An instant New York Times bestseller!

"A thought-provoking exploration of storytelling dynamics in a social media–driven society." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

The powerful and timely YA novel debut from three-time New York Times best-selling author Frederick Joseph is a deeply heartfelt story—and a rallying cry against book banning.

In an instant, Ossie Brown’s entire future is in jeopardy when a torn ACL ends his promising basketball career. Now that basketball is no longer a major part of his identity, Ossie—a Black teen who doesn’t come from wealth and privilege—must navigate his new place in the social and academic ecosystems of his affluent, predominantly white school. When a Black teacher encourages him to join her highly regarded writing program, Ossie begins to find a new purpose, buoyed by not only the rich works of literature by marginalized authors he’s now reading, but also by new friends who see him as something more than an asset to the sports program. Everything changes when some students’ viral “anti-woke” video puts the teacher’s job, the writing program, and even Ossie’s friends’ safety at risk—and Ossie must find his true voice. This unflinching novel confronts critical issues like racism and classism, the treatment of student athletes, homophobia, and book banning while weaving together a moving testament to family, romance, friendship, and the power of words.

BIO

Frederick Joseph is a three-time New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. His books span both the adult and children’s book spaces, including The Black Friend; Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, The Courage to Dream; Patriarchy Blues; and, most recently, This Thing of Ours. His work has been well celebrated and recognized in many ways: being named an Amazon Editors’ pick, notable by the International Literacy Association, being selected as Best Children’s Book of the Year by Bank Street College, being a Booklist Editors’ Choice, and many, many more. He lives with his wife, Porsche, and his dog, Stokely, in New York City.

You can visit him online at FrederickJoseph.com or follow him on Instagram @FredTJoseph.

REVIEWS

"A thought-provoking exploration of storytelling dynamics in a social media–driven society." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Both heartening and heartbreaking, this richly layered, sensitive YA fiction debut from Joseph unflinchingly confronts systemic racism, classism, and homophobia via a powerful story of self-discovery and social justice that aims, shoots, and scores." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Frederick Joseph constructs a true roller coaster of a narrative in This Thing of Ours, painting Ossie’s complex struggles in language that is both poetic and engaging for a young adult audience. Impressively, the plot’s momentum stays strong even when dipping into the stories of the other characters. . . .Readers will be moved by the thoughtful, unexpected ways in which Joseph develops Ossie and his journey to be heard." -- BookPage (starred review)

"Readers will be inspired by how he learns to stand up against the disguised race-class fissures that have long existed in his school." -- Booklist

"Joseph makes his fiction debut with the powerfully empathic, deeply emboldening young adult novel This Thing of Ours." -- Shelf Awareness

[H]  Candlewick Press (MA)  /  May 06, 2025

1.4" H x 8.3" L x 5.7" W (1.0 lbs) 384 pages

For ages 14 and up