Blog Tour: Hooper by Geoff Herbach - Guest Post +GIVEAWAY

Very excited today to be a part of the blog tour for Hooper hosted by JeanBookNerd (check the link for more info)!

I have so many boys who enjoy Geoff Herbach's books, so I knew it was something I wanted to share! 

And even more excited because I have a guest post as well! 

SYNOPSIS

From Geoff Herbach, the critically acclaimed author of the Stupid Fast series, comes a compelling new YA novel about basketball, prejudice, privilege, and family, perfect for fans of Jordan Sonnenblick, Andrew Smith, and Matt de la Peña.

For Adam Reed, basketball is a passport. Adam’s basketball skills have taken him from an orphanage in Poland to a loving adoptive mother in Minnesota. When he’s tapped to play on a select AAU team along with some of the best players in the state, it just confirms that basketball is his ticket to the good life: to new friendships, to the girl of his dreams, to a better future.

But life is more complicated off the court. When an incident with the police threatens to break apart the bonds Adam’s finally formed after a lifetime of struggle, he must make an impossible choice between his new family and the sport that’s given him everything

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Geoff Herbach is the author of the award-winning Stupid Fast YA series as well as Fat Boy vs the Cheerleaders. His books have been given the 2011 Cybils Award for best YA novel, the Minnesota Book Award, selected for the Junior Library Guild, listed among the year’s best by the American Library Association, the American Booksellers Association and many state library associations. In the past, he wrote the literary novel, The Miracle Letters of T. Rimberg, produced radio comedy shows and toured rock clubs telling weird stories. Geoff teaches creative writing at Minnesota State, Mankato. He lives in a log cabin with a tall wife.

PHOTO CREDIT: KATHERINE WARDE
WEBSITE: https://www.geoffherbach.com/
TWITTER: @geoffherbach
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1234979.Geoff_Herbach
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/geoff.herbach
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/geoffherbach/

I asked: This book seems timely with what is going on in our world - talk about how current events possibly influenced the story.

I was starting to write the book when Donald Trump moved into the spotlight. I was already working with race issues, a rural kid playing basketball with black kids and gaining an understanding of why they felt vulnerable in our world. The message of the book gained a lot of its energy when I started thinking about how the same politics that made these kids feel afraid for their lives and livelihoods was at play in discussions about immigration.

My dad was born Jewish in Antwerp, Belgium in January of 1940. A few months later, my grandparents took my dad and literally ran for their lives. At one point they were questioned by the S.S., and my father watched by Nazis. The vilification of human beings fleeing war and devastation hit me hard. My family (the grandpa on my mother’s side, too), came to this country to flee horror. My family was not vilified. My family was embraced by this country. My grandmother found her life’s work here. My father thrived. Most of those in my family who didn’t leave Europe were murdered.

That national leaders could possibly use victims of incredible horror to gain political advantage makes me sick and so sad. That African American children legitimately fear for their lives and livelihoods based on their interactions with our police and legal system makes me sick and so sad. Sport is something that puts me at ease and it transcends race and class boundaries. I guess all of this came together in the making of Hooper. I certainly was reacting to current events and trying to show how the rotten parts of our political culture impacts sweet, excellent kids.

Super interesting to hear about this!!! Thanks so much for sharing! 

Giveaway is open to International. | Must be 13+ to Enter

1 Winner will receive a Signed Copy of HOOPER by Geoff Herbach

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