Ball Don't Lie

Pena, M. (2005). Ball don't lie. New York: Random House. Travis Reichard aka Sticky has lived a tough life as a foster kid and doesn’t really feel at home anywhere. He is used to being in and out of foster homes and his only constant “home” is the Lincoln Rec where he plays basketball and feels free. Sticky has very vague memories of his mom “Baby” and has spent most of his life blocking out the trauma of how he found her dead. Living life on the rough streets Sticky must decide who he will become. He knows he is destined to be a great basketball player and must leave his troubled past behind in order to get into college and show the world he can be a basketball legend. This dark modern realistic fiction novel gives students a clear picture of the street violence, homelessness, poverty, and despair that Sticky had to endure in order to find his true self. De La Pena’s use of raw language further exemplifies why this novel is a riveting dark modern realistic fiction. High schools teachers will enjoy discussing this novel with their students as a tool to teach perseverance and determination.