"Debut author Graves (Ojibwe) presents a deeply personal look at grief, the weight of expectations, and the ways we find connections with those we have lost... This one shoots and scores." — Kirkus Reviews

"Debut author Graves, who is Ojibwe like Tre, doesn’t shirk from showing his community’s ugly experiences, but he never languishes in them. Well-paced and exciting—the action of the basketball games is exceptionally well written—this is a solid piece of sports fiction." — Booklist

"Influenced by Byron’s own experiences, the challenges Tre faces are realistically difficult, including a team-wide drinking habit that nearly derails everything and Tre’s crush and best friend hooking up behind his back. That realism is nicely balanced, however, by a story that dutifully follows the beats of great sports movies with motivational speeches, unbelievable comebacks, raucous crowds, heartbreaking losses, and a lot of heart up to the final buzzer." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

"Once started, even the most reluctant readers will be hard-pressed to hit the pause button." [audio edition] — School Library Journal (starred review)

"Debut author Graves, who is Ojibwe, realistically depicts life living on a reservation via Tre’s earnest first-person POV, and plentiful fast-paced basketball game sequences will appeal to fans of sports fiction." — Publishers Weekly

Byron Graves is Ojibwe and was born and raised on the Red Lake Indian Reservation in Minnesota, where he played high school basketball. When he isn’t writing, he can be found playing retro video games, spending time with his family, or cheering on his beloved Minnesota Timberwolves. Rez Ball is his debut novel.