After the Shot Drops

Reach for this book when your teenager is struggling with the pain of a friendship drifting apart, especially when one friend's success feels like a betrayal to the other. It is a powerful choice for navigating the complicated feelings of envy and abandonment that arise when a peer moves into a different social or economic circle. The story follows Bunny, who leaves his neighborhood for a private school on a basketball scholarship, and Nasir, the best friend left behind who feels replaced. Through their dual perspectives, the book explores loyalty, the pressure of expectations, and the reality of financial hardship in an urban setting. While it deals with heavy themes of gambling and street violence, it provides a realistic and ultimately hopeful framework for understanding that growth sometimes requires painful transitions. It is an essential read for building empathy toward those making difficult choices for their future.