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Sidelined



by
Kara Bietz

Edition
Hardcover edition
Publisher
Hachette Book Group
Imprint
Little, Brown BFYR
ISBN
9780759557512
POTENTIALLY SENSITIVE AREAS
Language: Strong Language , Sexual Content: Mild Sexual Content/Themes
$21.42   $17.85
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QTY

JLG Category

Sports High

An emotional YA romance about small town secrets, high school football, and broken hearts.

Julian Jackson has a short to-do list for his senior year at Crenshaw County High School in Meridien, Texas: football, football, and more football. He knows he's only got one chance to earn a college scholarship and make it out of his small town, and keeping his head down, his grades up, and his cleats on the field is that one chance. And then Elijah Vance walks back into his life, throwing all of his carefully-laid plans into a tailspin.

Elijah and Julian used to be best friends, maybe even on their way to something more than just friends. But three years ago, Elijah broke into the school to steal money from the coach's office, and Julian was the one who turned him in. After that, Elijah and his family disappeared without a trace. And now he's back, sitting at Julian's grandmother's kitchen table. But time and distance haven't erased all of their feelings, and Elijah knows that he finally has a chance to prove to Julian that he's not the same person he was three years ago. But with secrets still growing between them and an uncertain future barreling towards them, it may be harder to lean on each other than they thought.

POTENTIALLY SENSITIVE AREAS
Language: Strong Language , Sexual Content: Mild Sexual Content/Themes

Details

Format

Print

Page Count

304

Trim Size

8 3/10" x 5 1/2"

Dewey

F

AR

0: points 0

Genre

Fic

Scholastic Reading Counts

0

JLG Release

Jan 2022

Book Genres

Sports, Realistic Fiction

Topics

Friendship. Dating (social customs). High schools. High school athletes. Gay athletes. Sports and recreation. Football. Family life. Fathers and sons. Texas. Pranks. LGBTQ.

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Cover Art

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Praise & Reviews

School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up-Julian, a high school senior in Meridien, Texas, has been growing into his role as captain of the football team, and thinks planning the annual prank against the school's rival will be the hardest part of his senior year. But things get complicated when his former friend and fellow football player, Elijah, shows up at his house and Julian's grandmother informs him that Elijah will be staying with them until his family moves back to town in a few weeks. Julian is full of questions about a kiss he and Elijah shared three years ago and wonders why Elijah left Meridien afterward without saying goodbye. Chapters alternate between the two characters' perspectives, exploring small-town secrets, high school traditions, and the pressure of living up to other people's expectations. Julian and Elijah are cued as white. Julian's best friend, Camille, has "curly hair" and is Latinx. While the book creates a vivid picture of football culture in a small town, the narration lacks believability, with teen characters using expressions like "good gravy," "purloined," and "tighter than a tick." VERDICT It is exciting to see more books featuring queer love stories, especially ones that take place in Texas, but an uneven execution and the availability of exceptional LGBTQIA+ options make this a secondary purchase.-Emily Yates, Green Hope H.S., Cary, NC

Praise & Reviews

School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up-Julian, a high school senior in Meridien, Texas, has been growing into his role as captain of the football team, and thinks planning the annual prank against the school's rival will be the hardest part of his senior year. But things get complicated when his former friend and fellow football player, Elijah, shows up at his house and Julian's grandmother informs him that Elijah will be staying with them until his family moves back to town in a few weeks. Julian is full of questions about a kiss he and Elijah shared three years ago and wonders why Elijah left Meridien afterward without saying goodbye. Chapters alternate between the two characters' perspectives, exploring small-town secrets, high school traditions, and the pressure of living up to other people's expectations. Julian and Elijah are cued as white. Julian's best friend, Camille, has "curly hair" and is Latinx. While the book creates a vivid picture of football culture in a small town, the narration lacks believability, with teen characters using expressions like "good gravy," "purloined," and "tighter than a tick." VERDICT It is exciting to see more books featuring queer love stories, especially ones that take place in Texas, but an uneven execution and the availability of exceptional LGBTQIA+ options make this a secondary purchase.-Emily Yates, Green Hope H.S., Cary, NC

Grades 9 & Up
Sports High
For Grades 9 & Up

High school sports enthusiasts will love this category, which includes fiction and nonfiction titles that cover the action and excitement of a wide array of sports, the stories and struggles of athletes who have attained great success, and inside looks at the games teens love to watch and play. Action, excitement and struggles will be found in each of the 12 books provided.

12 books per Year
$259.20 per Year
Interests
Diversity,Fiction,High Interest/Reluctant Reader,Nonfiction,Biographies,Novels,Realistic Fiction,History
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Grades 9 & Up
Sports High
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