Wrong Side of the Court

Fawad, a teenage boy who immigrated from Pakistan, grapples with the recent death of his father and tries to navigate life in his low-income neighbourhood where danger abounds. A timely and engaging story that broaches topics such as race, privilege, and opportunity, this book explores the impacts of immigration, poverty, and violence through the story of a boy who dreams of making the school basketball team and being the world’s first Pakistani drafted into the NBA. He must juggle the expectations of his home country with life in his new land, all while trying to understand and navigate the societal structures that inhibit and support his growth. In a secondary classroom, this book is suitable for literature circles or independent reading. Teachers may prompt students to explore themes of identity, privilege, racism, cultural expectations, immigration, and systemic inequality.