Find a book
Donate

Coach

by Jason Reynolds

Interest age: 11 to 14
Reading age: 11+

Published by Knights Of

  • Coming-of-age
  • Diversity and inclusion

About this book

It’s the 1980s and 12-year-old Otie Brodie is a running-obsessed boy living in the United States. 

Otie is aiming for winning Gold in the Olympics, and is beyond happy when his dad gives him a pair of brand new Jordans trainers. But then his dad AND the trainers go missing…   

This is a powerful coming-of-age story about friendships, ambition, and discovering your parents are real people: flawed, and vulnerable. 

Fans of the Run series (books Ghost, Patina, Sunny, and Lu) will recognise that Otie grows up to be the firm but fair Coach, so this book is actually a prequel, although it’s the fifth book in the series. But the stories can be read in any order, so it’s fine to read this one first – or last!  

Coach is a real, funny, moving story about growing up, dads, friendship, dreams, sport and ambition. It’s so powerful and gripping, a book that can be devoured in one go – even by previously reluctant readers. 

The writing is so good that readers are actually put directly into the head of Otie. That is author Jason Reynolds’ superpower and it’s a brilliant book.  

About the author

Jason Reynolds is a New York Times bestselling author, a Newbery Award Honoree, a Printz Award Honoree, National Book Award Honoree, a Kirkus Award winner, a two time Walter Dean Myers Award winner, an NAACP Image Award Winner, and the recipient of multiple Coretta Scott King honors. Reynolds was named the American Booksellers Association’s 2017 and 2018 spokesperson for Indies First, and served as the national spokesperson for the 2018 celebration of School Library Month in April 2018, sponsored by the American Association of School Librarians (AASL).

Jason’s many works of fiction include When I Was the Greatest, Boy in the Black Suit, All American Boys (cowritten with Brendan Kiely), As Brave As You, For Every One, Miles Morales: Spider Man, the Run series (Ghost, Patina, Sunny, and Lu), and Long Way Down, which received both a Newbery Honor and a Printz Honor. He is on faculty at Lesley University, for the Writing for Young People MFA Program and lives in Washington, DC. You can find his ramblings at JasonWritesBooks.com

More books like this

  • Booked

    by Kwame Alexander

    11 to 14 years

  • Ghost

    by Jason Reynolds, illustrated by Selom Sunu

    11 to 14 years

  • Stuntboy, In-Between Time

    by Jason Reynolds, illustrated by Raúl the Third

    9 to 14 years

  • Lu

    by Jason Reynolds, illustrated by Selom Sunu

    9 to 14 years

Explore our Bookfinder
Share this page Twitter Facebook LinkedIn