In the 1970s, the Bushwick neighborhood where Sage lives is known as the Matchbox. “Smoke always seem[s] to be billowing” as countless homes burn to the ground, leaving blackened ruins for kids to pick through in search of “treasures.” Sage’s father, a firefighter, died in the line of duty, and her mom is saving money so that they can move to a safer place. Meanwhile, Black preteen Sage is beginning to leave childhood behind, her sense of self developing yet still fragile. Obsessed with basketball, Sage feels most comfortable in loose athletic clothes and dreams of becoming the first woman to play for the NBA. When an older boy threatens her as she’s shooting hoops at the park (“What kind of girl are you? … I should punch you in the face just to show you you ain’t a dude”) it rattles her so deeply that, for a while, she abandons the sport she adores. This tender, lyrically written novel is imbued with the neighborly love of a community that weathers not only endless fires but the tragic death of a child. When Sage and her mom finally move out of Bushwick, Sage is most heartbroken over saying good-bye to her best friend, Freddy, who sees and loves her for exactly the girl she is. “‘You’re the Sage kind,’ Freddy said. ‘The Sage kind loves ball.’” (Ages 9-13)