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Wrong Side of the Court
Fifteen-year-old Fawad has big dreams about being the world's first Pakistani to be drafted into the NBA. A first-generation Pakistani coming-of-age story for fans of David Yoon and Ben Philippe.
Fifteen-year-old Fawad Chaudhry loves two things: basketball and his mother's potato and ground-beef stuffed parathas. Both are round and both help him forget about things like his father, who died two years ago, his mother's desire to arrange a marriage to his first cousin, Nusrat, back home in Pakistan, and the tiny apartment in Regent Park he shares with his mom and sister. Not to mention his estranged best friend Yousuf, who's coping with the shooting death of his older brother.
But Fawad has plans: like, asking out Ashley, even though she lives on the other, wealthier, side of the tracks, and saving his friend Arif from being beaten into a pulp for being the school flirt, and making the school basketball team and dreaming of being the world's first Pakistani to be drafted into the NBA. All he has to do now is convince his mother to let him try out for the basketball team. And let him date girls from his school. Not to mention somehow get Omar, the neighborhood bully, to leave him alone . .
Fifteen-year-old Fawad Chaudhry loves two things: basketball and his mother's potato and ground-beef stuffed parathas. Both are round and both help him forget about things like his father, who died two years ago, his mother's desire to arrange a marriage to his first cousin, Nusrat, back home in Pakistan, and the tiny apartment in Regent Park he shares with his mom and sister. Not to mention his estranged best friend Yousuf, who's coping with the shooting death of his older brother.
But Fawad has plans: like, asking out Ashley, even though she lives on the other, wealthier, side of the tracks, and saving his friend Arif from being beaten into a pulp for being the school flirt, and making the school basketball team and dreaming of being the world's first Pakistani to be drafted into the NBA. All he has to do now is convince his mother to let him try out for the basketball team. And let him date girls from his school. Not to mention somehow get Omar, the neighborhood bully, to leave him alone . .
312 pages, Hardcover
First published March 15, 2022
14 people are currently reading
390 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
July 15, 2022
Such a touching story about growing up in a community crippled by violence, poverty, and the endless cycle of being racialized and the repercussions of it.
I loved the sports aspect to it, and i thought the writing style was great for it. H.N. Khan can really write a basketball game! The ending didn’t tie all loose ends together, but I loved it anyways!
Highly recommend. A must read!
I loved the sports aspect to it, and i thought the writing style was great for it. H.N. Khan can really write a basketball game! The ending didn’t tie all loose ends together, but I loved it anyways!
Highly recommend. A must read!
August 27, 2022
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Wrong Side of the Court was honestly so freaking good. In it, you will meet Fawad. Now he goes through so much that my heart started to break. Luckily, he had people who were looking out for him like some mentors and teachers. Without them, I feel like we would have gotten a completely different book and it would be much darker as well.
Still, he faces some challenges that I honestly never would have experienced. Other than that, I really liked diving into Fawad's culture as well. I didn't know much about Pakistan, or Pakistani's, so it was interesting to see everything through his eyes. I also enjoyed the relationship with his mother and sister throughout the book as well.
If I could change one thing, it would be the overall ending. Mostly because I'm still left with some unanswered questions or loose ends. Even with this feeling, it was still a great book and one I would definitely reread over and over again. I'm so happy that I got the chance to jump into this and can't wait for the next book Khan writes!
Wrong Side of the Court was honestly so freaking good. In it, you will meet Fawad. Now he goes through so much that my heart started to break. Luckily, he had people who were looking out for him like some mentors and teachers. Without them, I feel like we would have gotten a completely different book and it would be much darker as well.
Still, he faces some challenges that I honestly never would have experienced. Other than that, I really liked diving into Fawad's culture as well. I didn't know much about Pakistan, or Pakistani's, so it was interesting to see everything through his eyes. I also enjoyed the relationship with his mother and sister throughout the book as well.
If I could change one thing, it would be the overall ending. Mostly because I'm still left with some unanswered questions or loose ends. Even with this feeling, it was still a great book and one I would definitely reread over and over again. I'm so happy that I got the chance to jump into this and can't wait for the next book Khan writes!
August 16, 2023
Geloof in jezelf is een prachtig harnas.
Fawad, 15 jaar, heeft als hobby basketballen. Inmiddels is het meer dan een hobby, het is zijn droom om de eerste Pakistaanse speler in de NBA te worden. Emigreren van Pakistan naar Canada, terechtkomen in een de multiculturele en enigszins criminele wijk Regent Park, een overleden vader en een moeder die op je leunt; dat brengt andere verwachtingen met zich mee als enige man in huis.
Zijn moeder staat niet achter zijn basketbaldroom, school mag er niet onder lijden en gemiddeld moet hij een 9 staan als hij echt door wil gaan met basketballen.
Ondertussen probeert zijn moeder een huwelijk te regelen voor hem met zijn nicht Nusrat. Fawad ziet dat niet zitten, vanwege basketbal, school, jong zijn, omdat het binnen de familie is én vanwege Ashley.
Kogels hebben geen geweten, ze maken geen onderscheid tussen doelwitten, beslissen niet wie wat verdient. Ze scheuren gewoon door vlees en laten wonden achter.
Er is geweld in de wijk, zelfs heel dichtbij als de broer van zijn beste vriend wordt neergeschoten in zijn straat en door geweld/pesterijen van drie andere basketballers naar hem toe.
Fawad probeert zijn droom te volgen, maar dat is lastiger als anderen iets van jou verwachten en je niet voldoende gelooft in jezelf. Door belangrijke steunfiguren zoals zijn basketbalcoach Jerome en vrienden traint hij meer, leert hij meer over zichzelf en belangrijker nog: groeit hij.
Jerome, naast basketbalcoach ook onbewust de functie van buurtcoach, organiseert een conferentie voor o.a. jongeren. Hij geeft jongeren een kans en weet wat speelt in de buurt.
Geweld lokt geweld uit. De meesten van ons zitten gevangen in een cyclus waarin we het onrecht dat ons is aangedaan door laten gaan, we denken dat we ons beter kunnen voelen door anderen pijn te doen. Maar dat gevoel komt nooit. De pijn brengt alleen maar meer pijn. Dus ik vraag jullie, jonge mannen, om groter te zijn dan de pijn, om die te stoppen en in plaats daarvan aardig te zijn.
Hij probeert boven de pesters te staan door bovenstaande vraag van Jerome, gaat voor zijn basketbaldroom en probeert het prachtige harnas uit van geloven in jezelf. Er is een uitweg uit de wijk waarin het criminele pad met geweld snel gevolgd kan worden, als je maar een doel hebt.
Het boek heeft mij positief verrast, er zit zoveel meer in dan ik van tevoren dacht. Ik hoopte op een goed inhoudelijk verhaal voor jongeren en met dit boek krijg je dat gegarandeerd. Het is geen verhaal over basketballen, basketballen hoort bij Fawad en is daardoor onderdeel van het verhaal. Het verhaal van Fawad gaat over (leren) geloven in jezelf, leven in een wijk met vooroordelen en het hebben ervan, een multiculturele samenleving, een leven opbouwen na emigratie, leven zonder vader, uithuwelijken en je eigen pad volgen.
Heel positief vind ik dat de thema’s nergens te veel of te weinig uitgewerkt voelden. Het is er allemaal en loopt vloeiend in elkaar over, zoals het in het echte leven regelmatig ook doet. Alles heeft met elkaar te maken, groot of klein.
Een terechte nominatie voor Beste Boek voor Jongeren in de categorie vertaald. Het las goed door de auteur, maar zeer zeker ook door de goede vlotte vertaling van Dennis Keesmaat. Fijn dat de vertaler op het omslag genoemd wordt.
Wat mij betreft een boek dat op middelbare scholen aangeraden mag worden.
Het net zal in elk geval nooit zeggen dat ik er niet in mag schieten vanwege waar ik vandaan kom. Het zal me een kans geven. Me niet in een hokje stoppen. Me geen etiket opplakken. Me niet veroordelen. Alleen ik, de bal en het net.
Deze recensie verscheen eerder op Lezersgoud.nl
Fawad, 15 jaar, heeft als hobby basketballen. Inmiddels is het meer dan een hobby, het is zijn droom om de eerste Pakistaanse speler in de NBA te worden. Emigreren van Pakistan naar Canada, terechtkomen in een de multiculturele en enigszins criminele wijk Regent Park, een overleden vader en een moeder die op je leunt; dat brengt andere verwachtingen met zich mee als enige man in huis.
Zijn moeder staat niet achter zijn basketbaldroom, school mag er niet onder lijden en gemiddeld moet hij een 9 staan als hij echt door wil gaan met basketballen.
Ondertussen probeert zijn moeder een huwelijk te regelen voor hem met zijn nicht Nusrat. Fawad ziet dat niet zitten, vanwege basketbal, school, jong zijn, omdat het binnen de familie is én vanwege Ashley.
Kogels hebben geen geweten, ze maken geen onderscheid tussen doelwitten, beslissen niet wie wat verdient. Ze scheuren gewoon door vlees en laten wonden achter.
Er is geweld in de wijk, zelfs heel dichtbij als de broer van zijn beste vriend wordt neergeschoten in zijn straat en door geweld/pesterijen van drie andere basketballers naar hem toe.
Fawad probeert zijn droom te volgen, maar dat is lastiger als anderen iets van jou verwachten en je niet voldoende gelooft in jezelf. Door belangrijke steunfiguren zoals zijn basketbalcoach Jerome en vrienden traint hij meer, leert hij meer over zichzelf en belangrijker nog: groeit hij.
Jerome, naast basketbalcoach ook onbewust de functie van buurtcoach, organiseert een conferentie voor o.a. jongeren. Hij geeft jongeren een kans en weet wat speelt in de buurt.
Geweld lokt geweld uit. De meesten van ons zitten gevangen in een cyclus waarin we het onrecht dat ons is aangedaan door laten gaan, we denken dat we ons beter kunnen voelen door anderen pijn te doen. Maar dat gevoel komt nooit. De pijn brengt alleen maar meer pijn. Dus ik vraag jullie, jonge mannen, om groter te zijn dan de pijn, om die te stoppen en in plaats daarvan aardig te zijn.
Hij probeert boven de pesters te staan door bovenstaande vraag van Jerome, gaat voor zijn basketbaldroom en probeert het prachtige harnas uit van geloven in jezelf. Er is een uitweg uit de wijk waarin het criminele pad met geweld snel gevolgd kan worden, als je maar een doel hebt.
Het boek heeft mij positief verrast, er zit zoveel meer in dan ik van tevoren dacht. Ik hoopte op een goed inhoudelijk verhaal voor jongeren en met dit boek krijg je dat gegarandeerd. Het is geen verhaal over basketballen, basketballen hoort bij Fawad en is daardoor onderdeel van het verhaal. Het verhaal van Fawad gaat over (leren) geloven in jezelf, leven in een wijk met vooroordelen en het hebben ervan, een multiculturele samenleving, een leven opbouwen na emigratie, leven zonder vader, uithuwelijken en je eigen pad volgen.
Heel positief vind ik dat de thema’s nergens te veel of te weinig uitgewerkt voelden. Het is er allemaal en loopt vloeiend in elkaar over, zoals het in het echte leven regelmatig ook doet. Alles heeft met elkaar te maken, groot of klein.
Een terechte nominatie voor Beste Boek voor Jongeren in de categorie vertaald. Het las goed door de auteur, maar zeer zeker ook door de goede vlotte vertaling van Dennis Keesmaat. Fijn dat de vertaler op het omslag genoemd wordt.
Wat mij betreft een boek dat op middelbare scholen aangeraden mag worden.
Het net zal in elk geval nooit zeggen dat ik er niet in mag schieten vanwege waar ik vandaan kom. Het zal me een kans geven. Me niet in een hokje stoppen. Me geen etiket opplakken. Me niet veroordelen. Alleen ik, de bal en het net.
Deze recensie verscheen eerder op Lezersgoud.nl
January 25, 2022
I don't know what it is about male protagonist sports novels, but they often seem to be overly crass and crude. Perhaps that is the real life environment that inspires such writings, or perhaps it is just male voiced YA books, but in this one in particular it seemed to stand out because the storytelling by-and-large is really enjoyable, it just has a lot of flags, A LOT. Beside the language, sexual innuendos, drug use, violence and romance, it also has a few religious and cultural concerns that are possibly just specific to the niche that I review for, but did have me shaking my head out of confusion and sighing in disappointment. To its credit there is a decent amount of Islam featured, some male friendships that are quite heartwarming, and some emotional depth that presents really well. The 312 page book is marketed to readers 12 and up, but there is no way I would encourage the book for anyone that young, Muslim or not. For Muslim youth specifically I would say 17 plus.
SYNOPSIS:
The book is told from the perspective of fifteen year old Fawad who lives in Regent Park with his mom and sister. He dreams of being the first Pakistani NBA player and the linear story bounces in time at the start and he sometimes even speaks to the reader, but the story is all his. Regent park is a poor part of town pressed right up against a wealthy part of Toronto and the neighborhood is rough. Fawad is a good kid: he doesn't go out much after dark since his father died, he helps his mom, doesn't run with a gang, he gets good grades, loves basketball, and doesn't have a girlfriend, not yet anyway. The story starts with him reliving the final minutes of a summer league basketball game where he opted to pass out of fear of the ever looming threat of Omar, rather than take the shot himself. Omar ends up missing and they lose, oh yeah and Omar is the imam's son. Under the protection of Abshir, Fawad's friend Yousuf's older brother: Omar, Yousuf, and Arif have someone looking out for them on the streets. Arif has some help from the Bengali crew, and Yousuf is Somali, but there are not enough Pakistani's to make a stand or demand respect when out and about. When Abshir gets murdered, Yousuf retreats into himself his music and smoking joints, Arif keeps his playboy ways to take his mind off things when he isn't reciting Quran beautifully in classes at the masjid, and Fawad makes the high school basketball team and finds a girlfriend. Things with Omar physically escalate as well, while things at home have his mom putting in to action plans for Fawad to marry his cousin in Pakistan.
WHY I LIKE IT:
I really like that Islam and culture are presented powerfully with OWN voice strength and detail. Things are not defined or over explained and if you don't know what haram or Ramadan or an imam are, figure it out. I rarely find myself wishing the ending of books were different. You hear a lot about that in movies, that they didn't screen well or something, and so the ending was changed, and that is how I feel about this book. *SPOILERS* Fawad and Omar should not have resolved their issues so easily, it was more than a respect thing, there was blood and hospitalizations. We never even knew why they had issues in the first place. Arif and Nermin should not have hooked up. The whole book she comes across as the strong Muslim hijabi that blurs the lines by side hugging her guy friends, but not being ok with it, then she shows up to a dance, and then hooks up with Arif, didn't like that at all. I get the mixed signals of Fawad having a girlfriend from his mom, and while he seems to be connected to the mosque it never shares that he understands Islam more than just I have to do this and I can't do this, but I didn't like him going back to Ashley and wanted him to choose his own self-worth and respect over accepting her apology and going back to her. I do not understand why Fawad waited so long to tell his mother about Nusrat. It was nothing that would upset his mom, I don't get why he dragged it out. I do love that the cousins were friends or friendly, but were fronting to their parents, but it was unnecessarily dragged out, and the more it got dragged out, the more complicated and intertwined it got with Fawad having a girlfriend.
I did not get the mom and sister relationship at all. The mom seems to have just given up on her, but they seem to spend a lot of time together, so that was a disconnect for me. At first I kind of liked the twist on the stereotype that the boy was not allowed freedoms to go out, but the sister was, but it kind of unraveled in the logic department. I am desi, (half anyway) and the stereotype is that the boys are earning before they get married. So to be arranging Fawad's wedding at age 15 is bonkers. To be arranging anybody's wedding at that age is, but it is so contrary to custom, that I couldn't even ignore it and move on, it was constantly blocking the story from being smooth. The mom's rationale is that she wants a daughter-in-law to take care of her. Again kind of bogus, but maybe there is some truth there, unfortunately there is the big gaping hole that she, the mom, doesn't take care of her in-laws, so why the difference of expectation. Suffice it to say the mom and sister are both road bumps in the story for me.
I was impressed at how much basketball play-by-play was in the book and how it didn't get boring. I love that there were plenty of male role models in the community and that the three boys really looked out for each other, supported each other, were connected to each other's families, etc.. I didn't like the abusive religious imam trope. I'm glad that Omar's dad wasn't blind to his son, but to be abusive was uncalled for.
I don't know why Nermin is called, "Arabic," at one point, that is clearly erroneous and I wish that the condom talk and sexual innuendos were greatly reduced. There isn't a lot of resolution regarding who killed Abshir, if Fawad caused any permanent damage by playing, or what the future holds for any of the characters and their relationships, but it was a quick read and held my intention and I did quite enjoy the writing.
FLAGS:
Lying, violence, murder, physical assault, kissing, making out, talk of arousal, talk of condoms and sex and getting physical. Drugs and alcohol and addiction. Child abuse, theft, stealing, threats.
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
There is no way I could teach this to middle school or high school in an Islamic school.
SYNOPSIS:
The book is told from the perspective of fifteen year old Fawad who lives in Regent Park with his mom and sister. He dreams of being the first Pakistani NBA player and the linear story bounces in time at the start and he sometimes even speaks to the reader, but the story is all his. Regent park is a poor part of town pressed right up against a wealthy part of Toronto and the neighborhood is rough. Fawad is a good kid: he doesn't go out much after dark since his father died, he helps his mom, doesn't run with a gang, he gets good grades, loves basketball, and doesn't have a girlfriend, not yet anyway. The story starts with him reliving the final minutes of a summer league basketball game where he opted to pass out of fear of the ever looming threat of Omar, rather than take the shot himself. Omar ends up missing and they lose, oh yeah and Omar is the imam's son. Under the protection of Abshir, Fawad's friend Yousuf's older brother: Omar, Yousuf, and Arif have someone looking out for them on the streets. Arif has some help from the Bengali crew, and Yousuf is Somali, but there are not enough Pakistani's to make a stand or demand respect when out and about. When Abshir gets murdered, Yousuf retreats into himself his music and smoking joints, Arif keeps his playboy ways to take his mind off things when he isn't reciting Quran beautifully in classes at the masjid, and Fawad makes the high school basketball team and finds a girlfriend. Things with Omar physically escalate as well, while things at home have his mom putting in to action plans for Fawad to marry his cousin in Pakistan.
WHY I LIKE IT:
I really like that Islam and culture are presented powerfully with OWN voice strength and detail. Things are not defined or over explained and if you don't know what haram or Ramadan or an imam are, figure it out. I rarely find myself wishing the ending of books were different. You hear a lot about that in movies, that they didn't screen well or something, and so the ending was changed, and that is how I feel about this book. *SPOILERS* Fawad and Omar should not have resolved their issues so easily, it was more than a respect thing, there was blood and hospitalizations. We never even knew why they had issues in the first place. Arif and Nermin should not have hooked up. The whole book she comes across as the strong Muslim hijabi that blurs the lines by side hugging her guy friends, but not being ok with it, then she shows up to a dance, and then hooks up with Arif, didn't like that at all. I get the mixed signals of Fawad having a girlfriend from his mom, and while he seems to be connected to the mosque it never shares that he understands Islam more than just I have to do this and I can't do this, but I didn't like him going back to Ashley and wanted him to choose his own self-worth and respect over accepting her apology and going back to her. I do not understand why Fawad waited so long to tell his mother about Nusrat. It was nothing that would upset his mom, I don't get why he dragged it out. I do love that the cousins were friends or friendly, but were fronting to their parents, but it was unnecessarily dragged out, and the more it got dragged out, the more complicated and intertwined it got with Fawad having a girlfriend.
I did not get the mom and sister relationship at all. The mom seems to have just given up on her, but they seem to spend a lot of time together, so that was a disconnect for me. At first I kind of liked the twist on the stereotype that the boy was not allowed freedoms to go out, but the sister was, but it kind of unraveled in the logic department. I am desi, (half anyway) and the stereotype is that the boys are earning before they get married. So to be arranging Fawad's wedding at age 15 is bonkers. To be arranging anybody's wedding at that age is, but it is so contrary to custom, that I couldn't even ignore it and move on, it was constantly blocking the story from being smooth. The mom's rationale is that she wants a daughter-in-law to take care of her. Again kind of bogus, but maybe there is some truth there, unfortunately there is the big gaping hole that she, the mom, doesn't take care of her in-laws, so why the difference of expectation. Suffice it to say the mom and sister are both road bumps in the story for me.
I was impressed at how much basketball play-by-play was in the book and how it didn't get boring. I love that there were plenty of male role models in the community and that the three boys really looked out for each other, supported each other, were connected to each other's families, etc.. I didn't like the abusive religious imam trope. I'm glad that Omar's dad wasn't blind to his son, but to be abusive was uncalled for.
I don't know why Nermin is called, "Arabic," at one point, that is clearly erroneous and I wish that the condom talk and sexual innuendos were greatly reduced. There isn't a lot of resolution regarding who killed Abshir, if Fawad caused any permanent damage by playing, or what the future holds for any of the characters and their relationships, but it was a quick read and held my intention and I did quite enjoy the writing.
FLAGS:
Lying, violence, murder, physical assault, kissing, making out, talk of arousal, talk of condoms and sex and getting physical. Drugs and alcohol and addiction. Child abuse, theft, stealing, threats.
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
There is no way I could teach this to middle school or high school in an Islamic school.
September 23, 2022
See this review and more on Books and Ladders!
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book and chose to review it. This in no way impacts my opinion.
Content Warning: violence, murder, drugs, alcohol, addiction, theft, stealing, threats
I thought the writing could have used a little polishing and extra editing, but overall that didn't pull me from the story or detract from the overall awesomeness that was Wrong Side of the Court. Was it a little cheesy? Yes. Was it a little over the top hopeful? Also, yes. Did I love every minute of it? YES!
The sports writing was fantastic, and I felt every moment of the games. I loved the realness of the characters, their conversations, and how things came to be. I thought the conversations around generational poverty were really interesting, especially in the context of Regent Park.
I highly recommend reading this one!
Like my reviews? Buy me a Ko-Fi!
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book and chose to review it. This in no way impacts my opinion.
Content Warning: violence, murder, drugs, alcohol, addiction, theft, stealing, threats
I thought the writing could have used a little polishing and extra editing, but overall that didn't pull me from the story or detract from the overall awesomeness that was Wrong Side of the Court. Was it a little cheesy? Yes. Was it a little over the top hopeful? Also, yes. Did I love every minute of it? YES!
The sports writing was fantastic, and I felt every moment of the games. I loved the realness of the characters, their conversations, and how things came to be. I thought the conversations around generational poverty were really interesting, especially in the context of Regent Park.
I highly recommend reading this one!
Like my reviews? Buy me a Ko-Fi!
May 26, 2022
I am a high school teacher in Toronto and wish that this book existed earlier for more of my students to read. The main character is very relatable and everyone will cheer for him has he moves through challenges and arrives at his happy ending. The book is fast paced, brilliantly written, and a joy to read.
Second generation teens will see themselves in Khan's depiction of Fawad and his family. What really stood out for me was the sense of place. Regent Park is practically a character in the book and teens (both those who live in low-income neighborhoods and those who don't) will see the beauty of the mix of cultures, strong bonds of friendship, and gifted mentors that thrive in the community--as well as the realities of living in a community with gang activity and violence.
I also loved the basketball descriptions--I don't follow sports, but was on the edge of my seat reading about Fawad's games.
If reading it out loud in class, you may have to skip over the F-bombs, but many teens use f-bombs like commas these days, so I felt the language was an accurate depiction of a teenage boy.
I haven't taught English for a while now, but we used to teach the Kite Runner as a novel about the experience of a Muslim boy. It is a wonderful book, but a little heavy with one particularly traumatic scene to navigate. I feel that Wrong Side of the Court would be much more relatable and accessible especially for younger teens.
Second generation teens will see themselves in Khan's depiction of Fawad and his family. What really stood out for me was the sense of place. Regent Park is practically a character in the book and teens (both those who live in low-income neighborhoods and those who don't) will see the beauty of the mix of cultures, strong bonds of friendship, and gifted mentors that thrive in the community--as well as the realities of living in a community with gang activity and violence.
I also loved the basketball descriptions--I don't follow sports, but was on the edge of my seat reading about Fawad's games.
If reading it out loud in class, you may have to skip over the F-bombs, but many teens use f-bombs like commas these days, so I felt the language was an accurate depiction of a teenage boy.
I haven't taught English for a while now, but we used to teach the Kite Runner as a novel about the experience of a Muslim boy. It is a wonderful book, but a little heavy with one particularly traumatic scene to navigate. I feel that Wrong Side of the Court would be much more relatable and accessible especially for younger teens.
April 6, 2022
I absolutely loved this book. I read it in two days. It was the fastest I’ve ever read a book. I found it very easy and I just couldn’t put it down because the story really captivated. Given that I am the child of immigrants and born and raised in Toronto there was so much overlap with the story and what I experienced as a kid, including sports and having to deal with bullies. The main character (Fawad) in the story generally had things a lot worse than I ever did but I could see myself in his situation and also appreciated all the other elements that the author brought into the story related to his aspirations, his hard work, the families dynamics he dealt with, his friends, his girlfriend, the school team, etc.
I loved the sprinkling in of mentorship throughout this book as well. The mentors and teachers in Fawad’s life were there for him and provided him so much hope and guidance. Without them, life could have been very dim and bleak. But he persevered and was supported along the way which clearly made all the difference for him. That thread of the conversation was so vital and inspiring - and it reminded me how much we adults can do for others in our lives that are in need of support when they are facing challenges.
I really thought that the story had so many excellent elements and wished that it was longer. So my only criticism is probably that I wanted there to be even more. :) I felt like the author ended it quickly and could’ve gone deeper into some of the additional characters and stories.
But maybe there’s a second book coming which would be super awesome…
Congrats and kudos H.N. Khan!
I loved the sprinkling in of mentorship throughout this book as well. The mentors and teachers in Fawad’s life were there for him and provided him so much hope and guidance. Without them, life could have been very dim and bleak. But he persevered and was supported along the way which clearly made all the difference for him. That thread of the conversation was so vital and inspiring - and it reminded me how much we adults can do for others in our lives that are in need of support when they are facing challenges.
I really thought that the story had so many excellent elements and wished that it was longer. So my only criticism is probably that I wanted there to be even more. :) I felt like the author ended it quickly and could’ve gone deeper into some of the additional characters and stories.
But maybe there’s a second book coming which would be super awesome…
Congrats and kudos H.N. Khan!
August 6, 2023
“Ik deed mijn NBA Official Wilson-bal terug in mijn tas. Ik heb de rare gewoonte om hem altijd in mijn handen te hebben. Ik ben niet verslaafd, maar ach, er zijn ergere dingen om verslaafd aan te zijn.”
Buiten het veld van H.N. Khan gaat over een Canadees-Pakistaanse schooljongen met een grote voorliefde voor basketbal. De hele zomer heeft hij met een paar vrienden en jongens uit de buurt hard getraind om zich aan te kunnen melden voor de selectiewedstrijden voor het schoolteam. Fawad heeft er alleen niet veel vertrouwen in dat hij geselecteerd zal worden: hij is niet lang genoeg, is geen autochtone Canadees, woont in de als slecht bekend staande wijk Regent Park in Toronto en hij moet toestemming zien te krijgen van zijn moeder. Zijn moeder heeft het sinds zijn vaders dood voor het zeggen in het gezin en naar Pakistaanse moeders luister je nu eenmaal goed.
Toch gebeurt het onvoorstelbare. Met een beetje hulp van zijn zus en de belofte dat hij zijn uiterste best doet op school, mag Fawad meedoen én wordt hij geselecteerd. Als er dan ook nog een knap meisje is dat in hem geïnteresseerd lijkt, kan niets meer stuk. Ondanks alles hangt er regelmatig een bedrukte sfeer in Fawads gedachten: twijfels over zijn zeer multiculturele woonbuurt waar laatst een goede vriend werd doodgeschoten maken hem onzeker over zijn positie in de wereld.
Die fragmenten kunnen neerslachtig overkomen en, helaas, ook voor jongeren binnen Nederland herkenning geven.
Overigens is de toon van het boek als geheel een opbeurende; de auteur heeft Fawad neergezet als een veerkrachtig en realistisch personage. Met de hulp van familie, vrienden en (buurt)coaches die hem inzichten geven komt hij er wel en is het echt niet alleen maar kommer en kwel. Sterker nog, ik glimlachte zo nu en dan bij grappige uitspraken of situaties. “Tantes werken als de FBI. Het nieuws gaat zo snel rond dat je zou denken dat informatie verspreiden hun fulltimebaan was.”
Buiten het veld is een boek dat ik als tiener ook graag had gelezen, al weet ik niet zeker of ik het door de voorkant (een getekende jongen met bal) toen had opgepakt. Nu is het verhaal, dat zich naar mijn mening goed laat vergelijken met de boeken van John Green, genomineerd voor het Beste Boek voor Jongeren. Terecht, want ook de vertaling mag er zijn. Zal vertaler Dennis Keesmaat net als ik allerlei Pakistaans-Indiase gerechten opgezocht hebben? Fawad denkt zo vaak aan de lekkere paratha’s van zijn moeder dat ik er zelf ook trek in kreeg. ;-)
Ongemerkt zitten er meerdere thema’s in: investeren in vriendschap en familie, liefde, cultuur, uithuwelijking, ergens voor gaan/competitie, zelfvertrouwen en natuurlijk veel basketbal.
“Ik dek Ben. Hij probeert me af te schudden met een cross-over, en ik steek mijn handen uit en tik de bal uit zijn handen. Ik duik eropaf, sla met mijn kin op de grond en kom buiten het veld neer.”
Buiten het veld van H.N. Khan gaat over een Canadees-Pakistaanse schooljongen met een grote voorliefde voor basketbal. De hele zomer heeft hij met een paar vrienden en jongens uit de buurt hard getraind om zich aan te kunnen melden voor de selectiewedstrijden voor het schoolteam. Fawad heeft er alleen niet veel vertrouwen in dat hij geselecteerd zal worden: hij is niet lang genoeg, is geen autochtone Canadees, woont in de als slecht bekend staande wijk Regent Park in Toronto en hij moet toestemming zien te krijgen van zijn moeder. Zijn moeder heeft het sinds zijn vaders dood voor het zeggen in het gezin en naar Pakistaanse moeders luister je nu eenmaal goed.
Toch gebeurt het onvoorstelbare. Met een beetje hulp van zijn zus en de belofte dat hij zijn uiterste best doet op school, mag Fawad meedoen én wordt hij geselecteerd. Als er dan ook nog een knap meisje is dat in hem geïnteresseerd lijkt, kan niets meer stuk. Ondanks alles hangt er regelmatig een bedrukte sfeer in Fawads gedachten: twijfels over zijn zeer multiculturele woonbuurt waar laatst een goede vriend werd doodgeschoten maken hem onzeker over zijn positie in de wereld.
Die fragmenten kunnen neerslachtig overkomen en, helaas, ook voor jongeren binnen Nederland herkenning geven.
Overigens is de toon van het boek als geheel een opbeurende; de auteur heeft Fawad neergezet als een veerkrachtig en realistisch personage. Met de hulp van familie, vrienden en (buurt)coaches die hem inzichten geven komt hij er wel en is het echt niet alleen maar kommer en kwel. Sterker nog, ik glimlachte zo nu en dan bij grappige uitspraken of situaties. “Tantes werken als de FBI. Het nieuws gaat zo snel rond dat je zou denken dat informatie verspreiden hun fulltimebaan was.”
Buiten het veld is een boek dat ik als tiener ook graag had gelezen, al weet ik niet zeker of ik het door de voorkant (een getekende jongen met bal) toen had opgepakt. Nu is het verhaal, dat zich naar mijn mening goed laat vergelijken met de boeken van John Green, genomineerd voor het Beste Boek voor Jongeren. Terecht, want ook de vertaling mag er zijn. Zal vertaler Dennis Keesmaat net als ik allerlei Pakistaans-Indiase gerechten opgezocht hebben? Fawad denkt zo vaak aan de lekkere paratha’s van zijn moeder dat ik er zelf ook trek in kreeg. ;-)
Ongemerkt zitten er meerdere thema’s in: investeren in vriendschap en familie, liefde, cultuur, uithuwelijking, ergens voor gaan/competitie, zelfvertrouwen en natuurlijk veel basketbal.
“Ik dek Ben. Hij probeert me af te schudden met een cross-over, en ik steek mijn handen uit en tik de bal uit zijn handen. Ik duik eropaf, sla met mijn kin op de grond en kom buiten het veld neer.”
November 11, 2025
Wrong Side of the Court is written by H. N. Khan and was published in 2022. Some of the recognition for Wrong Side of the Court includes being a Rhode Island Teen Book Award Nominee, an OLA White Pine Award Nominee, and a Snow Willow Award Nominee.
Wrong Side of the Court tells the story of Fawad, a teenage boy from Pakistan, who currently lives with his mother and sister in a housing project in Canada, and is very focused on making the high school basketball team. In addition to the typical high school stress, Fawad’s father recently died, leaving his family grieving and with financial challenges. Fawad’s primary focus is on basketball, and keeping his grades up high enough for his mom to let him stay on the team, but he is also faced with challenges in his neighborhood after his mentor, also his best friend’s older brother, is killed due to gang violence.
Wrong Side of the Court explores the difficulties Fawad experiences as he attempts to handle the effects of gang violence on his community while also trying to enjoy the typical high school experience of dances and have his first girlfriend, despite the fact that his traditional Pakistani mother would not allow this. Fawad is continuously faced with financial pressures as he attempts to please his girlfriend from the rich side of town, and cultural pressures as his mother holds high expectations for him. Despite all of these odds being stacked against him, Fawad continues to pursue his big dream of making it to the NBA.
In addition to the compelling story, Wrong Side of the Court is an important read for its cultural representation. As Fawad is a Pakistani-Canadian Muslim, he is faced with many challenges as he attempts to fit in at this Canadian school, with his friends, and his basketball teammates, while also wanting to please his mother and elders in his Muslim community. Khan does a great job of weaving elements of Fawad’s Pakistani culture, such as the food his mother makes and the plans she has for him including an arranged marriage to his cousin, and studying the Quran, with the culture of the Canadian neighborhood he lives in, such as the slang he uses with his friends or the clothes and shoes he wears. By seamlessly writing about aspects of both cultures, Khan provides a powerful window into one instance of what blending cultures might be like.
I would recommend this book for high school readers because of some of the mature language, topics, and violent incidents throughout the book. Particularly, Wrong Side of the Court would be a great addition to a book club unit featuring current realistic fiction books that can all relate to large themes, such as the immigrant experience, hope in the face of difficult situations, or social justice.
I found Wrong Side of the Court when looking for multicultural contemporary realistic fiction books that some of my reluctant male readers might enjoy, and I am happy to say that this book did end up fitting this goal. Wrong Side of the Court would also be a strong choice as an independent reading or choice novel because of its fast-paced teenage-style writing, which includes relatable experiences. However, it also presents significant themes and messages that students can learn from.
Wrong Side of the Court tells the story of Fawad, a teenage boy from Pakistan, who currently lives with his mother and sister in a housing project in Canada, and is very focused on making the high school basketball team. In addition to the typical high school stress, Fawad’s father recently died, leaving his family grieving and with financial challenges. Fawad’s primary focus is on basketball, and keeping his grades up high enough for his mom to let him stay on the team, but he is also faced with challenges in his neighborhood after his mentor, also his best friend’s older brother, is killed due to gang violence.
Wrong Side of the Court explores the difficulties Fawad experiences as he attempts to handle the effects of gang violence on his community while also trying to enjoy the typical high school experience of dances and have his first girlfriend, despite the fact that his traditional Pakistani mother would not allow this. Fawad is continuously faced with financial pressures as he attempts to please his girlfriend from the rich side of town, and cultural pressures as his mother holds high expectations for him. Despite all of these odds being stacked against him, Fawad continues to pursue his big dream of making it to the NBA.
In addition to the compelling story, Wrong Side of the Court is an important read for its cultural representation. As Fawad is a Pakistani-Canadian Muslim, he is faced with many challenges as he attempts to fit in at this Canadian school, with his friends, and his basketball teammates, while also wanting to please his mother and elders in his Muslim community. Khan does a great job of weaving elements of Fawad’s Pakistani culture, such as the food his mother makes and the plans she has for him including an arranged marriage to his cousin, and studying the Quran, with the culture of the Canadian neighborhood he lives in, such as the slang he uses with his friends or the clothes and shoes he wears. By seamlessly writing about aspects of both cultures, Khan provides a powerful window into one instance of what blending cultures might be like.
I would recommend this book for high school readers because of some of the mature language, topics, and violent incidents throughout the book. Particularly, Wrong Side of the Court would be a great addition to a book club unit featuring current realistic fiction books that can all relate to large themes, such as the immigrant experience, hope in the face of difficult situations, or social justice.
I found Wrong Side of the Court when looking for multicultural contemporary realistic fiction books that some of my reluctant male readers might enjoy, and I am happy to say that this book did end up fitting this goal. Wrong Side of the Court would also be a strong choice as an independent reading or choice novel because of its fast-paced teenage-style writing, which includes relatable experiences. However, it also presents significant themes and messages that students can learn from.
April 4, 2023
Out of all the White Pine books, I really didn't want to pick this one up because it's about a grade 10 boy playing basketball. However, it turned out to be so much more than that.
The struggles and prejudices Fawad faces for living in a low-income home and for being Pakistani is really heartbreaking to read, but it's also eye-opening. I especially loved how basketball was his escape from reality and a chance for him to surround himself with the good in his life. Not to mention, every single time this kid played basketball, I was hooked. The way he described his games was just exhilarating. Who knew the sport could be so exciting from the perspective of someone who's actually playing it?
Additionally, the cast of characters was SO real and diverse; I loved it.
[4.5 stars]
The struggles and prejudices Fawad faces for living in a low-income home and for being Pakistani is really heartbreaking to read, but it's also eye-opening. I especially loved how basketball was his escape from reality and a chance for him to surround himself with the good in his life. Not to mention, every single time this kid played basketball, I was hooked. The way he described his games was just exhilarating. Who knew the sport could be so exciting from the perspective of someone who's actually playing it?
Additionally, the cast of characters was SO real and diverse; I loved it.
[4.5 stars]
May 15, 2022
Books about sports-ball are definitely not my thing but this book wasn't written for me. I could definitely see some of our middle and high school students really connecting with this book, especially if they love basketball. SO much description of training and game play. I'd probably recommend it to 8th grade and up because of the swearing and violence.
May 29, 2022
Having lived in Regeant park as a first generational Pakistani immigrant, I was able to relate to this book so much. The story, highlights, his struggle, friendships, what a beautiful book. I would be surprised if this doesn’t turn into a mega hit tv show in the future. It highlights all the good and bad things about Canada! Would highly recommend this book for your kids and yourself!
September 11, 2022
A solid coming-of-age book.
May 10, 2023
Surprisingly one of the better White Pine books and I don’t even like basketball.
May 19, 2023
This book is for all the basketball lovers. There’s so much pickup, varsity and tournament play! Fawad is absolutely a sophomore boy in all of his impulsive, hormonal, and hilarious glory, despite (or perhaps because of?) his circumstances. All my, “Got any sports books?” readers will love this one.
Audiobook fans will love the Canadian accent. (It takes place in Toronto, Ontario.)
Audiobook fans will love the Canadian accent. (It takes place in Toronto, Ontario.)
November 17, 2022
Fawad wil de eerste Pakistaanse speler in de NBA worden. Maar zijn vader is overleden en zijn moeder leunt op hem – bovendien heeft hij te maken met verwachtingen uit zijn omgeving. Zal het lukken om mee te doen aan de selectiewedstrijd voor het schoolbasketbalteam? Buiten het veld is een verhaal over geloven in jezelf en over opgroeien in een multiculturele samenleving.
Fawad is naar Canada geëmigreerd, maar komt oorspronkelijk uit Pakistan. Hierdoor leert Buiten het veld je meteen culturele aspecten uit de Pakistaanse cultuur. In het geval van Fawad betekent dat bijvoorbeeld dat hij sinds het overlijden van zijn vader, verantwoordelijk is voor zijn moeder. En dat hij als man van het huis regelmatig in de moskee wordt verwacht. Daarnaast wordt er ook gesproken over uithuwelijking aan zijn nichtje. Maar ook films en muziek uit het vaderland van Fawad komen voorbij, waardoor je een inkijkje krijgt in Fawad’s achtergrond. Maar Fawad heeft te maken met verwachtingen uit zijn omgeving, al is hij zelf vooral bezig met meisjes, school en basketbal. Met een islamitisch hoofdpersonage zorgt Buiten het veld voor weer meer diversiteit in de young adult-boeken. Je krijgt hiermee een interessant inkijkje in de multiculturele wereld van Fawad.
Basketbal is Fawad’s leven, maar zijn strenge moeder staat er niet helemaal achter. Khan weet de basketbalwedstrijden in Buiten het veld gedetailleerd en spannend te beschrijven. Ondanks dat ik nooit naar basketbalwedstrijden ben geweest, voelt het toch alsof je erbij bent.
Voor Fawad is basketbal zijn escape. Weg van zijn bemoeizuchtige moeder, van de druk van thuis. Verschillende andere tienerthema’s passeren ook de revue in Buiten het veld: meisjes, je eerste zoen, goede cijfers halen, social media.
Maar niet alleen op het basketbalveld is er strijd. Een van Fawad’s vrienden, Abshir, wordt op straat neergeschoten. De buurt waarin ze wonen is niet veilig – en meerdere malen in het verhaal wordt ook verwezen naar illegale activiteiten. Het leven in de wijk is niet altijd makkelijk. Fawad wil wraak nemen op de moord op Abshir, maar hij wil ook heel graag de wijk uit. Hij ziet school en basketbal hierin als zijn redding. Als hij maar hard genoeg werkt, dan lukt het. Geloven in jezelf is heel belangrijk voor Fawad, zelfs als anderen niet in hem geloven.
Ondanks het interessante onderwerp, kon ik niet goed in dit boek komen. Het taalgebruik zat me wat in de weg – er waren héle lange zinnen met rare bijzinnen die ik drie keer moest lezen. Desondanks is de thematiek van Buiten het veld erg interessant – en het belang van geloven in jezelf!
Deze recensie verscheen eerst op https://www.readalicious.nl/recensies...
Fawad is naar Canada geëmigreerd, maar komt oorspronkelijk uit Pakistan. Hierdoor leert Buiten het veld je meteen culturele aspecten uit de Pakistaanse cultuur. In het geval van Fawad betekent dat bijvoorbeeld dat hij sinds het overlijden van zijn vader, verantwoordelijk is voor zijn moeder. En dat hij als man van het huis regelmatig in de moskee wordt verwacht. Daarnaast wordt er ook gesproken over uithuwelijking aan zijn nichtje. Maar ook films en muziek uit het vaderland van Fawad komen voorbij, waardoor je een inkijkje krijgt in Fawad’s achtergrond. Maar Fawad heeft te maken met verwachtingen uit zijn omgeving, al is hij zelf vooral bezig met meisjes, school en basketbal. Met een islamitisch hoofdpersonage zorgt Buiten het veld voor weer meer diversiteit in de young adult-boeken. Je krijgt hiermee een interessant inkijkje in de multiculturele wereld van Fawad.
Basketbal is Fawad’s leven, maar zijn strenge moeder staat er niet helemaal achter. Khan weet de basketbalwedstrijden in Buiten het veld gedetailleerd en spannend te beschrijven. Ondanks dat ik nooit naar basketbalwedstrijden ben geweest, voelt het toch alsof je erbij bent.
Voor Fawad is basketbal zijn escape. Weg van zijn bemoeizuchtige moeder, van de druk van thuis. Verschillende andere tienerthema’s passeren ook de revue in Buiten het veld: meisjes, je eerste zoen, goede cijfers halen, social media.
Maar niet alleen op het basketbalveld is er strijd. Een van Fawad’s vrienden, Abshir, wordt op straat neergeschoten. De buurt waarin ze wonen is niet veilig – en meerdere malen in het verhaal wordt ook verwezen naar illegale activiteiten. Het leven in de wijk is niet altijd makkelijk. Fawad wil wraak nemen op de moord op Abshir, maar hij wil ook heel graag de wijk uit. Hij ziet school en basketbal hierin als zijn redding. Als hij maar hard genoeg werkt, dan lukt het. Geloven in jezelf is heel belangrijk voor Fawad, zelfs als anderen niet in hem geloven.
Ondanks het interessante onderwerp, kon ik niet goed in dit boek komen. Het taalgebruik zat me wat in de weg – er waren héle lange zinnen met rare bijzinnen die ik drie keer moest lezen. Desondanks is de thematiek van Buiten het veld erg interessant – en het belang van geloven in jezelf!
Deze recensie verscheen eerst op https://www.readalicious.nl/recensies...
December 17, 2023
Modern story language, very homely, especially if one is familiar with Toronto. Depicts the life of immigrants, and the rough neighborhood many are forced to reside in.
October 31, 2022
Fawad is een paar jaar geleden met zijn familie geëmigreerd vanuit Pakistan naar Canada. Hij groeit op in een multiculturele wijk in een grootstad, waar het leven niet altijd gemakkelijk is. Het is een achtergestelde buurt met veel armoede, verloederde appartementen en geweld afkomstig van de vele jeugdbendes. Fawad is vastbesloten om er alles aan te doen om daar weg te geraken, hij is verzot op basketbal en droomt ervan de allereerste Pakistaanse speler in de NBA te worden. Maar dan moet hij eerst zijn moeder kunnen overtuigen om mee te mogen doen aan de selectiewedstrijd voor het schoolbasketbalteam…
Hij is verliefd op het knapste meisje van de school, maar die is heel anders dan hij en woont in een welgestelde buurt. Bovendien mag hij dit zeker niet vertellen aan zijn moeder, want die wil dat hij zich verlooft met zijn Pakistaanse nicht.
Er komen heel veel thema’s aan bod in dit boek. Er is in de eerste plaats het culturele aspect, Fawad is afkomstig van Pakistan, maar woont nu al vele jaren in Canada, dus hij wil gewoon een Canadese scholier zijn, die meespeelt in het basketbalteam en met meisjes kan daten. Zijn moeder daarentegen houdt nog heel erg vast aan de Pakistaanse cultuur, zij vindt al die buitenschoolse activiteiten maar niks, Fawad moet vooral studeren en mooie cijfers halen, en afspreken met meisjes is al zeker uit den boze. Zij wil Fawad koppelen aan de dochter van haar broer, zodat zij verzekerd is van haar oude dag, in de Pakistaanse cultuur is het immers zo dat de zoon samen met zijn echtgenote voor de moeder zorgt.
Fawad groeit ook op in een achtergestelde buurt, het appartement waar hij woont is vuil, de toegangsdeur is regelmatig opengebroken, en als hij in het donker naar huis komt, is hij altijd bang dat hij in elkaar geslagen zal worden. Er zijn ook veel jongerenbendes en op een avond wordt de broer van zijn beste vriend doodgeschoten tijdens een afrekening.
Ook de islam is een belangrijk thema, de iman controleert de jongeren in de buurt en spoort Fawad aan om vaker naar de moskee te komen, waar hij op zaterdag ook Koranlessen moet volgen van zijn moeder. Hij doet ook mee aan de ramadan, maar daarover wordt in het boek niet zo erg uitgeweid.
Mooi aan het verhaal is ook dat Fawad mentors en coaches treft die in hem geloven en die hem stimuleren om te vechten voor zijn toekomst en te gaan voor zijn sportcarrière. En ook de vrienden van Fawad zijn heel belangrijk voor hem, de meeste zijn ook migranten, maar van vele verschillende nationaliteiten, zo is zijn beste vriend bijvoorbeeld van Somalische afkomst. Of zoals Fawad het zelf zegt: “de hele Verenigde Naties zijn vertegenwoordigd in onze wijk.”
Er staan wel veel woorden in het boek die jongeren misschien niet altijd zullen begrijpen, niet alleen veel specifieke basketbaltermen, maar ook namen van Pakistaanse gerechten die misschien wat meer duiding hadden mogen krijgen.
De auteur, H.N. Khan, weet waarover hij schrijft, hij putte voor het boek uit zijn eigen jeugdervaringen. Hij is ook Canadees-Pakistaans en groeide op in een multiculturele wijk in Toronto.
Buiten het veld is zijn eerste boek, knap dat dat meteen zo een voltreffer is, ik ben alvast benieuwd om nog meer boeken van hem te lezen.
Buiten het veld is een heel mooie coming of age roman en ook een echt multicultureel boek dat veel jongeren zal aanspreken.
Hij is verliefd op het knapste meisje van de school, maar die is heel anders dan hij en woont in een welgestelde buurt. Bovendien mag hij dit zeker niet vertellen aan zijn moeder, want die wil dat hij zich verlooft met zijn Pakistaanse nicht.
Er komen heel veel thema’s aan bod in dit boek. Er is in de eerste plaats het culturele aspect, Fawad is afkomstig van Pakistan, maar woont nu al vele jaren in Canada, dus hij wil gewoon een Canadese scholier zijn, die meespeelt in het basketbalteam en met meisjes kan daten. Zijn moeder daarentegen houdt nog heel erg vast aan de Pakistaanse cultuur, zij vindt al die buitenschoolse activiteiten maar niks, Fawad moet vooral studeren en mooie cijfers halen, en afspreken met meisjes is al zeker uit den boze. Zij wil Fawad koppelen aan de dochter van haar broer, zodat zij verzekerd is van haar oude dag, in de Pakistaanse cultuur is het immers zo dat de zoon samen met zijn echtgenote voor de moeder zorgt.
Fawad groeit ook op in een achtergestelde buurt, het appartement waar hij woont is vuil, de toegangsdeur is regelmatig opengebroken, en als hij in het donker naar huis komt, is hij altijd bang dat hij in elkaar geslagen zal worden. Er zijn ook veel jongerenbendes en op een avond wordt de broer van zijn beste vriend doodgeschoten tijdens een afrekening.
Ook de islam is een belangrijk thema, de iman controleert de jongeren in de buurt en spoort Fawad aan om vaker naar de moskee te komen, waar hij op zaterdag ook Koranlessen moet volgen van zijn moeder. Hij doet ook mee aan de ramadan, maar daarover wordt in het boek niet zo erg uitgeweid.
Mooi aan het verhaal is ook dat Fawad mentors en coaches treft die in hem geloven en die hem stimuleren om te vechten voor zijn toekomst en te gaan voor zijn sportcarrière. En ook de vrienden van Fawad zijn heel belangrijk voor hem, de meeste zijn ook migranten, maar van vele verschillende nationaliteiten, zo is zijn beste vriend bijvoorbeeld van Somalische afkomst. Of zoals Fawad het zelf zegt: “de hele Verenigde Naties zijn vertegenwoordigd in onze wijk.”
Er staan wel veel woorden in het boek die jongeren misschien niet altijd zullen begrijpen, niet alleen veel specifieke basketbaltermen, maar ook namen van Pakistaanse gerechten die misschien wat meer duiding hadden mogen krijgen.
De auteur, H.N. Khan, weet waarover hij schrijft, hij putte voor het boek uit zijn eigen jeugdervaringen. Hij is ook Canadees-Pakistaans en groeide op in een multiculturele wijk in Toronto.
Buiten het veld is zijn eerste boek, knap dat dat meteen zo een voltreffer is, ik ben alvast benieuwd om nog meer boeken van hem te lezen.
Buiten het veld is een heel mooie coming of age roman en ook een echt multicultureel boek dat veel jongeren zal aanspreken.
January 10, 2024
Excellent story of a teen boy coping with everyday struggles in his neighborhood and family life. Fifteen-year old Fawad lives for basketball, but he's having trouble convincing his protective Pakistani mother to let him try out for the school team. He gets bullied by Omar, a neighborhood teen who plays on his rival school's team. Fawad's mother wants to arrange his marriage to a cousin back in Pakistan, which Fawad definitely does not want to do because he is interested in a girl at school--but his mother has forbidden him from dating. And then his best friend's brother, a young man whom Fawad looked up to and valued as a mentor, dies from gun violence, and this really shakes up both of their lives. This story started out grim and I thought I wouldn't like it that much, but I quickly grew to like Fawad's character, and it turned out much more positively than I'd predicted. The basketball action is fast-paced and pretty easy to follow; there are good moments of friendship and a sweet storyline involving his blossoming first relationship. Despite living in a poor neighborhood with rough circumstances, Fawad and his friends rise above their challenges and stay positive and hopeful. The Regent park neighborhood is a character on its own, described as very diverse and varied, which Fawad values despite the drawbacks; descriptions of Muslim culture in general and Pakistani food in particular add warmth and vibrancy to the story. Strong coming-of-age story. For junior high readers and up who are fine with some spicy language. Although it is set in a Canadian city, American teens shouldn't have any problems following the story.
April 30, 2023
With a few exceptions the voice seemed fairly true to that of a teenage boy, there were just certain areas of this one where I wanted it to dig deeper.
While this touches on Fawad coming from a culturally rich but financially challenged Toronto neighborhood, I felt like it could have gone so much further as far as giving a sense of place and its people, I would have loved to get to know this community better, both the good and bad of it, descriptively and emotionally, but this fell a bit short of really taking me there.
Early on in the story Fawad loses someone he’s close with to gun violence, there’s also another instance of gun violence and some bullying/retaliation to that bullying that involves physical violence. It’s timely subject matter and I did like that the book advocates for one of the characters to seek therapy afterwards (the therapy doesn’t happen on the page), however, it did seem like this just skimmed the issue, it didn’t really get into why the violence is happening, no one really talks about other ways to handle these situations, even Fawad’s mom doesn’t really discuss this stuff with him despite it hitting very close to home.
The romance was another thing that stayed a little too on the surface, but the friendships were strong, and the family dynamics were my favorite part of this book, Fawad really isn’t one for rocking the boat with his mom yet he very much needs to, and even though she didn’t feature heavily, I enjoyed the sister, Jamila, she’s a good daughter and good sister but also does her own thing no matter what anyone says.
Although as mentioned there were some aspects of this story that felt a tad underdeveloped the same can’t be said for the basketball scenes, there’s frequent practices and games, and basketball is prominent in Fawad’s thoughts and ambitions, an emphasis that suggests this book would perhaps fit best with those who are as passionate about the sport as Fawad is.
I received this book through a giveaway.
While this touches on Fawad coming from a culturally rich but financially challenged Toronto neighborhood, I felt like it could have gone so much further as far as giving a sense of place and its people, I would have loved to get to know this community better, both the good and bad of it, descriptively and emotionally, but this fell a bit short of really taking me there.
Early on in the story Fawad loses someone he’s close with to gun violence, there’s also another instance of gun violence and some bullying/retaliation to that bullying that involves physical violence. It’s timely subject matter and I did like that the book advocates for one of the characters to seek therapy afterwards (the therapy doesn’t happen on the page), however, it did seem like this just skimmed the issue, it didn’t really get into why the violence is happening, no one really talks about other ways to handle these situations, even Fawad’s mom doesn’t really discuss this stuff with him despite it hitting very close to home.
The romance was another thing that stayed a little too on the surface, but the friendships were strong, and the family dynamics were my favorite part of this book, Fawad really isn’t one for rocking the boat with his mom yet he very much needs to, and even though she didn’t feature heavily, I enjoyed the sister, Jamila, she’s a good daughter and good sister but also does her own thing no matter what anyone says.
Although as mentioned there were some aspects of this story that felt a tad underdeveloped the same can’t be said for the basketball scenes, there’s frequent practices and games, and basketball is prominent in Fawad’s thoughts and ambitions, an emphasis that suggests this book would perhaps fit best with those who are as passionate about the sport as Fawad is.
I received this book through a giveaway.
April 15, 2022
I found out about this book when I was invited to the book launch. It was a lovely event and Khan's story is a heartening one. He also had recently lost his father so that somber tone was felt deeply as I read this book.
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As for the book...it took me a couple of tries to get into it, but once I was in I was engrossed. Being a Torontonian who spent most of her working life just a short walk from Regent Park, this definitely hit special in terms of place. As a Pakistani not having grown up in Toronto but still straddling different cultural realms I definitely felt 'seen' in the struggles Fawad has with cultural baggage. He also feels like a balanced character who celebrates and is proud of some elements of his culture even in the midst of those struggles.
Khan does a great job in describing play on the court. I'm not very well versed in basketball but was still able to follow those portions.
There are some oversimplifications in terms of characters, narrative arcs, and some Bollywood-like changes of heart. But that's what feel-good books are supposed to do.
I'd be very interested to know the impressions of younger kids reading this and looking forward to seeing what Khan takes on in his next book.
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As for the book...it took me a couple of tries to get into it, but once I was in I was engrossed. Being a Torontonian who spent most of her working life just a short walk from Regent Park, this definitely hit special in terms of place. As a Pakistani not having grown up in Toronto but still straddling different cultural realms I definitely felt 'seen' in the struggles Fawad has with cultural baggage. He also feels like a balanced character who celebrates and is proud of some elements of his culture even in the midst of those struggles.
Khan does a great job in describing play on the court. I'm not very well versed in basketball but was still able to follow those portions.
There are some oversimplifications in terms of characters, narrative arcs, and some Bollywood-like changes of heart. But that's what feel-good books are supposed to do.
I'd be very interested to know the impressions of younger kids reading this and looking forward to seeing what Khan takes on in his next book.
February 7, 2023
Fawad has big dreams. He wants to be in the NBA like Steph Curry, but the bully just calls him Curry. He dreams of dating Ashley, but his mother wants him to marry his cousin in an arranged marriage. Fawad’s Dad moved the family to Toronto to give them opportunities not possible in Pakistan, but when he dies suddenly, the family is left stuck in a bad neighborhood plagued by poverty, drugs, and violence. Although Fawad resents his family’s predicament, he grows to appreciate his family’s support, his friends’ talent and encouragement, and the mentors who believe in his abilities and push him to succeed. Khan’s writing is best as he narrates Fawad’s moves on the court and his anger at his Council neighborhood. Although Khan accurately captures the tone of a frustrated teen, the food metaphors at the start can be overwhelming and (full disclosure) annoyed me so much that I put the book down. After some time passed, I went back and I'm glad that I did. A slow beginning with a lot of exposition and not much action may be too much of a speed bump for some readers, but those who stick with Fawad will appreciate the heart in this sports story of a first gen Pakistani teen who is determined to stand by his friends and do what it takes to follow his dreams.
May 19, 2023
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*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review*
15 year old Fawad lives in Regent Park, a rundown neighborhood that has a bad rep. Suddenly, he loses someone close to him to gun violence, and to make things more complicated, the school bully has begun to target him, and his mom wants him to marry his cousin back in Pakistan. But, Fawad has big dreams to become the first Pakistani to be drafted to the NBA, he just needs to make the school team first.
This was an extremely fast read, that I finished in a few hours. I think Fawad was a pretty relatable character. He wants to live his own life, the way he wants, but he also doesn't want to disappoint his mother. I liked how it was set in Toronto, as I am quite familiar with the area. I enjoyed the complex family and friendship dynamics. I'm also a big basketball fan, so I loved every aspect of how it was incorporated into this story. The biggest problem I had with the book was the ending. It felt very underwhelming and I hated how the conflict was resolved so easily between the two boys. It just didn't make much sense to me.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review*
15 year old Fawad lives in Regent Park, a rundown neighborhood that has a bad rep. Suddenly, he loses someone close to him to gun violence, and to make things more complicated, the school bully has begun to target him, and his mom wants him to marry his cousin back in Pakistan. But, Fawad has big dreams to become the first Pakistani to be drafted to the NBA, he just needs to make the school team first.
This was an extremely fast read, that I finished in a few hours. I think Fawad was a pretty relatable character. He wants to live his own life, the way he wants, but he also doesn't want to disappoint his mother. I liked how it was set in Toronto, as I am quite familiar with the area. I enjoyed the complex family and friendship dynamics. I'm also a big basketball fan, so I loved every aspect of how it was incorporated into this story. The biggest problem I had with the book was the ending. It felt very underwhelming and I hated how the conflict was resolved so easily between the two boys. It just didn't make much sense to me.
May 5, 2023
This was an easy read and pretty enjoyable, although it could have used some polish.
The relationships between Fawad and his family were the most interesting part of the book to me. There was a lot complexity there and their conflicts and fears made sense with situations and personalities.
The narration was also read authentically as the voice of a teenage boy, but at times sort of stream-of-consciousness, jumping from thought to thought felt annoying or shallow. With that distractibility and shallowness, some of the ideas the book explored like the cycle of violence didn't feel fully explored or incorporated into the story.
Also, that ending had its issues. The resolution between Omar and Fawad did not make sense with their characters (Omar's character mostly) and how far their conflict had escalated at that point. It seemed like the author very much wanted a completely positive, uplifting ending but didn't know how to get there from where he was at in the story and just forced it. The book was already getting sentimental and already giving Fawad for his last-minute comeback, hero moment. The exchange with Omar pushed that a little too far for me to believe.
The relationships between Fawad and his family were the most interesting part of the book to me. There was a lot complexity there and their conflicts and fears made sense with situations and personalities.
The narration was also read authentically as the voice of a teenage boy, but at times sort of stream-of-consciousness, jumping from thought to thought felt annoying or shallow. With that distractibility and shallowness, some of the ideas the book explored like the cycle of violence didn't feel fully explored or incorporated into the story.
Also, that ending had its issues. The resolution between Omar and Fawad did not make sense with their characters (Omar's character mostly) and how far their conflict had escalated at that point. It seemed like the author very much wanted a completely positive, uplifting ending but didn't know how to get there from where he was at in the story and just forced it. The book was already getting sentimental and already giving Fawad for his last-minute comeback, hero moment. The exchange with Omar pushed that a little too far for me to believe.
January 26, 2022
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review.
I had hopes for this book being one that could be added to my classroom library and was excited about potential of adding more sports stories that my students could get excited about and also adding more voices to the library. However, right from the start, I knew this book is not one that can go in a classroom. There is constant swearing throughout most of the pages, and it is added in such unnecessary ways. I don't shy away from having books with a cuss or two, especially if the moments call for it. But this book had swear words thrown in that did more to get in the way of the flow of the story.
The interactions between characters in this book fell flat as well. Conversations felt stiff, and the overall flow of the story was difficult to stay interested in.
I think with adding a little more dimension to the relationships with the characters and with limiting the kind of swearing on every page, this book does have the kind of potential for being something some of my students would be interested in.
I had hopes for this book being one that could be added to my classroom library and was excited about potential of adding more sports stories that my students could get excited about and also adding more voices to the library. However, right from the start, I knew this book is not one that can go in a classroom. There is constant swearing throughout most of the pages, and it is added in such unnecessary ways. I don't shy away from having books with a cuss or two, especially if the moments call for it. But this book had swear words thrown in that did more to get in the way of the flow of the story.
The interactions between characters in this book fell flat as well. Conversations felt stiff, and the overall flow of the story was difficult to stay interested in.
I think with adding a little more dimension to the relationships with the characters and with limiting the kind of swearing on every page, this book does have the kind of potential for being something some of my students would be interested in.
February 22, 2022
Thank you to #NetGalley, H.N. Khan, and the publisher for the ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Fawad dreams of being in the first Pakistani drafted into the NBA, but first has to make his high school basketball team. Basketball is Fawad's life and helps him forget about the neighborhood bully and his mom trying to marry him off. Fawad will do anything to make his basketball dreams come true.
I was not sure what to expect from this book when I requested it, but I am sure glad I did. From this book, I learned that other countries have the same types of poverty and racial issues as the United States (Fawad and his family live in Canada). This book also shows that even popular high school athletes have insecurities and bullies just like normal high schoolers do. While I wouldn't read this book with my students (they're too young), I would definitely recommend it to family friends with teenagers and would recommend it to friends who enjoy sports books.
Fawad dreams of being in the first Pakistani drafted into the NBA, but first has to make his high school basketball team. Basketball is Fawad's life and helps him forget about the neighborhood bully and his mom trying to marry him off. Fawad will do anything to make his basketball dreams come true.
I was not sure what to expect from this book when I requested it, but I am sure glad I did. From this book, I learned that other countries have the same types of poverty and racial issues as the United States (Fawad and his family live in Canada). This book also shows that even popular high school athletes have insecurities and bullies just like normal high schoolers do. While I wouldn't read this book with my students (they're too young), I would definitely recommend it to family friends with teenagers and would recommend it to friends who enjoy sports books.
April 16, 2022
Let me start by saying that I am not a sports fan and a lot of the basketball references were lost on me but I still liked the Wrong Side of the Court. I may not know fancy sneakers but I do know books and I really liked the relationships in this book. As Fawad tries to navigate through life the reader gets a taste of what it is like to grow up in Regent Park where it is not safe to be out after dark and violence is a never ending cycle, where a protective mother just wants the best for her kids, and where friendship and basketball can get you through the tough times. I loved that the basketball coaches and mentors were wonderful male role models. The quote from the book that will stay with me is, “Belief in Yourself is a Beautiful Armor.”
January 11, 2023
I discovered this book at the Toronto Book Awards ceremony and was especially intrigued to read it after the author read out an excerpt. I like that the book is about regular teenaged pains but by centering an immigrant Pakistan-origin boy the story has different cultural layers to it.
But, all in all, though, I found the book to be full of predictable clichés. Like, a lot of them. There’s also a little bit of a persecution complex written for the protagonist. I still don’t agree with the central romance, because I think there are prejudices that go deep and the protagonist was way too forgiving about it.
That being said, coming-of-age stories have a formula and I dig that these stories now encompass and represent broader cultures.
But, all in all, though, I found the book to be full of predictable clichés. Like, a lot of them. There’s also a little bit of a persecution complex written for the protagonist. I still don’t agree with the central romance, because I think there are prejudices that go deep and the protagonist was way too forgiving about it.
That being said, coming-of-age stories have a formula and I dig that these stories now encompass and represent broader cultures.
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