Shadowed

Beloved, award-winning author Carl Deuker serves up another fast-paced sports novel—this one about basketball and friendship. Nate plays soccer, but he doesn’t love it. He plays because it’s what his family expects. Then Lucas Cawley moves in across the street. Lucas isn’t like any of Nate’s sports friends—he’s poor, his parents are mostly absent, and he’s devoted to his sister, Megan, who has a learning disability. Lucas may be an outcast at school, but he and Nate find common ground in their fierce games of one-on-one basketball. It’s not long before Nate realizes that basketball is his sport. But Nate has an ax to grind with star players Colin and Bo, who have disrespected him for years. Nate believes that outplaying those two is the most important thing . . . until he learns that life is about more than getting ready for the next game. High School Basketball: From gritty streetball games to the high-stakes pressure of the varsity team, Nate must fight to prove he belongs on the court. Rivalry and Redemption: Nate is driven to outplay Colin and Bo, the privileged stars who have looked down on him for years, until a shared tragedy changes everything. Fierce Loyalty: Explore a powerful friendship that crosses social divides and the unbreakable bond between a brother, Lucas, and his sister with special needs, Megan. Dealing with Grief: A gripping and emotional story that explores how a young athlete navigates guilt, loss, and the true meaning of the game after an unthinkable accident.