DHH Character Book Details

The incredible story of an all-deaf high school football team’s triumphant climb from underdog to undefeated, the  formation of an inspirational brotherhood, and a fascinating portrait of deafness in America.

In November 2021, an obscure email from the California Department of Education landed in the inbox of New York Times reporter Thomas Fuller. The football team at the California School for the Deaf in Riverside, a small state-run school of 168 high school students, was having an undefeated season. Fuller, after years of covering foreign wars, domestic wildfires, and the pandemic for the Yimes, was captivated by the story of this group of  boys who had gone from being perpetual undersogs to dreaming of a championship. It was uplifting. Eventually spending the better part of two seaons with the team, Fuller unearther the remarkable stoires of the players and their families - not to mention their indefatigable head coach, a deaf former athlete himself, who was the charismatic engine behind the program.

The Boys of Riverside captures the magic of camaraderie and belief among a group of high school boys.  The personal journeys are unforgettable, from a student who spent part of the season sleeping in his father’s car in a Target parking lot close to the school field to a fiercely committed player who literally played through a broken leg in order not to miss a crucial game. Through the journey, Fuller also reveals a poignant look at Deaf Culture in America - how deafness is perceived by the hearing world versus the acutal experience of living and thriving within a unique community. The Boys of Riverside explores the unbreakable chemistry and common purpose, a riveting sports story, and ultiamely, an inptire human narrative.

Category: Nonfiction
Themes: Friendship, identity, self-discovery, ASL
Interest Level: Middle Grades Plus (Grade 7 and up)