Dough Boys

In the companion to her acclaimed So Done, Paula Chase follows best friends Simp and Rollie as their friendship is threatened by the pressures of basketball, upcoming auditions, middle school, and their growing involvement in the local drug ring.

Dough Boys is a memorably vivid story about the complex friendship between two African American boys whose lives are heading down very different paths. For fans of Jason Reynolds's Ghost and Rebecca Stead's Goodbye Stranger.

Deontae "Simp" Wright has big plans for his future. Plans that involve basketball, his best friend, Rollie, and making enough money to get his mom and four younger brothers out of the Cove, their low-income housing project.

Long term, this means the NBA. Short term, it means being a dough boy--getting paid to play lookout and eventually moving up the rungs of the neighborhood drug operation with Rollie as his partner.

Roland "Rollie" Matthews used to love playing basketball. He loved the rhythm of the game, how he came up with his best drumbeats after running up and down the court. But playing with the elite team comes with extra, illegal responsibilities, and Rollie isn't sure he's down for that life. The new talented-and-gifted program, where Rollie has a chance to audition for a real-life go-go band, seems like the perfect excuse to stop being a dough boy. But how can he abandon his best friend?

Paula Chase explores universal themes of friendship and budding romance, while also exploring complex issues that affect many young teens. Full of basketball, friendship, and daily life in a housing project, this universal story is perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds's Track series, Jewell Parker Rhodes's Ghost Boys, and Chris Crutcher.

Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Published: 08/27/2019
Pages: 336
Weight: 0.9lbs
Size: 8.10h x 5.40w x 1.40d
ISBN: 9780062691811
Age: Ages 9-12

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 4.8
Point Value: 9
Interest Level: Middle Grade
Quiz #/Name: 505409 / Dough Boys


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 05/15/2019
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 07/01/2019
Booklist 07/01/2019 pg. 69
Horn Book Magazine 07/01/2019 pg. 125
Hornbook Guide to Children 07/01/2019 - Superior,Well Above Average

About the Author
Chase, Paula: -

Paula Chase is the cofounder of The Brown Bookshelf, a site designed to increase awareness of African American voices writing for young readers. She lives in Annapolis, Maryland. Her novels include the acclaimed So Done and its companion, Dough Boys. www.paulachasehyman.com