This Thing of Ours

The powerful and timely YA novel debut from two-time New York Times best-selling author Frederick Joseph is a deeply heartfelt story—and a rallying cry against book banning.

In an instant, Ossie Brown’s entire future is in jeopardy when a torn ACL ends his promising basketball career. Now that basketball is no longer a major part of his identity, Ossie—a Black teen who doesn’t come from wealth and privilege—must navigate his new place in the social and academic ecosystems of his affluent, predominantly white school. When a Black teacher encourages him to join her highly regarded writing program, Ossie begins to find a new purpose, buoyed by not only the rich works of literature by marginalized authors he’s now reading, but also by new friends who see him as something more than an asset to the sports program. Everything changes when some students’ viral “anti-woke” video puts the teacher’s job, the writing program, and even Ossie’s friends’ safety at risk—and Ossie must find his true voice. This unflinching novel confronts critical issues like racism and classism, the treatment of student athletes, homophobia, and book banning while weaving together a moving testament to family, romance, friendship, and the power of words.

Frederick Joseph is a Yonkers, New York–raised two-time New York Times and USA Today best-selling author. His books include the poetry collection We Alive, Beloved; the nonfiction works Patriarchy Blues, The Black Friend, and Better Than We Found It, co-written with Porsche Joseph; the picture book Black Panther: Wakanda Forever: The Courage to Dream, illustrated by Nikkolas Smith; and the forthcoming YA novel This Thing of Ours. He was recognized with a 2021 International Literacy Association Young Adult Book Award, was named to the 2019 Forbes 30 Under 30 list for marketing and advertising, and is an activist, philanthropist, and poet. Frederick Joseph was also honored with a 2023 Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Vanguard Award and the 2018 Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award, and he was selected for the 2018 Root 100, a list of the most influential African Americans.

Both heartening and heartbreaking, this richly layered, sensitive YA fiction debut from Joseph unflinchingly confronts systemic racism, classism, and homophobia via a powerful story of self-discovery and social justice that aims, shoots, and scores.
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Frederick Joseph constructs a true roller coaster of a narrative in?This Thing of Ours, painting Ossie's complex struggles in language that is both poetic and engaging for a young adult audience. Impressively, the plot's momentum stays strong even when dipping into the stories of the other characters. . . .Readers will be moved by the thoughtful, unexpected ways in which Joseph develops Ossie and his journey to be heard.
—BookPage (starred review)

Readers will be inspired by how he learns to stand up against the disguised race-class fissures that have long existed in his school.
—Booklist

Joseph makes his fiction debut with the powerfully empathic, deeply emboldening young adult novel This Thing of Ours.
—Shelf Awareness

A rich view into the many ways oppression marginalizes people and a loving portrait of an urban Black community, recommended for high school collections.
—School Library Journal

ISBN: 9781536233469