Common Sense Media Review
By JK Sooja
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Kids fight to save their team in fun, light basketball tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
In WE ARE FAMILY, Jayden, Tamika, and Chris are all looking forward to this year's Hoop Group. This will be the year everyone can really make names for themselves. But after a surprise announcement, the kids will have to persevere and figure out a way to keep the team together. They need to do whatever it takes to play in the Fall Invitational. Will they be able to make it? Even if they do, will they be able to win?
Is It Any Good?
While some of this story feels paint by number, the depth and variety of the main characters save the book from being overly ordinary. The way We Are Family gives each team member time in the spotlight is mainly great, because Tamika, Dex, Anthony, and Chris are diverse in personality, background, and what drives them. The one small drawback, however, is that by having such a great cast, it makes it hard for Jayden to shine. While Jayden is perfectly fine (he's smart, confident, and puts his family above himself), he isn't actually all that interesting, a fact only reinforced by his dropping out of the story for a good third somewhere in the middle. Around the same time or just before, Tamika really takes over as the most interesting character, and some readers might feel that this story really belongs (and always had belonged) to her. But there's a decent amount of actual basketball action, a strong girl character, and the story is uplifting, winning, and positive.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about sports-themed middle grade books. How does We Are Family compare to other sports stories you've read? What could have made it better?
What are some of the main lessons Jayden learns in this story?
Why do you think Tamika's father was so mean?
Book Details
- Authors :
- Genre : Sports
- Topics : Friendship , School ( Middle School )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : HarperCollins Publishers
- Publication date : August 31, 2021
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 256
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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