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About The Book

When November Nelson loses her boyfriend, Josh, to a pledge stunt gone horribly wrong, she thinks her life can't possibly get any worse. But Josh left something behind that will change November's life forever, and now she's faced with the biggest decision she could ever imagine. How in the world will she tell her mom? And how will Josh's parents take the news? She's never needed a friend more.

Jericho Prescott lost his best friend when he lost his cousin, Josh, and the pain is almost more than he can bear. His world becomes divided into "before" and "after" Josh's death. He finds the only way he can escape the emptiness he feels is to quit doing the things that made him happy when his cousin was alive, such as playing his beloved trumpet, and take up football, where he hopes the physical pain will suppress the emotional. But will hiding behind shoulder pads really help? And will his gridiron obsession prevent him from being there for his cousin's girlfriend when she needs him most?

This sequel to The Battle of Jericho is a no-holds-barred look at what happens when life doesn't go as planned, by the acclaimed author of the 2007 Coretta Scott King Award winner Copper Sun.

About The Author

Photograph (c) Sharon Draper

Sharon M. Draper is a three-time New York Times bestselling author for Out of My MindBlended, and Out of My Heart. She’s also won Coretta Scott King Awards for Copper Sun and Forged by Fire and multiple honors. She’s also the recipient of the Margaret A. Edwards Award honoring her significant and lasting contribution to writing for teens. Sharon taught high school English for twenty-five years and was named National Teacher of the Year. She now lives in Florida. Visit her at SharonDraper.com.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (May 19, 2009)
  • Length: 400 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781439164358
  • Grades: 7 and up
  • Ages: 12 - 99
  • Lexile ® 670L The Lexile reading levels have been certified by the Lexile developer, MetaMetrics®

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Awards and Honors

  • Delaware Diamonds (Diamond State Reading Assoc.)
  • ALA Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book
  • NYPL Best Books for Teens
  • Gateway Readers Award Final Nominee (MO)
  • Black-Eyed Susan Book Award Nominee (MD)
  • North Carolina Young Adult Book Award Nominee
  • ALA Margaret A. Edwards Award

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More books from this author: Sharon M. Draper

More books in this series: The Jericho Trilogy