November 7, 2023 by Amulet Books
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
**Some spoilers for the first book, if you haven't read it, and I recommend that you do. The sequel will make little sense without it. **
In this sequel to Thanks a Lot, Universe, we pick up with Ezra and Brian, who have both been having a tough time. Brian's father has been incarcerated on drug charges, his mother tried to commit suicide, and Brian and his brother Richie ended up in foster care with his teacher, Ms. McClellan. While his mother is back home, he is understandably concerned about her, and struggles with visiting his father in jail. Ezra and Brian are on the basketball team and are still really good friends. They even experiment with a kiss, but realize that they are better off as friends. Their teammates and friends are very supportive, which is a good thing. As Christmas approaches, Brian feels really off. He gets angry easily, can't sleep, and his mother suggests he goes back to the doctor even before he admits to having another panic attack. Ezra, meanwhile, starts hanging out with Victor, who seems to have changed his ways. The two work on songs together, and Ezra starts to feel that he might have a crush on the former bully. When a teammate, Harrison, uses the word "gay" as a slur, the basketball team quickly takes him to task, and Ezra ends up telling the team that he is gay. Brian continues to have problems, and ends up being on medication for his depression, which he doesn't like. The sessions with Dr. Bender help, and he makes very slow progress dealing with his emotional state. Ezra and Victor start to spend more and more time together, and Ezra feels awkward about this because of Victor's past with his good friend. When Caleb, who ghosted Ezra after he found out that Ezra was gay, calls and asks to come over because he has an emergency, Ezra is suprised but says yes. It turns out that there was an altercation involving Victor's older brother who was having a party in the absence of their parents, and Victor and Caleb stepped in to stop an incident involving a girl who had had too much to drink. This allows the air to be cleared a bit, and helps everyone move on from the previous year with a better understanding of each other.
Strengths: This was worth buying for several events; the one where "gay" is used as a perjorative and the perpetrator is called out, Brian's prescription for antidepressants and his frustration when they don't seem to work and the one where Victor and Caleb save the girl at the party. The depiction of understanding friends was good, and the parents were also supportive and helpful. Ms. McClellan and her son Gabe are also still around for support, and Ms. McClellan also has a support group at school. The coach is understanding about Brian's depression and its effect on his playing, but likens it to a sprained ankle and offers the gym early in the morning if Brian needs a quiet, safe space where he can play basketball. The way that being gay is dealt with works well; not ideal, but generally accepted, and I loved that the team was able to have a frank discussion about it. A worthy sequel to the first book.
Weaknesses: Maybe middle school boys are more open with their emotions now, but it seemed odd that so many of them told each other that they loved each other in earnest and unromantic ways. This might be a generational thing; in the 1970s, we certainly were never encouraged to even have emotions, much less share them. I would have like to have seen more basketball and fewer details about Brian's emotional struggles, but maybe this is what today's readers want. Have to check with my students. I was a little surprised that there was no mention of black box warnings for antidepressants being prescribed for teens.
What I really think: It would help if there were a basketball on the front cover, but since it's a sequel, I'll have to hope that readers pick up the first book and want to continue. Basketball books don't usually have the strong dramatic component that this one has (baseball has all the emotional problems, usually), but this will be a good choice for readers who enjoyed Sonnenblick's Zen and the Art of Faking It or Williams' We Are Family.
Weaknesses: Maybe middle school boys are more open with their emotions now, but it seemed odd that so many of them told each other that they loved each other in earnest and unromantic ways. This might be a generational thing; in the 1970s, we certainly were never encouraged to even have emotions, much less share them. I would have like to have seen more basketball and fewer details about Brian's emotional struggles, but maybe this is what today's readers want. Have to check with my students. I was a little surprised that there was no mention of black box warnings for antidepressants being prescribed for teens.
What I really think: It would help if there were a basketball on the front cover, but since it's a sequel, I'll have to hope that readers pick up the first book and want to continue. Basketball books don't usually have the strong dramatic component that this one has (baseball has all the emotional problems, usually), but this will be a good choice for readers who enjoyed Sonnenblick's Zen and the Art of Faking It or Williams' We Are Family.
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