June 2025

Reading Level: Grade 2-3 • Interest Level: Grade 5-18

Cheat Code: Friend

Available: June 2025
Author: David Aro
Specs: 5 1/4” X 7 1/8” • 160 pp. • Excerpts from other Books within this Series, Written in Verse, About the Author Section, Hi-Lo Content
HC ed.: 9781978597839 • $25.80 | $19.40
eBook: 9781978597853 • $25.80 | $19.40
Pbk. ed.: 9781978597846 • $16.35 | $14.20
Eleven-year-old Luca has always excelled in a black-and-white world. He plays video games every day after school and remembers everything he reads—which has always made schoolwork a breeze. But now that his school is having tryouts for a modified esports team, his unique ability to memorize patterns in video games might finally help him with the gray area of making friends. Luca’s talent and drive quickly earn him the respect of his team, and friendships he didn’t realize he was missing out on. Luca leads the team to the Regional Championships. He’s ready to bring home the gold, until he spots one of his teammates cheating. Luca must decide between leading his team to victory, or turning his team in and losing the only friends he’s ever had.

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About the Author:
David Aro is a former Collegiate All-American basketball player and conference player of the year. In college, he scored over 1,900 points, broke his school’s record for the most three-pointers ever made, and also finished in the top 10 in rebounds, steals, and assists. While coaching college basketball, he earned a master’s degree in executive leadership and change. Today, he coaches his kids and follows his passion of writing children’s books.