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Team Park
Evan Park has always faced obstacles in getting his father's approval, but an actual obstacle race has some surprising results. A new middle-grade novel from the author of the critically acclaimed Peter Lee's Notes from the Field.Eleven-year-old Evan Park's dad believes boys should play team sports, but as much as Evan has tried to like soccer and other team sports, he just doesn't. And when an accident causes Evan to break his wrist, he is determined that once he heals, he'll work on finding his thing. Alone. Inspired by his athletic physiotherapist, Evan decides to compete in an upcoming Dominator Ninja Junior Edition competition. It will be part rehab, part fun. If he trains hard enough, he'll finally have something to put on his empty shelf in the family trophy cabinet. Maybe that would make his dad proud of him for once.But klutzy Evan strikes again! With a newly injured wrist, he can forget about competing in Dominator Ninja — he can't even hold chopsticks. When his sister encourages him to look beyond a solo competition, they discover a local family race which is more about the experience than the results. Can Evan shift his perspective to rally the whole family to do this event . . . together?
240 pages, Hardcover
Published September 10, 2024
5 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
About the author
Angela Ahn
8 books19 followersThanks for finding me! I don't check Goodreads. Please connect with me on Twitter @angelaahnbooks or Instagram @writeahn.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 25, 2024
Bit tough to read at the beginning because the dad is such a jerk but the ending is positive
2024
May 29, 2024📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Tundra Books
June 5, 2024
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
It's summer, and Evan wants to be enjoying his days, but he's not sure what to do. He's just been released from physiotherapy, but doesn't want to go back to soccer, even though his father puts pressure on him to be a top notch player. Darren, his therapist, often participates in dominator ninja competitions, and this sounds interesting to Leo. His older sister, Lydia, and his toddler sister, Georgia, are also hanging around the house. Their mother has bought a trampoline, but there father disapproves of the expense and the danger, posting a ton of rules that the kids have to follow. Since Evan's friends are all off on their own adventures, he starts looking into ninja competitions, and finds out there is one with tryouts in Seattle, not far from his Vancouver home. He starts to train on jungle jims in nearby parks, and starts to build an obstacle course in his back yard. No matter what he does, however, his father treats him like a failure. When he sprains his wrist again, his chances at competing disappears until he discovers the Soiled Pants Team Edition, a mud based obstacle course. Soon, he has roped his entire family into training. There are group runs, and even Georgia pulls her own weight at events that involve crawling. The family builds a mud pit in the yard (after some construction difficulties), and even practices scaling walls. They have goals for each member, and a training plan. Everyone is nervous the day of the competition, and this isn't improved when the organizers announce that there have been changes made to the different events. Will Team Park be able to hold their own? Will Evan finally show his father that he, too, can compete? And at the end of the competition, who will do the muddy laundry?
Strengths: This was appealing on several different levels; some young readers will be wanting to create mud pits in their own back yard and hoisting siblings over fences, while others will be intrigued with Evan's troublesome relationship with his demanding father. While his father frequently throws hostile glances Evan's way, he is not quite abusive, and I think that there are a lot of families where this dynamic plays out. Even more interestingly, while the family is of Korean descent, the father's behavior is not explained in terms of this background, giving this more universal appeal. Lydia ended up having quite the knack for the ninja style sport, and even Georgia gives it a go. I loved that Evan is frequently called upon to babysit his younger sister, who frequently asks for him, and while it isn't his favorite thing to do, he plays with her without complaining about it. There are plenty of details about mud, trampolines, and other ninja activities, and as a bonus, Darren gives Evan passes to the new, expensive training gym where he will be working.
Weaknesses: The parents have a few fights over money, with the father even throwing out "I'm the breadwinner". I don't think that the mother has a job outside the home, and I would have loved to see that explored a little more. Middle grade fiction isn't really the place for that, and young readers will be much more interested in the shenanigans in the mud, but my interest was piqued.
What I really think: Hapka's The Competition Begins (Junior Ninja Champion #1) had some similar themes, but had a lot more characters to keep track of. like Ahn's Swimming Into Trouble, this focused nicely on one tween and the interactions with the family that surrounded his activities. This is a quick, humorous book with plenty of emotional meat to the story. I see myself handing this to a lot of students when they need to do book projects, and know that when they present on this title, their classmates will all come to the library and want to check it out!
It's summer, and Evan wants to be enjoying his days, but he's not sure what to do. He's just been released from physiotherapy, but doesn't want to go back to soccer, even though his father puts pressure on him to be a top notch player. Darren, his therapist, often participates in dominator ninja competitions, and this sounds interesting to Leo. His older sister, Lydia, and his toddler sister, Georgia, are also hanging around the house. Their mother has bought a trampoline, but there father disapproves of the expense and the danger, posting a ton of rules that the kids have to follow. Since Evan's friends are all off on their own adventures, he starts looking into ninja competitions, and finds out there is one with tryouts in Seattle, not far from his Vancouver home. He starts to train on jungle jims in nearby parks, and starts to build an obstacle course in his back yard. No matter what he does, however, his father treats him like a failure. When he sprains his wrist again, his chances at competing disappears until he discovers the Soiled Pants Team Edition, a mud based obstacle course. Soon, he has roped his entire family into training. There are group runs, and even Georgia pulls her own weight at events that involve crawling. The family builds a mud pit in the yard (after some construction difficulties), and even practices scaling walls. They have goals for each member, and a training plan. Everyone is nervous the day of the competition, and this isn't improved when the organizers announce that there have been changes made to the different events. Will Team Park be able to hold their own? Will Evan finally show his father that he, too, can compete? And at the end of the competition, who will do the muddy laundry?
Strengths: This was appealing on several different levels; some young readers will be wanting to create mud pits in their own back yard and hoisting siblings over fences, while others will be intrigued with Evan's troublesome relationship with his demanding father. While his father frequently throws hostile glances Evan's way, he is not quite abusive, and I think that there are a lot of families where this dynamic plays out. Even more interestingly, while the family is of Korean descent, the father's behavior is not explained in terms of this background, giving this more universal appeal. Lydia ended up having quite the knack for the ninja style sport, and even Georgia gives it a go. I loved that Evan is frequently called upon to babysit his younger sister, who frequently asks for him, and while it isn't his favorite thing to do, he plays with her without complaining about it. There are plenty of details about mud, trampolines, and other ninja activities, and as a bonus, Darren gives Evan passes to the new, expensive training gym where he will be working.
Weaknesses: The parents have a few fights over money, with the father even throwing out "I'm the breadwinner". I don't think that the mother has a job outside the home, and I would have loved to see that explored a little more. Middle grade fiction isn't really the place for that, and young readers will be much more interested in the shenanigans in the mud, but my interest was piqued.
What I really think: Hapka's The Competition Begins (Junior Ninja Champion #1) had some similar themes, but had a lot more characters to keep track of. like Ahn's Swimming Into Trouble, this focused nicely on one tween and the interactions with the family that surrounded his activities. This is a quick, humorous book with plenty of emotional meat to the story. I see myself handing this to a lot of students when they need to do book projects, and know that when they present on this title, their classmates will all come to the library and want to check it out!
April 29, 2025
Team Park is a summer family story that brings together a once-divided household in a fun, spirited challenge that highlights growth, bonding, and resilience. Aimed at middle-grade readers, the novel explores how shared goals can foster teamwork, perseverance, and even surprising transformations, especially among siblings who learn to work together and find pride in themselves.
At the heart of the story is a family fractured by a deeply traditional and authoritarian father figure, who places value only on athletic success and enforces outdated gender roles. Early in the novel, the emotional climate he creates feels heavy, verging on psychologically harmful, and while the family begins to reconnect through training for a competition, his presence casts a long shadow throughout the book.
There’s a satisfying arc in watching the children, particularly Evan, begin to shine—not because they finally meet their father's standards, but because they discover what they enjoy and where they belong. However, a central discomfort remains: the father’s toxic behaviour goes largely unchallenged. Though the story isn’t primarily about him, the lack of true accountability or meaningful change in his character feels like a missed opportunity. Evan’s desire to prove himself to his father rather than simply enjoy his newfound confidence for himself sends a potentially problematic message—that success might earn love or acceptance from someone who has withheld it. In reality, such toxicity often requires more than a family win to overcome.
For readers attuned to mental health and family dynamics, this may feel unresolved or even troubling. It’s also worth considering cultural nuance—perhaps in some Korean family dynamics, such behaviour is more normalized, but for me, it felt like the emotional harm was minimized rather than addressed. That said, this could be a valuable book to read in discussion, especially with voices from within the Korean Canadian community, or families with similar dynamics.
Despite these concerns, Team Park is not without charm. The family’s moments of laughter, mutual support, and shared achievement make the book a worthwhile read, particularly for young readers navigating family roles, expectations, and self-worth. It opens up important conversations about generational values, emotional labour, and what it truly means to be a team.
At the heart of the story is a family fractured by a deeply traditional and authoritarian father figure, who places value only on athletic success and enforces outdated gender roles. Early in the novel, the emotional climate he creates feels heavy, verging on psychologically harmful, and while the family begins to reconnect through training for a competition, his presence casts a long shadow throughout the book.
There’s a satisfying arc in watching the children, particularly Evan, begin to shine—not because they finally meet their father's standards, but because they discover what they enjoy and where they belong. However, a central discomfort remains: the father’s toxic behaviour goes largely unchallenged. Though the story isn’t primarily about him, the lack of true accountability or meaningful change in his character feels like a missed opportunity. Evan’s desire to prove himself to his father rather than simply enjoy his newfound confidence for himself sends a potentially problematic message—that success might earn love or acceptance from someone who has withheld it. In reality, such toxicity often requires more than a family win to overcome.
For readers attuned to mental health and family dynamics, this may feel unresolved or even troubling. It’s also worth considering cultural nuance—perhaps in some Korean family dynamics, such behaviour is more normalized, but for me, it felt like the emotional harm was minimized rather than addressed. That said, this could be a valuable book to read in discussion, especially with voices from within the Korean Canadian community, or families with similar dynamics.
Despite these concerns, Team Park is not without charm. The family’s moments of laughter, mutual support, and shared achievement make the book a worthwhile read, particularly for young readers navigating family roles, expectations, and self-worth. It opens up important conversations about generational values, emotional labour, and what it truly means to be a team.
September 30, 2024
Evan Park's father has narrow definitions of success for boys--team sports being pretty much number one on the list. Guess what Evan hates? Yup. He's never good enough for his father at anything--witness his empty shelf in the family trophy cabinet--so he's kind of glad when a wrist injury takes him out of soccer. Evan does want to find his own thing, though, so when his physiotherapist suggests training for Junior Dominator Ninja, Evan thinks that might be it. He finds he loves the training--but then he re-injures his wrist. Can he ever do anything right? Then his gymnast sister (I think) sees information for a family competition akin to the type of competition Evan was training for, and suggests they give it a go. It'll be an uphill battle, with both his bull-headed father and laissez-faire mother being out of shape, and with one of their team members being a stubborn three-year-old, but they decide to give it a go. Team Park!
It's a common trope for a father to be disappointed in an unathletic son, and unappreciative of an athletic daughter like Lydia. Evan, however, is not unathletic, and if I wish he'd been able to gain his father's approval for non-sporting events (or just, you know, for being his son), I liked that this was different in that I've never read a book with this type of competition in it. The family dynamics felt rough and real, with the mean-spirited sniping between the parents, Evan's exasperation at having to read Gloria books while she poops (I mean, it would not be my first choice of activity either), and no one really appreciating how athletic Lydia is. The description of the training and the competition were detailed and made me never, ever want to try anything like it! I think a lot of kids will like this one, though--there's something for everyone. Thanks to Libro.FM for a free educator copy of the audiobook.
It's a common trope for a father to be disappointed in an unathletic son, and unappreciative of an athletic daughter like Lydia. Evan, however, is not unathletic, and if I wish he'd been able to gain his father's approval for non-sporting events (or just, you know, for being his son), I liked that this was different in that I've never read a book with this type of competition in it. The family dynamics felt rough and real, with the mean-spirited sniping between the parents, Evan's exasperation at having to read Gloria books while she poops (I mean, it would not be my first choice of activity either), and no one really appreciating how athletic Lydia is. The description of the training and the competition were detailed and made me never, ever want to try anything like it! I think a lot of kids will like this one, though--there's something for everyone. Thanks to Libro.FM for a free educator copy of the audiobook.
August 14, 2024
3.5/5
This was a cute and fun middle grade book, perfect for students who love Ninja Warrior (or are looking to find their "thing").
What I enjoyed:
- I think lower middle grade students would really enjoy this book. The stakes were compelling, and the characters were lovable. The protagonist, in particular, has a lot of reader appeal, as a "clumsy" student who is desperate to find a sport at which he can excel.
- While I liked the protagonist, Evan, I *loved* the character of his sister, Lydia. She was the voice of emotional intelligence, feminism, and sibling support throughout the book.
What didn't quite work for me:
- The writing was a little clunky and awkward at times, which I think might turn some older readers away.
- Evan's parents have a fairly toxic relationship, and while it was fairly clear how this impacted their children, I felt that the author tried to magically "solve" all of their problems with this big athletic event. I didn't love that. It felt a little unrealistic, and I worry that students who have unhealthy home environments might think that significant parental relationship challenges with communication, spending, gender roles, etc. can be solved by a well intentioned child.
Still, this is a book I would include in my classroom library and recommend to younger middle grade readers. Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced reader copy.
This was a cute and fun middle grade book, perfect for students who love Ninja Warrior (or are looking to find their "thing").
What I enjoyed:
- I think lower middle grade students would really enjoy this book. The stakes were compelling, and the characters were lovable. The protagonist, in particular, has a lot of reader appeal, as a "clumsy" student who is desperate to find a sport at which he can excel.
- While I liked the protagonist, Evan, I *loved* the character of his sister, Lydia. She was the voice of emotional intelligence, feminism, and sibling support throughout the book.
What didn't quite work for me:
- The writing was a little clunky and awkward at times, which I think might turn some older readers away.
- Evan's parents have a fairly toxic relationship, and while it was fairly clear how this impacted their children, I felt that the author tried to magically "solve" all of their problems with this big athletic event. I didn't love that. It felt a little unrealistic, and I worry that students who have unhealthy home environments might think that significant parental relationship challenges with communication, spending, gender roles, etc. can be solved by a well intentioned child.
Still, this is a book I would include in my classroom library and recommend to younger middle grade readers. Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced reader copy.
December 18, 2024
This is a great family book. I don't get a lot of joyful family titles in kidlit. A lot of families dealing with big, important issues (death, sickness, abandonment, nazis...) but nothing like a muddy obstacle course!
Did I LOATHE the dad? Absolutely. I was glad to see him humbled in the end (Lydia is a great bean and I adore her). The characters are completely relatable and are at such a sweet spot for middle-grade fiction.
I found it really easy to identify with Evan and his feeling lost and missing something that makes him stand out among his family. I'm sure a lot of kiddos feel the same as they navigate the liminal space between being a kid and being a teenager and trying to BE SOMEONE.
Entering a competition as a family is a great take on the theme. Usually it's just the MC in a competition. I loved watching the entire family and kids of all ages come together. It was also great that Evan got what he really wanted but in ways he didn't plan for; he didn't win the competition but still got an award for his trophy case and still got to go to the ninja training centre because his physiotherapist saw his potential.
This book was such an easy read, low stakes, identifiable, joyful... Loved it!
Did I LOATHE the dad? Absolutely. I was glad to see him humbled in the end (Lydia is a great bean and I adore her). The characters are completely relatable and are at such a sweet spot for middle-grade fiction.
I found it really easy to identify with Evan and his feeling lost and missing something that makes him stand out among his family. I'm sure a lot of kiddos feel the same as they navigate the liminal space between being a kid and being a teenager and trying to BE SOMEONE.
Entering a competition as a family is a great take on the theme. Usually it's just the MC in a competition. I loved watching the entire family and kids of all ages come together. It was also great that Evan got what he really wanted but in ways he didn't plan for; he didn't win the competition but still got an award for his trophy case and still got to go to the ninja training centre because his physiotherapist saw his potential.
This book was such an easy read, low stakes, identifiable, joyful... Loved it!
September 9, 2024
I can't wait to add this one to my classroom library! My 5th and 6th grade readers will love the story of Evan Park, a rising 5th grader, who is just finishing physical therapy after breaking his wrist. He gets inspired to start training for an American Ninja-style competition to be held near him in Seattle at the end of the summer. However, while training, he reinjured his wrist and is forced to change his plans. His older sister, Lydia, gets him to redirect to a team mud obstacle course, and Team Park is created as the family starts training.
Readers will identify with Evan's on-again, off-again motivation as he faces various challenges. They will also be impressed with his skill with his younger sister, Georgia, a typically headstrong toddler. Most realistic would be the portrayal of the parents -- they aren't perfect! They squabble but experience growth along with the rest of the family.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC. I'll be eagerly adding this to my shelves.
Readers will identify with Evan's on-again, off-again motivation as he faces various challenges. They will also be impressed with his skill with his younger sister, Georgia, a typically headstrong toddler. Most realistic would be the portrayal of the parents -- they aren't perfect! They squabble but experience growth along with the rest of the family.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC. I'll be eagerly adding this to my shelves.
December 11, 2024
Thank you Tundra books.
Such a good book.
Evan had broken his wrist and was getting physiotherapy for treatment. His therapist Darren was encouraging him to keep up his exercises and maybe try out for Dominator Ninja event that fall. Evans dad always puts him dad and insists he keeps doing sports that he doesn’t want to do. Evan decided to start turning the backyard into a competition meet so he could practice. A few weeks away from when Evan needed to at the event he sprained his wrist. His sister Lydia told him not to give and that he’ll find something he was good at. One day when Evan was on YouTube he came across videos for Soiled Pants: Family Edition competition. Lydia and Evan thought the whole family could get into it. Lydia signed the family up. The whole family trained hard. Even though they didn’t finish first they still completed the course. Won award plus Evan earned guest passes to the new agile ninja gym to train at. Win win situation.
Such a good book.
Evan had broken his wrist and was getting physiotherapy for treatment. His therapist Darren was encouraging him to keep up his exercises and maybe try out for Dominator Ninja event that fall. Evans dad always puts him dad and insists he keeps doing sports that he doesn’t want to do. Evan decided to start turning the backyard into a competition meet so he could practice. A few weeks away from when Evan needed to at the event he sprained his wrist. His sister Lydia told him not to give and that he’ll find something he was good at. One day when Evan was on YouTube he came across videos for Soiled Pants: Family Edition competition. Lydia and Evan thought the whole family could get into it. Lydia signed the family up. The whole family trained hard. Even though they didn’t finish first they still completed the course. Won award plus Evan earned guest passes to the new agile ninja gym to train at. Win win situation.
November 14, 2024
Really fun and delightfully original. I loved Evan figuring out what his thing is. I loved how supportive/obnoxious sister Lydia is, and how weirdly wise baby sister Georgia is. There's some tough stuff with the parents -- Dad is hypercritical and trending towards toxic masculinity, mom is frustrated and they fight a lot. I love how supportive Mom is from the beginning, and how Dad comes around. I loved supportive physiotherapist Darren, too. It's just full of the good feels and all about focusing on fun.
December 24, 2025
This is a great book for Middle School readers. The book starts out with a kind of dysfunctional family. But through Evan’s broken wrist, he finds a way to bring his family together. He finds a sport that finally makes his father proud of him. It’s also a good lesson on doing your best and being proud of yourself even if you don’t come in first. I liked that the book ended on a happy note. It definitely leaves room for a sequel!
April 20, 2024
Tapping into the American Warrior Ninja craze, this book is about an Asian Canadian (Korean) family who ends up in a muddy obstacle course called Soiled Pants! A fun read about failure and success from the viewpoint of a 12 year old boy.
December 7, 2025
What a cute and fun story. Reading about what can only be described as a dysfunctional family and seeing how they all come together to support Evan and his dream is heartwarming. In the end this is what they needed to remind them that they are family.
Want to read
March 8, 2025Received this from Libro.fm as part of the Educator Advanced Listening Copies for free. All thoughts are my own.
September 20, 2024
Georgia doesn't talk like any 3 yr old I know.
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