Blacktop Series

In the fourth installment of the Blacktop series, comes a street-smart, action-packed basketball story with action on and off the court.

Toni, a talented young basketball player, faces a tough challenge on Team Blacktop. But Toni isn’t one to back down.

Toni isn’t Coach Wise’s favorite player. Honestly, she’s not even in his Top Five. And if she’s being real, her own teammates keep siding with him during practice. But her resilience and self-reliance make her a force to be reckoned with. After all, she’s spent her whole life bouncing from one place to the next. If you can’t count on yourself, who can you count on? As she faces challenges both on and off the court, Toni’s unwavering spirit shines through.

Packed with intense action and relatable struggles, Tony #4 captures the exhilaration of the game and highlights the strength of believing in yourself.

In the third installment of the Blacktop series, comes the story of a troubled teen who finds himself caught in a whirlwind of unexpected adventures amidst the bustling streets of Oakland, California.

Frank’s not great at staying out of trouble. He’s also not great at driving cars. After his joyride ends in a crash, he’s stuck with a court-appointed Community Mentor for the summer.

But it’s not too bad. Officer Appleby’s all right. And if anyone can handle a basketball team, a police officer, and a new girl on the horizon, it’s Frank Torres.

A must-read for basketball enthusiasts, fans of multicultural narratives, and young adult readers seeking a thrilling and uplifting story.

In the second installment of the Blacktop series, comes an action-packed tale of a determined young girl with a passion for basketball set on the courts of Oakland, California.

A talented and determined young basketball player, Janae spends her days working at Granny’s Strange Goods Superstore, selling lucky rabbits’ feet and other useless junk. At night, after closing up shop, she dominates the courts with her boys.

When the chance comes around to take her game to the next level, she knows she’ll make the cut. It’s all about skill—luck’s got nothing to do with it.

Right?

Get your sneakers ready and experience the thrill alongside Janae as she dribbles her way to success.

A street-smart action-packed basketball series set on the courts of Oakland, California

“The brief novel is both a satisfying basketball story and an African-American boy’s first-person account of finding his way in the world . . . debut author Alonge plays the game just right.”—Kirkus Reviews

“A coming-of-age story with hard edges and heart.”—Publishers Weekly

Justin has a list of goals stashed under his mattress. Number 1 is “figure out life plans.” Number 5 is “earn Zen Master rating in WoW.” Number 7 is “play a little basketball every day.” Nowhere on that list is “play the crew from Ghosttown,” but that’s the type of trouble that always seems to finds him. And Justin is not the type to back down from a challenge.

Perfect for basketball enthusiasts, this thrilling young adult story about pursuing your dreams will leave readers eager for more in the Blacktop series.