Cover art by Loveis Wise.
ALL THE THINGS WE NEVER KNEW
Named One of 14 Summer Reads by Black Authors in 2020 by Essence Magazine
Named One of 75 Books to Read by Black Authors in 2020 by TeenVogue
Featured on NPR, Good Morning America, Buzzfeed, and, NBC News
The Sun is Also a Star meets “Love & Basketball” in a tumultuous, lyrical teen romance about two African American, high school basketball stars who fall in love hard and fast, but struggle while navigating their own tough family issues.
Carli feels completely lost. She secretly wants to quit basketball, but has no idea what dream she wants to replace it with. To make matters worse, her parents are getting divorced and she and her brother must decide who to live with. The only thing saving her is her belief that signs will ultimately reveal her destiny, and they all just pointed to Rex.
Rex craves love. He might be ESPN’s #1 high school basketball player of the year, but he’s terribly lonely. An only child, his mother died giving birth to him and he’s sure his father blames him for it. Plus, Rex has moved to a new school where all of his new teammates hate him. But meeting Carli changes everything. With her, he feels all the love he’s ever wanted to feel.
Set in Houston over the last few months of Rex and Carli’s junior year, ALL THE THINGS WE NEVER KNEW will make readers feel the all tenderness, messiness, and bliss of first love.
“A poignant love story. Tamani’s characters are well drawn, her prose is gorgeous, and the imagery she employs is lush. A masterpiece."
Booklist (starred review)
“Two promising Texas basketball players navigate the ups and downs of first love. . . . Funny, smart, and unflinchingly candid. . . . A superb, complex romance full of heart, humor, and unforgettable characters.”
Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (Starred Review)
"Tamani masterfully bounces and slams two hearts up and down a shrouded court of first love and revelations. A hard to put down backboard breaker.”
Rita Williams-Garcia,
National Book Award finalist and New York Times-bestselling author
David Arnold,
New York Times-bestselling author of Mosquitoland
ELANA K. ARNOLD,
NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST AND PRINTZ HONOR WINNER
“[Tamani’s characters] experience their first love, struggle through polarizing feelings about basketball, and witness the consequences of hiding secrets. . . . A deep dive into the glory and mess of new relationships . . . Engaging.”
School Library Journal
Bookriot
AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN
Indiebound | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Indigo