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On Thin Ice
For fans of Disney’s GO FIGURE, a laugh-out-loud, heartfelt dual POV sibling rivalry story by acclaimed author Jessica Kim
Twelve-year-old fraternal twins Phoebe and Dexter Bae are polar opposites in every way except for their love of the ice. Phoebe is hyperfocused on pairs figure skating, and Dex loves his hockey team. But when Phoebe’s partner injures his knee just two months before competitions and Dex gets cut from his team in favor of a new hotshot goalie from Canada, they’re both left spinning.
With their skating dreams dashed, their mother suggests that Dex fill in as Phoebe’s doubles partner. It’s a hard sell—the two haven’t been close since their father passed away two years ago. For Dex, working with a perfectionist like Phoebe would be a challenge, but if it means he’d improve his skating technique enough to get back on the hockey team—and he’d have something to keep his mind off his dad—it’d be worth it. Phoebe isn’t thrilled either, but what choice does she have if she wants to bring home the gold, something that would’ve made her dad happy?
Can these siblings skate past their differences toward victory?
Twelve-year-old fraternal twins Phoebe and Dexter Bae are polar opposites in every way except for their love of the ice. Phoebe is hyperfocused on pairs figure skating, and Dex loves his hockey team. But when Phoebe’s partner injures his knee just two months before competitions and Dex gets cut from his team in favor of a new hotshot goalie from Canada, they’re both left spinning.
With their skating dreams dashed, their mother suggests that Dex fill in as Phoebe’s doubles partner. It’s a hard sell—the two haven’t been close since their father passed away two years ago. For Dex, working with a perfectionist like Phoebe would be a challenge, but if it means he’d improve his skating technique enough to get back on the hockey team—and he’d have something to keep his mind off his dad—it’d be worth it. Phoebe isn’t thrilled either, but what choice does she have if she wants to bring home the gold, something that would’ve made her dad happy?
Can these siblings skate past their differences toward victory?
240 pages, Hardcover
First published February 25, 2025
11 people are currently reading
3629 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Kim
3 books67 followersJessica Kim writes about Asian American girls finding their way in the world. Before she was an author, Jessica studied education at UC Berkeley and spent ten years teaching third, fourth, and fifth grades in public schools. Like Yumi, Jessica lives with her family in Southern California and can’t get enough Hot Cheetos, stand-up comedy, and Korean barbecue.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
January 19, 2025
The way this middle grade novel made me cry is criminal.
On Thin Ice is a fantastic story that explores grief, empathy, finding joy and passion, and healing. Phoebe and Dex are dealing with a lot - from first crushes to struggling with maintaining friendships to figuring out their grief together as a family - they are struggling, when we first meet them, and that's reflected in some of the things happening with their lives. The way their grief is explored, together, apart, and with family and friends, is so important. I think this is a fantastic book to help kids going through grief to both understand that they're not alone and to help give them tools and words that they can use to help express themselves.
That being said, I feel like there were a lot of little side plots we didn't get to dig deeper into - Dex feeling out of place with his friends after being cut, Phoebe's feeling of being overlooked by her mom, some of the softer moments between them and their friends. We get glimpses of it, but I think going that extra mile would have been nice to see!
Lastly, the skating elements were fun. It was nice to see how the twins worked through their differences and how they were able to channel their emotions into their routine. I also love how karma came through in the end for them, they deserved their success!
This book was wonderfully written and beautifully executed. Make sure you have a tissue box handy when you read it!
TW: grief, death of a parent, cancer, bullying, micro-aggressions, racism
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
World Building: 4.5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Pacing: 3/5
Overall: 4/5
eARC gifted via NetGalley by Kokila via PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group in exchange for an honest review.
On Thin Ice is a fantastic story that explores grief, empathy, finding joy and passion, and healing. Phoebe and Dex are dealing with a lot - from first crushes to struggling with maintaining friendships to figuring out their grief together as a family - they are struggling, when we first meet them, and that's reflected in some of the things happening with their lives. The way their grief is explored, together, apart, and with family and friends, is so important. I think this is a fantastic book to help kids going through grief to both understand that they're not alone and to help give them tools and words that they can use to help express themselves.
That being said, I feel like there were a lot of little side plots we didn't get to dig deeper into - Dex feeling out of place with his friends after being cut, Phoebe's feeling of being overlooked by her mom, some of the softer moments between them and their friends. We get glimpses of it, but I think going that extra mile would have been nice to see!
Lastly, the skating elements were fun. It was nice to see how the twins worked through their differences and how they were able to channel their emotions into their routine. I also love how karma came through in the end for them, they deserved their success!
This book was wonderfully written and beautifully executed. Make sure you have a tissue box handy when you read it!
TW: grief, death of a parent, cancer, bullying, micro-aggressions, racism
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
World Building: 4.5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Pacing: 3/5
Overall: 4/5
eARC gifted via NetGalley by Kokila via PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group in exchange for an honest review.
January 19, 2025
This was a heartfelt middle grade sports book about sibling athletes forced to work together when things don't go the way they want. If you like skating/hockey player pairings and movies like The cutting edge, this is sure to delight. It was also good on audio and had a great cast of diverse, Korean American characters. Highly recommended, especially to fans of books like The comeback or Ana on the edge. Many thanks to @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!
November 18, 2025
A MG twist on The Cutting Edge!
🏒
Twins Phoebe and Dexter are still dealing with their father’s death almost two years before, but in different ways. Phoebe has thrown herself into figure skating with single-minded determination while Dex doesn’t take anything seriously, especially not his place on the hockey team. But when Phoebe’s skating partner gets injured and Dex gets cut from the team, they both realize they need something from the other and pair up in figure skating. Can these siblings work together long enough to make it through to the performance?
⛸️
I love @jesskimwrites middle grade books and this was no exception. As a fan of The Cutting Edge I adored this story. I also enjoyed the growth both characters had as they worked through their grief. A great one for any school library and perfect to recommend as we head into the Winter Olympics!
CW: parental death, grief, cancer, hospitalization, microaggressions, racism, bullying
🏒
Twins Phoebe and Dexter are still dealing with their father’s death almost two years before, but in different ways. Phoebe has thrown herself into figure skating with single-minded determination while Dex doesn’t take anything seriously, especially not his place on the hockey team. But when Phoebe’s skating partner gets injured and Dex gets cut from the team, they both realize they need something from the other and pair up in figure skating. Can these siblings work together long enough to make it through to the performance?
⛸️
I love @jesskimwrites middle grade books and this was no exception. As a fan of The Cutting Edge I adored this story. I also enjoyed the growth both characters had as they worked through their grief. A great one for any school library and perfect to recommend as we head into the Winter Olympics!
CW: parental death, grief, cancer, hospitalization, microaggressions, racism, bullying
June 3, 2025
Read this with my 10 yo daughter! It was so well done and a great message! Adored this book and it was perfect for her age range. The characters were relatable, the topics of grief and communication were heavy but approachable, and it had a great feel good ending.
March 24, 2025
Schrodinger's cats, may I introduce you to Schrodinger's books? This book is a bit of a conundrum. It is well written, fun, emotional, thematically consistent, and works as its own thing until you get to the figure skating component. Some of the themes don't quite work at that point because it reads like Kim watched a few movies and based her portrayals of the sport off of those rather than really getting to know the sport. There is no way her brother can learn to skate at the Junior level in 2 months. He doesn't complete any tests, so the highest they'd be able to compete at is Preliminary. That isn't high enough to go to Sectionals qualifying invitationals. They are too young to compete at Junior level, nor are they described as having the technical levels yet, so this hurts the racism theme because she hadn't established that they are on the same level as their main competition who accused them of just being there for Diversity rather than skill level. That team then gets disqualified for being too old, but they actually just got old enough to compete at that level. The look at grief is fantastic. Looking at how sports can consume your life, fantastic. What the emotions of competition day and a fall are like, fantastic. How you go about doing warm-ups or how a competition day goes from a sign in to event, not how it goes. The way moves are described is not how you do them at all. Sure it's not the point of the book, but as a former recreational competitor, it was so bad it was funny. It did hurt some of the themes. I didn't fully care for the figure skating coach. She's often checking out during practice and lessons rather than maintaining control, and doesn't ensure the well-being of her students resulting in a serious injury. The hockey coach is amazing.
I really liked the interpersonal stuff at school, especially the Chloe narrative. There's a lot of great stuff here, especially if kids are dealing with loss of a parent due to death or abandonment, or a sick parent. The characters all feel real. The mom gets some fantastic development as well.
I really liked the interpersonal stuff at school, especially the Chloe narrative. There's a lot of great stuff here, especially if kids are dealing with loss of a parent due to death or abandonment, or a sick parent. The characters all feel real. The mom gets some fantastic development as well.
September 29, 2024
E ARC provided by Netgalley
Twins Phoebe and Dex Bae both skate; Phoebe is a figure skater who is partnered with Pete and hopes to compete in the Golden West competition, and Dex is a hockey player who wants to make the All Star team with his friends Nathan and Gabe. Their father passed away from cancer two years ago, and their mother is struggling to keep her acupunture clinic open, cook, and get the children to their activities. When Pete tears his ACL, Phoebe is devastated that she won't make the competition, since she wants to eventually make it to the US Championship competition. Dex doesn't make the team, and after talking to his friends, thinks it might be because he doesn't have expensive skates like the rest of the players. He asks his mom for the skates, and she tells him that she will buy them... if he partners with Phoebe so she can go to the Golden West competition. He reluctantly agrees, and finds figure skating more of a challenge than he imagined. The two work fairly well together, and even both befriend the new boy at their school, Jason, who has replaced Dex on the team. Phoebe has a crush on him, and is pleasantly surprised that Jason seems to have a lot in common with her. Dex finds out that Jason's father has left his family, and is able to talk to him about what it's like to have lost a father. When Phoebe and Dex are being fitted for costumes, they run into their competition, Max and Ava, who make snide remarks about their mother's Korean accent. This helps Dex to have a reason to do well, but he is also enjoying figure skating. When Dex accidentally breaks the coach's windshield, he ends up tutoring the coaches nephews at hockey while their mother is being treated for cancer. Dex also helps the boys deal with this traumatic experience, which helps him to process some of his own grief. While the Golden West competition ends with the twins placing fourth, they do get invited to participate in sectionals, which Dex agrees to do. To celebrate, their mother takes them for some Korean barbeque, at a restaurant run by Yumi Chung's mother.
Strengths: We are starting to see more involvement of families in the lives of middle grade characters, and I am so glad. Family plays a large role in the life of kids, and things don't always go smoothly. The Baes have their struggles (Mom can't cook well, the washer goes on the blink, they are all grieving in their own way), but work together. I particularly loved that Dex didn't give Phoebe a hard time about liking Jason, and even wanted to help the two of them get together, much like Ken helping his sister date his friend Steve in duJardin's Marcy Rhodes books! There was even a little friend drama with Phoebe and her former friend Chloe, and it was good to see them work that out. Lots of healthy relationships, lots of sports, and lots of leftover curry. Appreciated the character cross over with the author's other book; this helped me place it in Los Angeles.
Weaknesses: While all of the elements of the plot worked really well together, and the view of processing grief was very realistic and helpful, I have come to the conclusion that the only thing worse than grieving is reading about others who are. This will not be the reaction of all readers, but we should be mindful that it will be the reaction of some.
What I Really Think: This is a good choice for readers who liked the hockey in Irwin's Captain Skidmark or Siqqiqui's Bhai for Now or the figure skating in Chen's The Comeback or Maia and Alex Shibutani's Kudo Kids books.
Twins Phoebe and Dex Bae both skate; Phoebe is a figure skater who is partnered with Pete and hopes to compete in the Golden West competition, and Dex is a hockey player who wants to make the All Star team with his friends Nathan and Gabe. Their father passed away from cancer two years ago, and their mother is struggling to keep her acupunture clinic open, cook, and get the children to their activities. When Pete tears his ACL, Phoebe is devastated that she won't make the competition, since she wants to eventually make it to the US Championship competition. Dex doesn't make the team, and after talking to his friends, thinks it might be because he doesn't have expensive skates like the rest of the players. He asks his mom for the skates, and she tells him that she will buy them... if he partners with Phoebe so she can go to the Golden West competition. He reluctantly agrees, and finds figure skating more of a challenge than he imagined. The two work fairly well together, and even both befriend the new boy at their school, Jason, who has replaced Dex on the team. Phoebe has a crush on him, and is pleasantly surprised that Jason seems to have a lot in common with her. Dex finds out that Jason's father has left his family, and is able to talk to him about what it's like to have lost a father. When Phoebe and Dex are being fitted for costumes, they run into their competition, Max and Ava, who make snide remarks about their mother's Korean accent. This helps Dex to have a reason to do well, but he is also enjoying figure skating. When Dex accidentally breaks the coach's windshield, he ends up tutoring the coaches nephews at hockey while their mother is being treated for cancer. Dex also helps the boys deal with this traumatic experience, which helps him to process some of his own grief. While the Golden West competition ends with the twins placing fourth, they do get invited to participate in sectionals, which Dex agrees to do. To celebrate, their mother takes them for some Korean barbeque, at a restaurant run by Yumi Chung's mother.
Strengths: We are starting to see more involvement of families in the lives of middle grade characters, and I am so glad. Family plays a large role in the life of kids, and things don't always go smoothly. The Baes have their struggles (Mom can't cook well, the washer goes on the blink, they are all grieving in their own way), but work together. I particularly loved that Dex didn't give Phoebe a hard time about liking Jason, and even wanted to help the two of them get together, much like Ken helping his sister date his friend Steve in duJardin's Marcy Rhodes books! There was even a little friend drama with Phoebe and her former friend Chloe, and it was good to see them work that out. Lots of healthy relationships, lots of sports, and lots of leftover curry. Appreciated the character cross over with the author's other book; this helped me place it in Los Angeles.
Weaknesses: While all of the elements of the plot worked really well together, and the view of processing grief was very realistic and helpful, I have come to the conclusion that the only thing worse than grieving is reading about others who are. This will not be the reaction of all readers, but we should be mindful that it will be the reaction of some.
What I Really Think: This is a good choice for readers who liked the hockey in Irwin's Captain Skidmark or Siqqiqui's Bhai for Now or the figure skating in Chen's The Comeback or Maia and Alex Shibutani's Kudo Kids books.
June 22, 2025
12yo Phoebe and Dax are twins. Both are skaters. Phoebe is a competitive figure skater, but when her partner tears his ACL, she will miss her final qualifying event. Dax has been on the same hockey team for the past 5 years. But at tryouts for the all-star elite team, Dax plays a practical joke on some teammates. A new kid is picked for goalie, and Dax doesn't make the team. Desperate to improve his skills and get back on the team, as well as earn some fancy skates the rest of the team wears, Dax agrees to be Phoebe's new partner.
I love that On Thin Ice is told in alternating perspectives - Phoebe's and Dax's. Although there isn't hockey action, boys will enjoy this as much as girls. The cover picture makes it look like a romance, and while there is a little bit of match making and a crush, it's a family story, about grieving for their father who died and learning to help each other. Jessica Kim seems to make her characters 12 when they could easily be 13 or 14. I hope the suggested readership of 9-12 doesn't turn off the older readers, or prevent Jr. high librarians from purchasing. The Bae family is Korean.
I love that On Thin Ice is told in alternating perspectives - Phoebe's and Dax's. Although there isn't hockey action, boys will enjoy this as much as girls. The cover picture makes it look like a romance, and while there is a little bit of match making and a crush, it's a family story, about grieving for their father who died and learning to help each other. Jessica Kim seems to make her characters 12 when they could easily be 13 or 14. I hope the suggested readership of 9-12 doesn't turn off the older readers, or prevent Jr. high librarians from purchasing. The Bae family is Korean.
April 9, 2025
In ON THIN ICE twins Phoebe and Dexter are both athletes—Phoebe a figure skater and Dex a hockey goalie. When Phoebe’s skating partner is injured and won’t be able to skate in an upcoming competition and Dexter is cut from his hockey team after one two many antics irritate his coach, the two come together to form an unlikely figure skating duo. As they learn to work together as a pair so they can skate in the competition, they also navigate their grief over the loss of their father to an illness two years ago.
The use of dual points of view allows readers to see events unfold from both Phoebe and Dex’s perspectives. While the twins are set up as opposites—Phoebe a high achieving perfectionist and Dex a disorganized goofball—they share a deep sense of loss due to their father’s death, even though those feelings surface in different ways. Friendship drama for both plus a hint of a first romance for Phoebe help to lighten the mood and make the content relatable for readers. A great middle grade read for those who enjoy sibling rivalry and sports storylines.
The use of dual points of view allows readers to see events unfold from both Phoebe and Dex’s perspectives. While the twins are set up as opposites—Phoebe a high achieving perfectionist and Dex a disorganized goofball—they share a deep sense of loss due to their father’s death, even though those feelings surface in different ways. Friendship drama for both plus a hint of a first romance for Phoebe help to lighten the mood and make the content relatable for readers. A great middle grade read for those who enjoy sibling rivalry and sports storylines.
October 16, 2024
Thank you to Penguin Young Readers for providing me with an eARC!
This was such a fun and compelling read, with an emotional core. I came for the ice skating/hockey sister/brother duo and ended up getting to read a really heartfelt story about grief and growing up, but also still being a child. When twins Phoebe and Dex both have something derail their skating goals, they end up competing in a pairs figure skating competition as partners, and growing close again along the way as they grow up and learn to talk about the grief of their dad passing two years before. I think Jessica Kim writes a great balance of fun and growing and heavier issues that makes the book engaging and enjoyable to read. Even though I can’t directly write to 12 year olds anymore, I found myself really interested in Phoebe and Dex’s story and enjoyed seeing them grow. I think they get to be kids, while also acknowledging the challenges they both generally face as kids, and as Korean-Americans. This feels like a book that can be great for middle grade readers but can also appeal to older readers like it did to me!
This was such a fun and compelling read, with an emotional core. I came for the ice skating/hockey sister/brother duo and ended up getting to read a really heartfelt story about grief and growing up, but also still being a child. When twins Phoebe and Dex both have something derail their skating goals, they end up competing in a pairs figure skating competition as partners, and growing close again along the way as they grow up and learn to talk about the grief of their dad passing two years before. I think Jessica Kim writes a great balance of fun and growing and heavier issues that makes the book engaging and enjoyable to read. Even though I can’t directly write to 12 year olds anymore, I found myself really interested in Phoebe and Dex’s story and enjoyed seeing them grow. I think they get to be kids, while also acknowledging the challenges they both generally face as kids, and as Korean-Americans. This feels like a book that can be great for middle grade readers but can also appeal to older readers like it did to me!
July 4, 2025
I didn't really enjoy this book but I think kids will so I'll give it three stars.
I just did not like Phoebe. She expects everyone to think and do the same things she does and thinks. When she's paired up with a former friend to make a science project, she makes an absolutely stupid suggestion of using a book as the platform for the vehicle they're supposed to put together and then gets mad when her partner immediately dismissed that idea. Well, it's an utterly stupid idea. Why would you use a book as the base for a vehicle? It makes no sense. Did she even think before she spoke? Then she keeps insisting a small book would work. Like, seriously, let it go and listen to your partner. A book is too heavy, too un-aerodynamic, and there's so many other things to use that would work better. But no; she just gets all bent out of shape over her stupid nonsense suggestion. I know she's 12 or whatever but get over yourself drama queen.
I just did not like Phoebe. She expects everyone to think and do the same things she does and thinks. When she's paired up with a former friend to make a science project, she makes an absolutely stupid suggestion of using a book as the platform for the vehicle they're supposed to put together and then gets mad when her partner immediately dismissed that idea. Well, it's an utterly stupid idea. Why would you use a book as the base for a vehicle? It makes no sense. Did she even think before she spoke? Then she keeps insisting a small book would work. Like, seriously, let it go and listen to your partner. A book is too heavy, too un-aerodynamic, and there's so many other things to use that would work better. But no; she just gets all bent out of shape over her stupid nonsense suggestion. I know she's 12 or whatever but get over yourself drama queen.
January 29, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Phoebe and Dex are twins who are dealing with problems on and off the ice. Phoebe, a figure skater, must figure out how to compete in her figure skating competition after her partner gets injured. Dex, a hockey player, grapples with responsibility after his antics get him kicked off his hockey team. Together, they work together as they skate, relying on their twin bond after the loss of their dad. As a twin whose brother is a hockey player, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it incredibly relatable! The relationships were fun to read about, and the character arcs—especially Dex's—were compelling. I'd highly recommend this book to any middle-grade reader once it is published on February 25!
Thanks to Kokila at Penguin Young Readers Group and Netgalley for an e-ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
Phoebe and Dex are twins who are dealing with problems on and off the ice. Phoebe, a figure skater, must figure out how to compete in her figure skating competition after her partner gets injured. Dex, a hockey player, grapples with responsibility after his antics get him kicked off his hockey team. Together, they work together as they skate, relying on their twin bond after the loss of their dad. As a twin whose brother is a hockey player, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it incredibly relatable! The relationships were fun to read about, and the character arcs—especially Dex's—were compelling. I'd highly recommend this book to any middle-grade reader once it is published on February 25!
Thanks to Kokila at Penguin Young Readers Group and Netgalley for an e-ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
November 9, 2024
A light story of brother/sister bonding reminiscent of the movie "The Cutting Edge" right down to "toe pick!" But although it was mentioned throughout the story, the last few chapters became all about the siblings and their mom dealing with grief about Dad's death, so that was a somewhat unexpected twist in the main theme. Other threads were not explored much after being introduced: Phoebe's attraction to the new boy took a backseat to skating rivalry; her sense that Mom didn't care as much about her as Dex was also mentioned once, then dropped until some random confrontation later; Dex's feelings of being left out by his friends after being dropped from the hockey team; and even his character trait of pulling pranks and being immature was not explored all that deeply.
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April 7, 2025On Thin Ice is a middle grade novel about twelve-year-old skating twins grappling with immense grief in different ways.
Phoebe is a serious figure skater focused on the next big completion. Dexter is more of the class clown who loves his hockey teammates but tries not to take anything too seriously. When Phoebe’s partner gets injured and Dexter doesn’t make this season’s team, their mom suggests Dexter fills in as Phoebe’s partner for the rest of the season.
I loved the way we saw grief explored through these two different personalities. Phoebe is more internal with her grief while Dexter covers his grief with pranks and jokes. Will they learn that grieving together is more manageable than grieving alone?
Phoebe is a serious figure skater focused on the next big completion. Dexter is more of the class clown who loves his hockey teammates but tries not to take anything too seriously. When Phoebe’s partner gets injured and Dexter doesn’t make this season’s team, their mom suggests Dexter fills in as Phoebe’s partner for the rest of the season.
I loved the way we saw grief explored through these two different personalities. Phoebe is more internal with her grief while Dexter covers his grief with pranks and jokes. Will they learn that grieving together is more manageable than grieving alone?
February 24, 2025
For fans of Disney’s GO FIGURE, this laugh-out-loud and heartfelt story features a sibling rivalry told from their viewpoints. The Bae family is struggling with the death of its patriarch. If being a preteen isn’t bad enough, throw in grief for your dad, the man they wanted to make proud. Then everything goes wrong to make everything right… Phoebe and Dexter end up being the pair in the figure skating competition. This story pulled at my heartstrings as I felt their feels when they poured out their emotions in their routine, a step to healing. The author tackled a heavy issue with grace and heart. Well done.
March 1, 2025
Ok this book was emotional you’ve been warned! It deals heavily with loss of a parent!!
Phoebe and Dex are twins but they couldn’t be more different! One lives and breathes figure skating and one hockey!! Phoebe is driven and Dex is struggling to find his place on his hockey team!!
It was really something to see these two twins work together and Dex be there for his sister when her partner is injured and can’t compete. He learns to figure skate and everything for her!
It reminded me of battle of the blades when hockey skaters learn to figure skate and compete against each other.
Such a fun read!! So glad I was recommended this on Libby!!
Phoebe and Dex are twins but they couldn’t be more different! One lives and breathes figure skating and one hockey!! Phoebe is driven and Dex is struggling to find his place on his hockey team!!
It was really something to see these two twins work together and Dex be there for his sister when her partner is injured and can’t compete. He learns to figure skate and everything for her!
It reminded me of battle of the blades when hockey skaters learn to figure skate and compete against each other.
Such a fun read!! So glad I was recommended this on Libby!!
March 11, 2025
Twins Dex and Phoebe are both reeling from their father's death and dealing with it in their own way. The only thing they really have in common is their love of being on the ice: Phoebe as an ice skater and Dex as a hockey player. But when Dex gets cut from the team and roped into filling in for Phoebe's injured ice-skating partner, they realize that they might have more in common than they think and being on the same team is just what they need.
I absolutely loved this story! It beautifully highlights how, despite our differences, we can come together, support one another, and even discover that we make a great team.
I absolutely loved this story! It beautifully highlights how, despite our differences, we can come together, support one another, and even discover that we make a great team.
March 17, 2025
This heartwarming and inspiring novel explores the complex dynamics of sibling relationships, as characters navigate personal challenges and discover the strength they find in teamwork. Readers who are passionate about sports, family bonds, and stories of resilience will be captivated by the characters' journeys as they learn valuable lessons about sportsmanship, perseverance, and the unwavering support that can be found within a family. Through heartwarming narratives and relatable experiences, this book celebrates the power of unity and the triumph of the human spirit in overcoming obstacles.
April 13, 2025
I was pleasantly surprised by how much my 10 y.o. son enjoyed this middle-grade sports fiction, which we read together. He’s more into video gaming and baseball than ice skating, but the on point teenspeak and pop culture references—and the fun skating competition element—drew him in. In fact, there was SO much current lingo and culture that I worry this book will feel really dated in 5 years. (At one point, a couple of kids admire a teacher’s Tesla. That didn’t age well.)
I admire the author for tackling some pretty heavy topics—grief, racism, exclusion—without weighing down the plot. We’d try another book by this author!
I admire the author for tackling some pretty heavy topics—grief, racism, exclusion—without weighing down the plot. We’d try another book by this author!
May 4, 2025
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*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review*
3.5/5 Stars
Twelve year old fraternal twins Phoebe and Dex are complete opposites other then their love for skating. One is a figure skater, while the other plays hockey. When Phoebe's partner is injured two months before a big competition, she is devastated she won't be able to compete. Dex is unexpectedly cut from his hockey team, their mother suggests that he become Phoebe's new partner.
This is a middle grade novel that was both heartbreaking and sweet at the same time. There is a lot of discussion surrounding grief not only with the twins, but their mother and friends as well. Phoebe and Dex lost their father two years ago to cancer, and it was nice to see them bonding again over their love for him. The sibling relationship was great and I liked that we got the POV of both siblings, which allowed the reader to feel more connected to them as individuals. This also explores Phoebe's first crush, which is super cute. I listened to this on audio, with dual narrators and think they both did a great job bringing the siblings to life!
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review*
3.5/5 Stars
Twelve year old fraternal twins Phoebe and Dex are complete opposites other then their love for skating. One is a figure skater, while the other plays hockey. When Phoebe's partner is injured two months before a big competition, she is devastated she won't be able to compete. Dex is unexpectedly cut from his hockey team, their mother suggests that he become Phoebe's new partner.
This is a middle grade novel that was both heartbreaking and sweet at the same time. There is a lot of discussion surrounding grief not only with the twins, but their mother and friends as well. Phoebe and Dex lost their father two years ago to cancer, and it was nice to see them bonding again over their love for him. The sibling relationship was great and I liked that we got the POV of both siblings, which allowed the reader to feel more connected to them as individuals. This also explores Phoebe's first crush, which is super cute. I listened to this on audio, with dual narrators and think they both did a great job bringing the siblings to life!
April 13, 2025
Yes, figure skating and hockey were represented and there was a competition, but the discussions on grief, responsibility, and other related topics, I felt, were more of the point of this book. This book is also aspiration to how conversations should go between people. There was a beautiful discussion between the twins' mom and Dex. While I understand the ending, I kind of wanted to know what happen. This book would benefit from being a movie in order to see the figure skating and how the characters showed their artistry. A graphic novel could convey it, but I would like to see it brought to life in some way, such as live action or animation.
February 13, 2025
This middle grade book contained a beautiful blend of many topics without feeling like too much. While the story focuses largely around the topic of grief and the many ways kids (and adults) work through it, it also manages to weave in themes of friendship, light romance, maturing, and repairing sibling relationships all centered around a backdrop of hockey and figure skating. I think that this will appeal to a wide range of middle grade readers.
Thank you Libro.fm for the ALC!
Thank you Libro.fm for the ALC!
March 5, 2025
I liked this SO much. So many of these topics will appeal to our upper middle grade readers:
-hockey AND ice skating!
-sibling relationships that are imperfect but full of love and incredibly realistic
-just over 200 pages!!!
Good for many reasons!
Wanted to add a warning that grief and loss due to cancer is a huge topic, and for some kids that might be too raw (for others they want/need that in their lives) - but good to know either way.
-hockey AND ice skating!
-sibling relationships that are imperfect but full of love and incredibly realistic
-just over 200 pages!!!
Good for many reasons!
Wanted to add a warning that grief and loss due to cancer is a huge topic, and for some kids that might be too raw (for others they want/need that in their lives) - but good to know either way.
March 10, 2025
This was a cute middle grade book about twins who are into skating. Phoebe is a figure skater with ambition to win the next pairs competition. Dexter is a hockey player. When Phoebe's partner gets injured and Dexter gets cut from the team, the two have to work together to become a pairs figure skating team. This is great for middle grade readers who love sports book with a lot of drama.
I received a digital ARC thanks to the publisher and NetGalley.
I received a digital ARC thanks to the publisher and NetGalley.
November 20, 2025
I was hoping for more sports action in this book and thought it would be when I ordered it; it is more realistic fiction though with the dead parent (of course we have a dead parent because that’s apparently the main problem for tweens these days) and aftermath of that with grief. Adults will love this book though and that was probably the intent of the author. This adult doesn’t want MS books written for me though.
February 25, 2025
I think this is what so many middle grade readers are looking for. I hear many girls asking for books about friendships and romance. While this certainly isn’t a romance book, it deals with crushes, which is very much on the minds of many tweens and teens. I love the themes of family and friendship. Of learning about oneself, taking responsibility, and living dreams.
June 26, 2025
Phoebe is a competitive figures skater and her twin Dex is obsessed with hockey. Fate throws them together when Phoebe’s partner is injured and Dex is cut from his team – their mom insists that Dex skate with Phoebe. While they work through their skating issues, they end up working on their shared real issue – coming to terms with the death of their father.
September 11, 2024
very cute! the sibling relationship was the center (as it should be) and done really well. i liked the arcs both twins went through, especially with their relationship to each other, to their mother, and to grief/their father.
March 24, 2025
This was a cute book but it really delves into grief about death of a parent. So be prepared for it to get really emotional. I also feel like it shows what kids are like and their passions, the growth they go through. Good book.
May 7, 2025
Such a cute MG novel about learning to cope with grief and be there for your twin and navigating back to a friendship after both sides have been hurt. So much packed into this great book and the audio was awesome. A definitely one to include in MG collections as it tackles so many issues well!
June 26, 2025
This was a good book. I enjoyed the audiobook. It’s right in the middle of lower and upper middle grade. I liked seeing the family come together. If you like skating books then this would be good for you.
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