Swagger [Paperback]

Levi was simple, like a child. It was the best thing about him, and it was the worst, too. 

When high school senior Jonas moves to Seattle, he is glad to meet Levi, a nice, soft-spoken guy and fellow basketball player. Suspense builds like a slow drumbeat as readers start to smell a rat in Ryan Hartwell, a charismatic basketball coach and sexual predator. When Levi reluctantly tells Jonas that Hartwell abused him, Jonas has to decide whether he should risk his future career to report the coach. Pitch-perfect basketball plays, well-developed characters, and fine storytelling make this psychological sports novel a slam dunk.

High school senior point guard Jonas Dolan is on the fast track to a basketball career until an unthinkable choice puts his future on the line.

A Junior Library Guild Selection

Deuker creates a textured cast of parents, coaches, and teens and deftly handles themes of personal ethics, teamwork, burgeoning friendships, and coping with an abusive adult.
—Booklist

A largely well-executed exploration of team spirit, friendship and the devastating impact of untrustworthy adults.
—Kirkus

Basketball fans will love the realistic hardwood action.
—The Horn Book Magazine

The novel includes descriptions of many basketball plays and strategies, which should make this book particularly appealing to fans of the game.
—Publishers Weekly

This is solid Deuker turf, populated by good kids trapped between conscience and goals. Expect fans to grab this title as soon as it hits the shelf.
—Bulletin

Short, action-packed chapters make for a quick read, but the story's underlying messages will linger. . . . What makes this story special is the careful handling of an incredibly difficult topic.
—VOYA, 5Q ló,