This Thing Of Ours: A Novel
“Once again, regardless of genre, Frederick Joseph puts his heart, soul, passion, and unapologetic voice into every paragraph, sentence, and syllable. This rich tale of self-discovery, self-worth, and resilience will land protagonist Ossie Brown in the pantheon of legendary young adult characters that will live forever.” —Derrick Barnes, two-time Kirkus Prize winner, Newbery Honoree, and National Book Award Finalist
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A deeply heartfelt story—and a rallying cry against injustice.
In an instant, seventeen-year-old Ossie Brown’s entire future is in jeopardy when a torn ACL ends his promising basketball career. Now 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 not only by the rich works of literature by marginalized authors he’s now reading but also by two new friends, Luis and Naima, who see him as something more than just an asset to the sports program.
But when some students’ viral “anti-woke” video puts the teacher’s job, the writing program, and even Luis’s and Naima’s safety at risk, Ossie must find the courage to stand up and speak out.
This powerful and timely YA fiction debut from two-time New York Times best-selling author Frederick Joseph shines a critical spotlight on issues like book banning, discrimination, and the treatment of athletes—and shows what’s possible when we fight for what’s right.
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Praise
“A thought-provoking exploration of storytelling dynamics in a social media–driven society.”
“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.”
“With a cast of naturally diverse characters you will root for, This Thing of Ours beautifully explores the awkward, anxiety-inducing, beautiful reality of growing up. All while reminding us that nothing is worth doing alone—not sports, not grief, not standing up and fighting for your people, and, most importantly, not life. This Thing of Ours is a must-read!”
“In a moment where ‘wokeness’ is weaponized, This Thing of Ours is the light that can guide us through the darkness. I laughed, I cried, I felt everything was broken . . . and then, that it could be fixed. This book is so unflinching, so heartfelt, so authentic, so damn of-the-now, it’s bound to be banned. I loved every page.”
“A triumphant exaltation of the redemptive power of family, friendship, and community, This Thing of Ours is a fast-paced, emotionally rich attestation to the fight for the dignity and humanity of all Americans. It should be celebrated in classrooms across this country. With an ear for lyrical beauty as much as an eye for social critique, Joseph reminds us why caring about the truth matters and that the time to stand up for it is now.”
“This Thing of Ours is a heartbreakingly topical novel that lays bare the systemic inequities permeating the world of young people today. This coming-of-age story illuminates the full humanity of young people as well as their capacity to lead the revolution. In Joseph we have an author who delivers a gripping, urgent plot with characters readers will rally to and embrace. Joseph more than just trusts young people to grapple with the challenges and complexities of the issues impacting their lives; his faith in their ability to find the inspiration, courage, and commitment to call out injustice and work toward the future they deserve is unshakeable.”
“This Thing of Ours weaves the timeless magic of the YA novel (the friendship, love, family, and coming-of-age that readers have always adored) with present-day realities that need a firmer place in the genre, in a way that is both narratively rich and urgently necessary. Frederick Joseph does with this story what he does with all of his writing: he speaks truth with the authority of an educator and the passion of an artist. This book is truly for everyone—for those who feel directly represented by its characters and those with whom its author is sharing a generous heap of insight, education, and relentless hope.”
About Frederick
Frederick Joseph is a Yonkers, NY raised two-time New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. His books include a poetry collection, We Alive, Beloved, two books of nonfiction, Patriarchy Blues, and The Black Friend, a collaboration, Better Than We Found It, and a children’s book, The Courage to Dream, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Joseph’s books have been named an Amazon Editors’ Pick, notable by the International Literacy Association, Best Children’s Book of the Year by Bank Street College, a Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choice selection, nominated for the In The Margins award, Booklist Editors’ Choice, a Notable Trade Book for Young People by the National Council for Social Studies, a Dogwood Title by the Missouri Associations of School Librarians, as well as longlisted for the Green Earth Book Award, and more. He has written for The Boston Globe, Essence, Huffington Post, AdWeek, and Cosmopolitan, and won both the Letter Review Poetry prize and a Letter Review Essay prize. His most recent writing on politics and culture can be found on his Substack.
Joseph’s writing and philanthropic work go hand-in-hand, and he has been recognized for community investment by Forbes 30 Under 30, the Comic-Con Humanitarian of the Year award, The Root100 list of Most Influential African Americans, and was most recently honored with the 2023 Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Vanguard Award, as well as the 2024 Allyship Award at Lincoln Center’s Black Girl Magic Ball. He has been a featured speaker at the UN HeForShe Summit, and has worked with fortune 500 companies and presidential candidates on their DEI efforts. He lives with his wife Porsche and dog Stokely in New York City..