Eleanor & Park meets “Love & Basketball” in ALL THE THINGS WE NEVER KNEW: A Novel by Liara Tamani(Greenwillow/HarperCollins, on sale June 9 2020; Hardcover, eBook), 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.

Liara Tamani is the perfect author to tell this unique love story: she played basketball in high school and has worked for the NBA. She recently wrote a love letter to the movie Love & Basketball for TIME Magazine.

In an interview Liara can discuss:

The importance of black love stories for all teens

The role of destiny in relationships

Writing about the joys and sorrows of all types of love: romantic, familial, and friendship

Spirituality in YA: how her characters look to signs and nature for solace in an uncertain world

ALL THE THINGS WE NEVER KNEW is the love story we can all use right now, and perfect for Best of the Summer lists, review and feature coverage timed for June.

Additional praise for ALL THE THINGS WE NEVER KNEW

“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

“ALL THE THINGS WE NEVER KNEW is a beautifully poignant love letter: to a first love, to basketball, and to that enigmatic bunch we think we know best, only to discover we don’t know at all¾family. Tamani’s latest is a bright, shining star.”—David Arnold, New York Times bestselling author of Mosquitoland

“Liara Tamani’s All the Things We Never Knew is a bighearted, beautiful exploration of fate, family, and the glorious magic of love.” —Elana K. Arnold, National Book Award Finalist and Printz Honor winner

"The voices ring so true; all of the characters could walk right by me in a mall or a school or live in my neighborhood. She deftly navigates the complications of family life - the secrets and betrayals right along with the love.” —Cathy Berner, Blue Willow Bookshop (Houston, TX

Praise for Liara Tamani’s debut, Calling My Name

2018 PEN America Literary Award Finalist and Golden Kite Award Finalist

Named one of the Best Fall YA Novels by Bustle, Buzzfeed and Paste Magazine

★ “An excellent portrayal of African American culture, gorgeous lyrical prose, strong characters, and societal critique make Tamani’s debut a must-read.” —Booklist, Starred Review

“For Taja, the narrator of Liara Tamani’s luminous episodic debut, faith in God is as much a part of her as her long legs and brown skin...a complex portrait of a young woman trying to reconcile what she’s been taught, both in church and out in the world, with what she truly believes.” —Chicago Tribune

“Taja deals with the insecurities that most young people feel regarding identity, love, and fitting in. Stylish prose brings home quiet depths.” —Kirkus Reviews

“This lush debut novel is written in distinct prose that reads like poetry. Young adults will connect with this protagonist and this dynamic new voice. Fans of The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas will especially love this lyrical novel. A great selection in any library collection.” —School Library Journal

“Tamani’s debut novel brims with heart and soul, following its African-American protagonist, Taja Brown, as she searches for spirituality, love, and a sense of self. Absorbing.” —Publishers Weekly

“This debut coming-of-age novel showcases the complex relationship between family, spirituality, and self. On her journey to discovering herself, Taja learns the importance of recognizing self-worth and feeling like you truly belong.” —Brightly

“While not quite stream of consciousness, this novel moves dreamily along wayward paths. ...Readers willing to be swept along by Tamani’s poetic language and imagery will appreciate the journey. ... This debut is reminiscent of Jacqueline Woodson’s Brown Girl Dreaming or Marilyn Hilton’s Full Cicada Moon.” —Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

“In Calling My Name, we bear witness to a young girl finding her power and realizing that she alone is enough. A true gift to young readers,” Renée Watson, New York Bestselling author of Piecing Me Together.

“If there’s one book I wish I could reach through time and hand to seventeen-year-old me, it’s this one. Calling My Name is a treasure.” —Nic Stone, author of Dear Martin

About the Author: Liara Tamani lives in Houston, Texas. She holds an MFA in writing from Vermont College and a BA from Duke University.

www.liaratamani.com

@liaratamani