sports. Yes, there were plenty of team dynamics. But this was more than just about winning a championship. This was about what it means to be part of a team and what you have to do to earn a spot as a teammate, and more importantly, as a friend. I can not wait to get back to school and recommend this to my students and staff. I am already planning on ordering extra copies. Highly recommend.

Adam Reed wasn't always Reed. Before he was Adam Sobieski, a Polish kid abandoned by his father in Warsaw. Now, he has been adopted by Renata and has figured out that he is actually pretty good at basketball. Especially since he's only been playing two years. Even with all of his skills on the court, he still isn't completely accepted at school. But all of that is about to change when Carli, the local college's coaches' daughter takes note of him and decides to help him improve his game. This leads to a spot on an elite traveling team with a group of guys who have been playing together forever. The D1 Fury is all about responsibility and the players have to sign an extensive conduct agreement. When one of the key players is kicked out due to a misunderstanding with the police, social media blows up. And Adam has to figure out what he is willing to risk in order to stand up for what is right.

Like I said, this is a highly recommended, first purchase book in my opinion. Give it to kids who like sports books. Give it to kids who want to read about someone learning to stand up for what is right. Give it to kids to get them ready for All American Boys & The Hate U Give .

[Aarya Bharadwaj · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really showed how love and sports can give you experiences that you have ever had.

Something that really stood out to me was how the author used metaphor in the phrase "Basketball is my passport". Metaphors are used in to basically connect two things that you wouldn't usually connect. When the Adam says "basketball is my passport" he really is saying that all the experiences, places he's gone, and his role models have all come from basketball. The author wants us to know that his experiences are his passport, what's taking him around.

Now of course, really Retina had brought Adam into the U.S, and some may say that Retina is his passport, but it is really basketball. But what does this all mean? It means that basketball is where he can take his mind off things, meet influential people he never would have met. Traveled to places he never would have traveled. Championships he never would have won. Basketball is what makes him, not who is Polish past is, but his American future. It relates to us in the real world that we don't only play sports because its fun, but the experiences that it gives us.

[Saige · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one really surprised me. I was so ready for another stupid, boring teen novel about sports, but this was not that at all. Adam was aggressively likeable as a MC. The way he spoke and thought was really clear and strong in the writing, and the way he reacted to everything around him was always in character. I also adored how positive the representation of adoption is. Renata was by no means perfect, but she did her best to be a great mom for Adam, and he accepted her as such with relatively little angst. I appreciated how they had a good relationship that wasn't used by the story as a source of unneeded conflict like adoption tends to be in stories like this. The basketball scenes were quite well done. They read like fight scenes to me, a fantasy lover, so they were a lot more fun than usual descriptions of sports in books. Were there boring stereotypes in this? Yes. Did things wrap up too sweet and perfect at the end? Yes. But this was an enjoyable book, and I'm glad to have read it.

[Stephanie Fleck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much. The voice, the struggles, the successes--it was so loveable start to finish. But nothing I say can capture the best parts of this story more than my two favorite quotes. One is from the book itself, and the other is from the author's acknowledgements section:

"I know I will fight injustice, and sometimes that means a protest and a battle....but I think many times that means just being a good, kind person in the world."

&

"Read many books and you will see deeply into many lives. You will be a better person for it. That's a pretty good reason to read books."

My life philosophies and reasons to read this book all wrapped up in one. <3

[William Rohner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really loved this book, especially the end, but let me add an invisible, imaginary asterisk next to my five-star rating that snobbishly says: "for a YA book."

[Will Ejzak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hooper is a hidden jewel of a YA book and I loved it. The best YA novel I've read this year. Very genuine and subtly funny and moving.

In a way, it's a welcome reprieve from the Scythe trilogy (and dystopian fiction generally). Herbach's goals are refreshingly modest. Here's the story: Adam Reed, a talented high school basketball player and Polish immigrant, encounters some very human problems over the course of a few months. That's basically it. Along the way, Adam deals with small-scale relationship issues (What do you do when you're accidentally a dick to your best friend?) and large-scale race/class issues (At what point does the political take precedence over the personal?). All are handled with low-key deftness and grace.

One of the unexpected strengths of Hooper is how smart it is about issues of race. As the only white player recruited--under suspicious circumstances--to an extremely good Minnesota AAU team, Adam is caught in the crosshairs of an escalating tension between the all-black team and the elderly white owner/GM, a man with an elderly white understanding of race (and, by extension, a belief in the efficacy of the criminal justice system). Adam, a recent immigrant, has a barely emerging understanding of race himself, but he's quickly forced to grapple with his own role in this conflict--and of course, inaction is itself an action, etc. etc. Adam's reckoning with his priorities in the face of profound racial injustice feels like a better, more fleshed out version of Quinn's in All-American Boys, another white-boy-on-a-basketball-team-reckoning-with-racial-injustice book. But also, this tension between (covertly or overtly) racist elderly white GMs and black players is a significant problem that's rarely addressed in basketball stories but probably rampant in the basketball world. Donald Sterling gets the press attention, but I'd assume that Sterling is just a dramatic, media-friendly example of a larger toxic trend.

Anyway: it's a great book. Just a couple annoying things:
-In several places, Hooper is eye-rollingly sentimental. But I guess that's OK.
-Also, Kase Kinshaw, a Big Mean Insecure Bully With Daddy Issues, is a straight-up poorly written character reminiscent of dopey bully characters in '80s movies. A fly in the ointment of a book that's otherwise full of great characters.
-Also, everything is resolved with such picture-perfect neatness that you find yourself wishing for at least some complication at the end. But you won't get it.

These are all minor complaints, though. Read it!

[Terri]

Minnesota author, Geoff Herbach, scores big with his 2018 publication, "Hooper." This is my favorite book of Herbach's so far.

Timely issues such as bullying, immigration, adoption, racism, friendship, domestic abuse, etc. are covered here with aplomb! As a result, "Hooper" is much more than a sports or basketball novel! The characters are realistic, flawed, and multi-dimensional - even the antagonists! The reader can easily empathize and believe these individuals. My true test of a good book is whether or not it moves me, makes me feel something. I cried both with joy and sadness several times throughout the book.

Highly recommended for both young adult males and females - grades eight and up. This should be an addition to all young adult collections - first purchase and multiple copies.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread

Hooper was the first book I read in 2018. It was also one of the best basketball stories I have read since The Crossover. With some great characters, humor, and awesome basketball scenes, this is a book you definitely want to check out!

[Jolene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hooper is about basketball and poverty and adoption and bullying and trying to fit in, but what most interests me is how the novel handles white privilege. When Adam's teammate Khalil gets kicked off the team after being arrested for obstructing justice, Adam needs to decide whether he will protest the coaches' decision. Adam recognizes the injustice and feels bad for Khalil, but he also comes from an impoverished, abusive homelife and has worked hard to make something of himself on the court. "How can I battle all of history?" he asks himself. "I have so many troubles of my own!" (280). This conflict is more subtle than the ones found in more popular books like The Hate U Give or All American Boys, but it's also a conflict that white teenagers are more likely to face. Herbach handles this issue with nuance and grace. Read Will's review for more developed thoughts about this.

I also like Adam's dry wit--I laughed out loud more than once--and how Geoff Herbach writes his narration in the somewhat awkward English of someone who is still learning the language. I dislike the lazy characterization of The Bully, Kase Kinshaw, and The Bully's father, who needs very little convincing to attend the martial arts ceremony of the kid he thinks beat up his son and shot his dog. Everything works out just a little too well given all the earlier friction... but hey. It's sweet.

In any case, I agree with Will that Hooper is a hidden gem of a YA book. There hasn't been much buzz around it, but it's one of the best YA books either of us have read this year (and we read an awful lot of YA).

First Lines: "This is where I first found happiness in America. I am a hooper."

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid YA story basketball story that weaves in many other teenage conflicts. Add this to your MS/HS collections. Grades 8+.

[Teenreadsdotcom · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Geoff Herbach’s HOOPER, readers meet Adam, a teenage boy with a talent for basketball and a passion for much more.

Adam is a young boy adopted from an orphanage in Poland by an American woman. He lives in Minnesota, playing basketball for the local high school team --- and he’s good. Really good. Good enough to be playing on teams he’s never even dreamt of playing with. Basketball is his passport to a greater life but how much is he willing to sacrifice for the sport?

HOOPER deals very heavily with basketball but that was not a barrier to me at all (unfortunately, my 5’0 frame leaves much to be desired when it comes to basketball). I was not expecting to relate to this book very much because I am not someone who enjoys watching or talking about basketball. However, I was surprised by how much the topic of identity resonated with me. I moved to the United States when I was 10 years old. At that age, I was too Nepali to be American and I was too American to be Nepali. Adam dealt with a lot of those similar feelings. He was too American to be Polish but too Polish to be American. The feeling of not fitting in either culture you live around felt incredibly authentic to me and Herbach portrayed in a way that resonated with me. Additionally, Adam’s feeling of resentment towards Renata, who he started viewing as someone who directly took the action that made him feel like that was also something I really understood.

One of my absolute favorite parts of this book was how it showed how parts of everyone’s life can be broken. Supporting characters in books often either have it all or have nothing at all. However, this book was different. Every character had something they were struggling with but also had good things happening in their life. This felt more real to my experience with people in general. Every character felt like they were real and not just one dimensional figures on the page.

The progression of Herbach’s writing style from the beginning of HOOPER to the end allowed me to feel like I got to know Adam well. I related to his story but also found all other characters to be real and complex.

Reviewed by Pranshu Adhikari

[Rob Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, heart-warming, engaging story of Adam, a high-school boy adopted from Poland by a college professor and brought (ultimately) to a small Minnesota town where his love of basketball leads him to struggles and adventures that help him to grow as an individual and as a member of his family and community. Makes you laugh, makes you sigh, and brings tears to your eyes multiple times each. You don't need to be a basketball fan to love this book!

[Abhay H 8A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good

[Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read this, better than the first time.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

The novel I chose was Hooper By Geoff Herbach, an award winning writer from Minnesota. This book is a sports book about a kid from Minnesota who is really tall and gifted with talent. He didn't come from a very good home but he got away from his father in Poland. The main Character Adam after Fleeing Poland now lives in Minnesota. Adam has one really close friend named Barry who loves to talk and do taekwondo. Adam doesn't like to talk so they are perfect for each other. Adam had anger problems when he lived in Poland but he has strived to leave his old life behind. It was definitely a challenge when Kase Kinsaw, a kid who he doesn't know and never talks to, hates his guts.

Chapter 15 page 62

At this point in the book Adam's Adopted mom is dating a professor who hooks Adam up with an opportunity to play for a D1 college prep school. Adam always says basketball is my passport. He knows that even though his life has been rough he can get through it with basketball. If he makes it big he won't have to worry about a lot of other things. The most important part of this page is that it explains him going to prep school and how he also starts to fall in love with Carli Anderson, a girl from his school who plays basketball. This page also describes how long he's been in Minnesota for and what things look like. He also talks about how since he doesn't speak english very well people make fun of him and call him forest gump or durr.

The author portrays a large amount of truths in this book like how Barry trains to learn how to fight; he doesn't necessarily have to use it all the time only when he absolutely needs to. He also shows that people will make fun of others simply because they are better than them. The best way to get over that is to simply not care and find something better to think of instead of that small detail. One of the themes of this novel is Patience. Sometimes you have to wait for things to happen and good things come to those who wait. Adam practiced a lot of patience when he refused to fight Kase Kinsaw. He knew he wasn't worth his time and he didn't want to make the same mistakes he did in Poland where he would fight a lot. Herbach makes a lot of good points in this book; he teaches lessons about hard work and dignity. Overall Adam had a difficult past but he didn't let that stop him from starting fresh and getting over his problems and working for something good.

[Carson Eagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adam Reed, also knows as Adam Sobieski, spent a large amount of his childhood as a struggling, poor white boy in Poland. However, he is adopted by a women named Renata Reed, his american mother. They live in Minnesota where Adam, as a 16 year old boy, attends the local high school. This is where he meets his soon-to-be best friend and basketball star, Barry. Like Adam, Barry has numerous family issues as well. Adam and Barry have similar goals, play basketball to unlock the good things in life. However, it was not that easy. Adam not only frowns upon his skills as a player, but also as an English speaker. He does not often speak to his classmates, teachers, and even his own mother. Another roadblock Adam runs into his is anger issues and emotions. This was a common occurrence back home in Poland but here, it would jeopardize his basketball career. With the help of his 2 very empathetic friends, Barry and Carli Anderson, he slowly begins to forget his past and come into his own as not only a person, but a basketball player.
This is my first time reading a book by Geoff Herbach, and I enjoyed it. Throughout this book, he creates great characters such as the protagonist, Adam. Though this book is filled with sensitive issues such as identity, diversity, immigration, racism, and child abuse, the great plot and story keeps it from being weighed down by these impurities. It kept me motivated to keep turning the page to figure out what would happen next, how this conflict would be resolved or to find out happens to Adam in all aspects of his life.
The incorporation of sports is also what sold me on this book. Herbach does a great job balancing descriptions of plays with Adam's thoughts during games and practices, and for me being a person who loves sports I love this. Adam can be used as motivation for younger readers and basketball players to keep thriving and never give up. This book as a whole really kept me involved and was a great mix of sports and conflict itself. I do highly recommend this book to anybody, not just sports lovers like me.

[B220 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adam Reed is one of the best basketball players in Minnesota, and he's only getting better. As an adopted immigrant from Poland, living the midwest life of Minnesota (and continue to learn the ins and outs of living in America) is challenging. When he is asked to join one of the top AAU teams in the state, he realizes that basketball just might be the key to bigger and better things. However, just as everything seems to be falling into place, something happens that might just take more than basketball away from him.



Herbach has created a unique story here. Adam is certainly a one-of-a-kind character as is his best friend in the book. At times the writing is a bit awkward to read, but Herbach clearly made a very purposeful decision to better capture how Adem sees the world. As a nominee for the 2020 Abraham Lincoln Book Award, Hooper is getting the attention it deserves!

[Xander Schuett]

I really enjoyed this book. I really like the character development of the main character Adam. In the beginning, Adam was really quite and disliked many people. Towards the end, Adam is really outspoken after he meets Carli. He begins to talk to people and he soon becomes more like. I really liked the part where Adam walks off the court in protest of his friend Khalil getting kicked off the team. I liked it because it showed how much he has grown and how confident he is. I liked how dedicated Adam is to basketball and how he is always working. I like how Barry tries hard to be respectful and how he always has honor. I'm really happy I read this book and I'm happy with the author's writing style.

[Gavin Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, it had amazing story telling along with great charater dialog. What interested me the most about this book was Adam's character growth throughout the book, as he goes from a shy, angry, kind of introverted exchange student, into a happy, social, and funny popular kid. The story really supprised me becuase as I kept reading I kept finding myself usable to stop which was really suprising for me seeing as I'm usually an anti-book guy, but evey time I came to the end of a chapter I had to keep reading. The charater dialog and develpment as well was amazing as you could really connect and feel what they felt. I also love the basketball element in this, when the book is describing a game, you can really feel the intensity of it all, it is definitely a good strategy for sucking you in, and trust me it work, and this is coming from a huge basketball fan. Overall I really enjoyed this book and definitely recommend this book, and this is coming from a person who hates reading books, it's definitely a 10/10 for me.

[Gael Barrera · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book Hooper by Geoff Herbach is about an orphan boy named Adam Sobieski who is born in Poland and is then adopted in the United States. His father abandoned him while his mother died of cancer. He later on learns how to play basketball and is the only thing he likes besides Carli Anderson (a girl that he later on knows). This book was not recommended to me but was really terrific. I recommend it to people that like playing and reading about sports. I give this book a 5 out of 5 because I simply couldn't put the book down, I can't describe how good this book is.

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me, this book started off a bit slow. It didn't really take off for me until about 100 pages in, but when it did, it was fabulous. It is a book about so many things-fitting in, family/adoption, bullying, friendship, teamwork, discrimination-loads of strong themes. Many characters are endearing and a few are loathsome. You get very invested in Adam and his story. Great story, well told, I will recommend this book over and over again.

[Ben Lamorte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stumbled onto it. My son read it in 2 days and literally asked “why is this book so damn good?” at 11pm and didn’t want to sleep... hasn’t happened since Harry Potter series. We were looking for a basketball book that is also decent literature, and Hooper is that book.

[Brody Deerberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't like how the author of this book doesn't describe things at all. I don't like how Adam absolutely hates Kase Kinshaw it sidetracks Adam to much. Adam's grammar in this book is confusing at some points. Barry won't stop talking in this book and it is very annoying. I like do like the storyline of how Adam is from Poland. I really don't like his nickname which is the Poland Hammer I don't know why I just don't like the name. I wish Adam would step up for himself against Kase Kinshaw. I wish Adam would talk to someone else besides only his teammates. I wish that Adam would've went to the College instead of going to the AAU team. I don't like it how Adam's mom couldn't be there for any of Adam's games.

[Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was awesome. I really liked how it touched on real world problems and the story was also very unique. I would recommend this book to people who don’t usually enjoy reading. I was reluctant to pick up this book at first but I am sure glad I did.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story! Fans of Carl Deuker will love this book.

[Landon Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was a very good book i like the concept of the immigrant where his dad left him and becomes a big shot in his school and on their team