Dough Boys
Dough Boys by Paula Chase, published by HarperCollins on August 27, 2019, is a 336-page work in English that delves into the lives of two best friends, Deontae “Simp” Wright and Roland “Rollie” Matthews. As they navigate the challenges of middle school, basketball, and their involvement in a local drug ring, their friendship faces significant pressures. The story captures the complexities of their relationship against the backdrop of their aspirations and the realities of their environment.
In this narrative, Simp dreams of a future in basketball and aims to uplift his family from their low-income housing project, while Rollie grapples with the moral implications of their choices. As Rollie contemplates auditioning for a talented-and-gifted program, he must decide between his loyalty to Simp and his desire for a different path. The book explores themes of friendship, adolescence, and family dynamics, providing a vivid portrayal of the boys’ experiences and the societal challenges they encounter.
Official synopsis Publisher
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.
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