No More No Name

October 1, 2017

Gr 7 Up-Bobby Byington is a teenage Choctaw high school basketball star whose life has not been easy. The story opens as he returns to basketball practice after recovering from a serious automobile accident. Bobby has strong support from his father, who is a recovering alcoholic; his mother; Coach Robinson; teammates; best friend Johnny (who is Cherokee); and Lady Faye, his girlfriend. Bobby's relationships with his family, friends, teammates, and coach are realistically portrayed and allow readers to walk with him as he makes decisions to navigate his emotions. The pace of the novel is much like a basketball game, packed with unexpected turnovers, angst, and the ultimate final-second victories. The narrative is not melodramatic, and yet it authentically portrays the complexity of a young adult's emotional coming-of-age. This hopeful and redemptive book is not preachy and is sure to capture the imagination of readers who are drawn to stories about sports, courage, and romance. VERDICT Highly recommended for middle and high schoolers.-Naomi Caldwell, Alabama State University, Montgomery

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2017
In this sequel to No Name (2014), Choctaw hoopster Bobby Byington finds common ground and friendship with a rival.Bobby's mostly recovered from the car accident that caused his alcoholic father to kick his habit and brought his mother back home. Now all the talented basketball player wants to do is get back in the game and pursue his budding relationship with neighbor Faye, a white girl recently moved to Tulsa from North Carolina. Lloyd Blanton, the white boy who's filled in as point guard, is ready to cede his place to Bobby, the better player--but his racist father is not. When Mr. Blanton publicly threatens Coach Robison, also Choctaw, Bobby sees an all-too-familiar alcoholic temper behind it. Together with the coach, Cherokee teammate Johnny, and his parents, Bobby works to give Lloyd the support he desperately needs. These relationships are carefully if swiftly developed, offering readers a best-practices model for caring intervention. Faye's bullying at the hands of the school mean girl is a little less well-developed but provides Bobby with one of his best lines: "I am about to break Rule Number One for every high school student....I am about to seek the advice of an adult." The basketball action is clear and engaging, and readers so inclined will wish they could play under Coach Robison. A lesson in sympathy, delivered with heart. (Fiction. 12-16)

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September 15, 2017
Grades 7-10 Bobby, a modern Choctaw teen, is on the road to recovery. A star basketball player, he is rejoining the team after recovering from injuries inflicted by driving into Lake Thunderbird and almost drowning. His body is not the only thing that has healed: his father, newly sober, is a changed man, and his parents are healthier than ever. But his friends aren't doing so well. His new girlfriend, Faye, is being bullied by another girl, and his rage-filled teammate Lloyd threatens to break up the team. Is Bobby healed enough to help his friends through their dark times? Book two in the No Name series, this deals head-on with heavy topics such as racism, alcoholism, bullying, teamwork, and familial forgiveness. While there is little subtlety to the story, characters, or lessons (statements like I learned that booze and bullying starts at home are earnest but sometimes fall flat), it's good to see the language and traditions of the Native American experience so prominently woven throughout a straightforward sports story.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)