Families who loved Stealing the Game by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.

Reach for this book when your middle-schooler is struggling with the heavy realization that someone they look up to has made a serious moral error. It is a vital resource for navigating the messy intersection of family loyalty and personal integrity. The story follows eighth-grader Chris, who discovers his older brother Jax is involved in illegal gambling on their neighborhood basketball games. While the sports and mystery elements keep the pages turning, the true heart of the book is the emotional weight of Chris being recruited into a police investigation. It models how to handle complex choices without providing easy, sugar-coated answers. Ideal for ages 9 to 12, this book provides a safe space to discuss accountability and the difficult process of doing the right thing when it feels like a betrayal of family.