Crushing It

by Erin Becker

From debut author Erin Becker comes an action-packed but tender novel about first romance, queer identity, and learning how to be brave when it matters the most.

On the soccer field, Magic Mel is in her element. She’s ready to lead her team to victory at the city championship in her new role as captain. Off the field, however, is a totally different story. Mel can’t get a handle on her class presentation, her friend group has completely dissolved, and her ex-friend-current-teammate, Tory, is being the worst. The only place she feels like herself is in her text conversations where she shares her secret poetry with BTtoYouPlease.

Tory McNally, on the other hand, is keeping everything together, thank you very much. So what if her mom is more preoccupied with her craft projects and new husband than her, or that she’s down to one IRL friend because of annoying, overly peppy “Magic” Mel? She’s perfectly fine, and even when she maybe isn’t, she’s got NotEmilyD to text with.

As the championships loom closer, everything around Mel and Tory starts to get more and more the dynamics on the field, the rift between their friend group, and, as they connect anonymously online, maybe even their feelings for each other . . .

Genres: Middle Grade, Sports, LGBT, Romance, Contemporary, Friendship, Lesbian

Audible Audio

First published August 6, 2024

About the author

Erin Becker is an author and marketer living in Washington, DC. She grew up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, studied English and creative writing at UNC-Chapel Hill, and holds her MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her debut novel is Crushing It, an "enemies-to-first-crushes" story for middle grade readers, published by Penguin Random House and chosen as a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. When she’s not writing, you can find Erin at the gym, or occasionally playing soccer (though not nearly as well as the protagonists of her novel). Learn more and connect with Erin at erinbecker.me.

Reviews

[Ali L · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a wonderful, honest book about how incredibly crappy and great and confusing and hard it is to be thirteen. Friendship breakups, family struggles, sports (as a testament to how little I know about soccer, I was unable to follow even these middle school games but that’s a me problem not a book problem), and first crushes are all examined with both sensitivity and raw realism — god, being a teenager was difficult. (Being an adult is also difficult but at least we get to swear now). Five out of five soccer balls, would recommend.

[Dolly · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 ⭐

This book is "crushing it" literally. Absolute gem of a book. Maybe I should read middle grade queer romances more often.

[Stephanie Rondeau · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite MG books I’ve read—the characters feel so real, the storylines all weave together seamlessly, and the pacing is perfect. Told in dual POV, there are so many relatable MG-age feelings and issues wrapped into each girl’s voice. There’s so much to love about this story—not the least of which is the adorable enemies-to-crushes journey!

[Jennifer Brinkmeyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Advanced reader here! This was such a fun read. I thought often of how much my 8 yo daughter will love to read it when she is in middle school. This story portrays multi-faceted female characters that she can relate to.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!! What a standout Middle Grade debut this was!!! One of the best ones I've read all year by far, this book tackles BIG feelings and has important messages about learning how to be brave, be a good friend, daughter, sister and how to apologize and forgive when people let you down.

Told from the POV of two friends who having a falling out, this story is multi-layered one about four former best friends and soccer teammates who learn how to forgive one another and show up for one another. There is also a fun online penpal element, poetry interspersed throughout and a heartwarming first crush Sapphic romance.

EXCELLENT on audio narrated by Bailey Carr and Elsa Lepeccki Bean, this is one NOT to miss and is perfect for fans of books like Key player by Kelly Yang or The beautiful game by Yamile Saied Méndez. Many thanks to @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review! I cannot wait to read what Erin Becker writes next!!

[Christie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soccer, friendship issues, crushes, middle school drama, public speaking anxiety, poetry, online connections, redemption, finding our own way, family struggles, imposter syndrome, and more, This book will resonate with readers in grade 5-8. It provides opportunities for readers to ask themselves questions, to consider how to treat others and what to accept from others in how they treat you, and how to speak up and show bravery. This book is interesting, meaningful and relatable.

A CHAMPION in my opinion.

Could pair well with:
Redwood and Ponytail by KA Holt, A High Five for Glenn Burke by Phil Bildner, Booked by Kwame Alexander, The Best at It by Maulik Pancholy, Play Like a Girl by Misty Wilson, Tryouts by Sarah Sax, Chunky by Mercado, Hoops by Tavares, Fortune Tellers by Lisa Greenwald

I'm thrilled that a physical arc of Crushing it made its way to the #LitReviewCrew and that I got to read and review it first. Thanks for sending it our way.

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

CRUSHING IT was everything I wanted in a middle grade contemporary. I loved the raw and extremely relatable friendships, and I’m so thankful this book tackles the difficult topic of friendships that have fallen apart or changed. The budding romance and confusion it brings was also so well done. I think too often we assume that our middle schoolers have it all figured out, and we overlook their needs. This book tackles not only the emotional needs but the physical ones, too, and I’m very thankful the author included the challenges of communicating those needs with our parents or friends.

Whether it was moments “feeling like a big person squished into a small body” or “when you’re little, you can be friends with anyone. And then when you’re older, everything changes,” this book has SO many quotable moments and excellent conversation starters. It invites participation among friends and teachers / parents to their readers.

Students will definitely find themselves drawn to the complexities of both Mel and Tori, finding comfort in their prose and verse confessions. And for those students, who, like me, love a great sports story, they will not be disappointed with the author’s expertise of what really happens on and off the field with a competitive team.

[Frank Scherrman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a great Middle School book about finding yourself and friendships. I loved the main characters and the storyline is quick paced to keep you engaged throughout. Written by a former Warrior, you know I am so proud to recommend this book to anyone who wants to feel good! Can’t wait to read your next one Erin!

[Stan Yan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aggravatingly good, because it authentically portrays what we do to ourselves in middle school because we fail to communicate and assume. I suppose adults do that a lot too, but I remember so much of my frustration at that age coming from a lack of ability or desire to communicate in an effort to avoid embarrassment.

[Alyssa Pedrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a heartwarming, fun book! From soccer and school to family and friendship, Crushing It dives into it all. It’s told in dual POV, and I adored both of the main characters in very different ways. For anyone who loves stories about first crushes and finding yourself, this is a must-read!

[Carey Hanlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a delightful queer coming of age / first love story!

Through a dual first person POV following soccer teammates Tory and Mel, the book explores themes like the complicated nature of change - how some change is good and some can be challenging, and how change can make us feel insecure and act in ways that conflict with who we want to be.

It’s also got great lessons on understanding why someone might hurt you, and how to reconcile that someone who cares deeply for you can also be a person who causes you a lot of hurt.

There’s also a pleasant nostalgic aspect to how the book sort of reclaims social media as something that can connect us beyond our baggage instead of dividing us further.

This is a great book for young people (and older people too!) who are deciding who and what they want to be.

[ASU Lib · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pre-Read: Super thankful to have won this ARC in a giveaway! Thank you to Penguin Random House LLC for sending it to us! I'll start reading it as soon as I can!


If you’re looking for a novel that deftly balances the thrills of sports with the tender complexities of teen friendships and romance, Crushing It by Erin Becker is your next read. This debut is a delightful rollercoaster of emotions, and it’s one you’ll be glad you hopped on.

Both Mel and Tory were delightful characters and the Becker captures the emotions of them at that age is phenomenal. I haven't read a middle-grade book in a long time, but I can honestly say this one is worth reading even as an adult.

Becker’s storytelling is very well done, capturing the angst and excitement of teenage life with a deft touch. Crushing It is a must-read if you’re into stories that mix athletic prowess with emotional depth and a touch of modern romance. You’ll find yourself cheering for these characters as they tackle both the big game and the even bigger challenges of growing up.


Read and Reviewed by Katelyn from the ASU Three Rivers Library

[lyraand]

"This contemporary, dual-POV middle grade novel is an enemies-to-first-crushes story following two 13-year-old girls whose fierce rivalry on the soccer field is complicated by their burgeoning feelings for each other."

[A.M. Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This books is completely adorable and the "enemies to crushes" is just the sweetest thing ever! I absolutely love that we get a dual POV for this story and the voices sound distinct and authentic.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Mel is an avid soccer player who lives with her supportive parents and her older sister, Emily, who has become distant since she is in high school and dedicated to writing poetry. Tory lives with her mother, who has recently married Eddison, as well as her new stepbrother, Terrance, who is 18. The two both play on the same soccer team in Crooked Creek, Iowa, and used to be best friends. They were in the "Fearsome Foursome" with Rima, who has remained friends with Mel, and Chloe, who still talks to Tory, but after Tory made unforgiveable remarks about Mel, the two don't speak. In the days leading up to the 8th grade City Championship, there's a lot of drama going on. Mel has taken to writing poetry, but doesn't want her sister to find out. She has been communicating with BTtoYou and exchanging poetry, as well as talking about life challenges that she can't share with anyone else. Rima is running for student body president, and after the school paper endorses the boy she is running against, she asks Mel to give a speech on her behalf. The only problem is that Mel is terrified of giving speeches. This comes up when she is paired with Tory on a science project. Tory is very meticulous in everything she does, and tries to control the chaos in her family life by being very organized and focused. She doesn't want Mel to blow their chance at an A. Tory likes her step brother, and wants to impress him, since he is more involved in her life than her own mother is most of the time. Tory has also been chatting with someone online, and since the book is written in a dual perspective, we know that the girls are texting each other. It turns out that Tory made a mean comment about Mel because she had a crush on her friend, and was afraid to let anyone find out. Mel also has a crush on Tory, and the two have to find a way to overcome their past history and explore this new relationship.
Strengths: There are some good details about soccer, as well as the drama involved with team dynamics. Tory's relationship with her mother is interesting, and I like that we even get a glimpse of Mel and Emily's connection. Middle grade novels really should include a lot more descriptions of families, because they do affect tweens very strongly. There's a good balance between school, home, and soccer. Readers who want romance will enjoy the happy ending.
Weaknesses: There may be some middle schools with student body presidential elections and newspapers, but my school hasn't had either since the early 1990s. The practice of letting students work unsupervised in the halls has also been stopped. This could be different at other schools. It's always hard for me to believe the coincidence of two people who know each other in real life connecting on line, but it is a frequent occurrence in middle grade novels.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Dee's Star-Crossed but would rather read about soccer than theater.

[Victoria Horn · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could give this book a million glow-in-the-dark stars, I absolutely would. Five doesn’t even begin to cover it. A friend of mine who went to college with the author gifted a copy of “Crushing It” to the local library where I work (if you’re reading this, Erin, it was Katie S.!), and I am beyond stoked to process it for our collection! I love everything about this book: main characters, supporting cast, format, plot, subject, setting, everything. Becker covers so many aspects of young teenage girlhood: friendship breakups; team/group dynamics; new and confusing crush feelings (and how to even identify them outside of heterosexual norms); divorce, remarriage, and new family members; the struggle to find your voice, in public and in private; and the internal conflict between who you are and who everyone expects you to be. Becker covers so much ground with ease, setting up and clearing internal and external obstacles along the way to a beautiful ending worthy of her own winning-goal Gatorade shower.

I’m not always a huge fan of slipping between perspectives, but I am blown away by the ease with which Becker takes us between Mel and Tory’s points of view, no switch of perspective feeling jarring or confusing. I may be biased as an avid writer and consumer of poetry, but I adored the addition of verse to move plot and deepen connections between and to characters. But the shining star of this book is the depth of nuance behind each narrator’s relationships to each other, to their friends, to their family members and soccer teammates. Although eighth grade feels about a million years ago for this nearly-30-year-old, I felt like I was thirteen again reading this book, relating so much to the complicated ways relationships shift and settle at that age. Thirteen is painful and beautiful and so very confusing in so many different ways but especially in navigating friendships and crushes. Mel and Tory feel so accurate to their age in the way they communicate (or don’t communicate) and work through the changes that come with being on that narrow space between childhood and young adulthood. I went through every emotional shift with Mel and Tory, catching myself smiling at their antics, growing teary-eyed at times, and yearning toward a happy ending for both of them.

I can’t over-exaggerate how precious this book will be to readers of all ages, but especially middle-school girls looking for characters alongside whom they can work through similar feelings about friends, teammates, families, and first crushes. I am so beyond glad Erin Becker wrote this book. I cannot wait to see what comes next for this talented author.

[Jenna (Falling Letters) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review originally published 20 October 2024 at Falling Letters. I received a free copy from the author.

I don’t seek out sports books but the last middle grade I read and reviewed here is also a sports book lol. So for comparison’s sake, I felt Crushing It is a bit less ‘sporty’ than Keeping Pace . The protagonists’ participation in a soccer tournament is a key plot point, but practicing and playing soccer doesn’t occupy too much page time. There’s a balance here that should satisfy both soccer fans and those who have never played before. Notably, both books also have a strong romance plot.

Where Crushing It shines is in its portrayal of the dynamic relationship between Mel and Tory. This is a friends to enemies to crushes story, an uncommon plot in middle grade (I personally can’t think of any other titles that feature this). Both girls have to contend with mistakes they’ve made in their friendships and the difficult yet necessary growth that comes from it – something many girls experience at this age.

It has been a minute since I read such an angry middle grade protagonist! And Tory’s rightly angry. Even though the reader may feel frustrated with Tory, I hope readers would either find relatability or gain perspective through her character – depending on whether they identify with Tory’s experience or whether they have a friend like Tory. I acknolwedge readers may also find Mel irritating, with her puppy dog friendliness and seemingly lack of ability to lead or take iniatitive, but Tory’s ‘meanness’ and anger may make her a clearer target for reader frustration. I can recall my own middle school experience with friends who had a lot in common with Mel and Tory. You love them but they can cause you a good amount of suffering at that age! Especially when no one really knows how to communicate with each other.

I was wary the story would withold the reason for Mel and Tory’s falling out for too long, but thankfully that wasn’t the case. I also enjoyed how the storyline unfolds with differences between which protagonist knows what, in terms of A) the root cause of their falling out, B) the true identity of her online penpal, and C) her crush on the other girl. It kept me invested to see how things were going to play out.

A few assorted notes to wrap up: Both Mel and Tory experience some family challenges, but they’re not as center-stage as in other middle grade stories. Chloe and Rima, the friends Mel and Tory turn to after their friendship breakup, are developed enough for their roles in the story. The poem about the alien scientist made me think of my favourite band Cloud Cult. See "Alien Christ" and other songs that may sound like silly little stories to begin with but actually provoke deeper thoughts). I ‘sung’ the poem as I read it, which I never do while reading.

The Bottom Line 💭 I may not keep an eye out for middle grade sports book, but I do keep an eye out for middle grade queer books, and Crushing It hits the mark on both. With refreshingly flawed and realistic protagonists, the dynamic relationships in Crushing It make this a contemporary middle grade worth picking up.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC read. A complex friendship story with great soccer action. The Fearsome Foursome were besties and teammates until a fight split them in two and then two again. But there isn’t really any space or closure to friendship drama when you spend all your time together in class and on the field, and in the case of Mel and Tory, as school message board buddies without knowing each others identities. As they play toward the soccer championship we see Tory and Mel’s relationship ebb and flow from enemies to indifference to maybe friends to crushes in the morass of their other friendships and family dynamics. I loved that one of the messages in this book is that your friends (or frenemies!) always have their own things going on that even their besties might not know about. That can be such a hard lesson to internalize at this time when everyone is trying to find their place in the world and have big main character energy. It is good to have a reminder that everyone is the main character in their own lives too. But it comes with this equally important theme: “just because Tory is dealing with something doesn’t mean she gets to treat me like this.” Brava! I think that dovetails with another message in the book: you can’t fix your friends problems. We see if from a few different perspectives with Mel, where even if the other girls mean well, they need to let her work through her issues on her own. How to support a friend without stepping in for them is a difficult balance, and I think it is handled so well here. Highly recommend!

[just.one.more.paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review originally appeared on the book review blog: Just One More Pa(i)ge.

As you may have noticed, I don't reward a lot of middle grade/chapter books. Every once in awhile I'll pick one up, and I'm usually impressed (see Other Words for Home), but it's just not a primary reading type for me. However, a few weeks ago, Erin Becker (who I met while at undergrad at UNC) reached out about her debut novel coming out shortly, this novel, and asked if I'd be willing to review it. Well, if you follow me at all, you'll know I just recently posted about Cleat Cute, which I picked up because it was sapphic and soccer-themed, two things very close to my heart. Well, this book had those same primary themes (plus a few others), so, naturally, I decided I had to give it a try.

*An early e-version of this book was provided to me in exchange for a review. The thoughts/comments in this review are entirely my own honest opinions.*

Quick synopsis: Mel and Tory used to be best friends, but a falling out last year changed that. Nw, even though they still play together on the same soccer team, and are in the same classes at school, things just aren't the same. And they could really use the support, with everything they're dealing with. Mel isn't sure she's cut out to be captain, is struggling with nerves over a class presentation, and isn't sure she has anyone she can tell (other than her anonymous text-friend) about the poetry she's been working on. Tory may be outwardly put together, but inside, she's falling apart, as her mother's focus on crafts and her new husband doesn't seem to leave any time for Tory, and she doesn't feel like she has anyone she can confide in (other than her secret text-friend) about liking girls. As the end of the school year looms, with soccer championships and school president elections on the line, Mel and Tory have to figure out how to deal with everything from family problems to friendship changes to soccer field dynamics to their feelings in a real life way, beyond their online conversations.

To start, I was a little worried because, while the issues and internal understanding of themselves and social-emotional puberty changes are spot on for Mel and Tory's 8th grade selves, the narrative voice felt a bit young/childish for that. It was solid, but I wanted them to be in like, 6th grade, not 8th, based on the writing (and, though my own health education work with middle schoolers, how they usually sound to me). However, as I got farther into the novel, the writing got better and more mature. I think perhaps it was just the intro chapters, the "getting to know the characters" basics, that came across more childish. And once I settled into the writing and age, my reading experience smoothed out considerably.

The story itself was tender and delightful. So many very real youth situations found their way into these pages - school and family and friends and sport and extracurricular pressure and expectation and sometimes forgetfulness/leaving behind - and I found it so easy to remember and empathize with Tory and Mel. Middle school is a time of so many changes, and trying to figure them all out, while also discovering yourself, is such a unique and complex journey for everyone. We saw two very different, individual realities for Tory and Mel as they went through this for themselves, but the universality of change was displayed so well.

I particularly loved these relationship situations between/amongst friends (and maybe more than friends?): the complications of things getting more nuanced as one gets older, working to “hold two opposing ideas” at the same time (in their feelings for other people and in their understanding of themselves and the passions/interests they can have), is such a gorgeous message/lesson that all young people have to learn. It's explained in such a clear and relatable way for young readers here. Another highlight for me was the sibling relationships for both Mel and Tory. They both have that mix of exasperation and annoyance and support and mutual jealousy/sadness that comes out as meanness, but also the pure excitement when the other one does something brave. I am always a softie for great, realistic sibling relationships and Becker delivered that here. And of course, the relationship between Tori and Mel - both of them realizing how they actually feel about each other and taking a chance with honesty about it - is so brave and heartwarming. Their little ice cream date to close the book was simply adorbs.

While the closing was, potentially, a bit overly sweet, the happy ending fits the vibe of the storytelling. Plus, it's middle grade, so, I'd want to leave my readers with hopes for a happy ending and positive future for themselves too. Overall, I really enjoyed this young coming of age story. And I think my own middle school self might really have benefitted, might have learned some things for/about myself, from something like it. I may not be a convert to this age-range of books, but I liked and would definitely recommend this one.

“…sometimes I’m lonely and I don’t know why.”

"Here's the thing. When you're little, you can be friends with anyone. And then when you're older, everything changes. One day you turn around and your friends feel like aliens to you, and you feel like an alien to them. Even worse, you're like an alien to yourself, too."

"Messing up / and still trying again, / I'd say finally, That's / the most human thing I know"

"I kind of can't believe this. I've never heard my mom say she did something wrong. I think her way of being the strong one also meant always being right."

"Maybe being magic isn't about being perfect [ ...] Maybe it's taking all the imperfect moments and still making something great. And when things are tough, when something goes wrong, I don't want to choke or run away or give up, or pretend it's okay when it's not, or pretend that I'm someone I'm not, or shove all the stars into a jar. Instead, I want to say, I am who I am. it is what it is. And I get to decide what I'm gonna do next."

"It's scary, letting people in. Maybe the scariest thing on the planet. But you know what? I want this goofy, messy girl to feel the way she makes me feel. And that's worth doing something scary."

"I think I like being more questions than answers. I think I find the mystery delicious."

[KelceyTheLibrarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part of my 2025 PopSugar Reading Challenge: A book about soccer

I think most of us remember the middle school and the teenage years as socially difficult and awkward. This book captures the sentiment perfectly as MCs Tory and Mel struggle with friendship, school, family, sports, their own feelings along with the general struggle of adolescence and figuring out who you are. The book is sweet and clips along yet doesn't shy away from having the characters deal with tough situations and uncomfortable conversations. This is part of a small but steadily growing stream of MG LGBT novels and I love to see the representation combined with excellent storytelling. Soccer fans will definitely appreciate the climb toward the championship driving the story. A lot of the book's central themes use soccer as part of their metaphor so non-soccer fans may not click as much with the novel (but it's still a great read, soccer aside!)

I really liked watching the MCs connect via poetry and their hidden identities (Shakespeare identity crisis anyone?) and the dramatic irony of it is fun for the reader. I loved Terrence and I'm sad when he was written out as a plot device and I kind of wish he had still been around to give that promised advice to Tory.

All in all, a stellar MG pick. I know I say this every time, but seriously, I need to read more MG.

I listened to the first third on audio, but I just read so much faster than someone can read to me! The struggle is real.

[Devin Redmond · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝘊𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐𝘵 by Erin Becker is a book about a group of girls who all grow in what I viewed as unexpected ways, both on the soccer field and in life. The main character is Mel who loves to play soccer. But when Mel is not playing, she’s struggling with two things: her friend group falling apart and her schoolwork. Her main nemesis in the book, Tory, used to be her best friend, and now they don’t talk. The two other girls in the fractured friend group, Rima and Chloe, take side stage to Mel and Tory, especially as Mel and Tory’s online relationship blossoms without either knowing who the other is. Both Mel and Tory aren’t sure what it means when they think they like each other’s online persona. All of the characters felt realistic to me, mostly because they all made mistakes and usually learned from them. Each girl was unlikable at certain times but each showed courage when it was needed. 𝘊𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐𝘵 is good for middle grades and is an LGBTQ romance, a coming of age story, and a sports book.

[Mo Holub · Rating 5 out of 5]

The road to the 8th Grade City Championship has been anything but smooth for Mel and Tory: they're two parts of a used-to-be-best-friends group still reeling from a dramatic falling out for starters, and tack that on top of new family dynamics, identity crises, and a school project that seems determined to make them both fail.

Becker's debut is full of heart, grit, and passion as these two teens learn to dig for their own strengths, stand up for themselves, and maybe, just maybe, make it out the other side of the city championship better for it. Mel and Tory will melt your heart and send you cheering with every shot they take.

Erin- I especially lovedMel's journey with Rima, and learning not just how to stand her ground and create boundaries, but also that sometimes you outgrow friendships and it's okay. People change and it's okay that things don't fit the way they used to, and its equally important to realize when a person is no longer being a positive influence in your life and set those boundaries. That is such an important message for readers of all ages. I am also equally obsessed with Mel's alien scientist. Thank you for this book <3

[Stephanie Affinito · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crushing It by Erin Becker checks all the boxes for a middle grade novel and more. In this book, readers join Mel and Tory as they navigate their way through the soccer championships now that their friend group has fallen apart. When they connect anonymously online over poetry, their lives become increasingly complex as their feelings deepen and they realize there may be more than hate under the surface. This book was the quintessential middle school read filled with friend drama, broken friend groups and the mish-mash of feelings that come with it all. Filled with notebooks, poetry excerpts, misunderstandings and perspective shifts, each character goes on a journey that readers can’t help but get entangled in, both child and adult alike. This book is a lesson in so many things: finding yourself, believing in yourself, standing up for yourself and taking responsibility for yourself too…all surrounded by soccer, poetry and a page-turning plot.

[Dani Terk · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a joy to read. It was fun, deep, heartfelt, and thrilling. I loved the soccer aspects as well as the messages about being true to yourself and evolving relationships. Young readers need to see characters navigating life's messiness and this book is full of authentic challenges that today's kids/teens face: changing family dynamics, strained friendships, working through fears, managing expectations and pressure to succeed, dealing with disappointment, questioning one's identity, learning to love and accept oneself, and many, many more. As a writer, I loved the way the story was told in alternating POVs with chapters broken down by day (not character.) And Tory's POV was an absolute master class in making a potentially unlikeable character someone the reader could love, relate to, and cheer for.

[Kara Danvers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so cute, and the two leads were absolutely charming. I can't really decide which character I liked more since they both had their own individual journeys and growths that felt very organic and natural to their characters. It was heartwarming to see them progress and heartbreaking whenever they failed, but the ending satisfied me to my core and felt like the perfect place to stop. The story had a lot of heart to it that I loved. It was also nice that the story didn't solely focus on the romance but instead branched out to their problems and friends and really tackled issues in a mature way. There wasn't anything that felt unnecessary, and there wasn't anything that I didn't like! I will definitely reread this one in the future.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a mother of an adult daughter, I read this book reliving my early teen years (believe it or not) as well as the years I spent with a teenage daughter. I think those years really stick in our memory. “Crushing It” presents those challenges, joys, and heartbreaks realistically and with all the ins and outs of female friendships. Themes that resonated were loneliness while being surrounded by others, anxiety and procrastination in school, anger at oneself being taken out on others, misunderstandings, forgiveness, and bravery. “Crushing It” has all the elements of an interesting and meaningful book for middle grade readers as they navigate friendships, school, and growing up. It’s well written and enjoyable.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read two in a row that didn't give me anything exciting to get behind. There's often a comfort to reading a predictable story, but this one didn't give me characters to truly get behind. I know Mel's and I know Tory's and I know about the competitive edge of soccer and being yourself and finding a bit of romance. It's all there and like Atta's book I just read, it becomes a trope that was unsurprising but not with a flair to be excited about or memorable enough.

Centering on confidence and being oneself, Mel shares her poetry with a "secret" person who happens to not really be unknown and soccer leadership proves to be another challenge to work through in this two person middle grade narrative.

[Fran N. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet and powerful must read for middle graders navigating the changing world of friendship and finding one's true self. Becker's take on the nuanced evolution of friendship during middle school that is not based in conflict but natural maturation is refreshing to read. Each of the four characters in the Fearsome Foursome is well developed and has their own narrative arc that compliments the two main characters. As a non-soccer fan, I found the game scenes engaging, easy to follow, and was rooting for the Crooked Creek team all the way. The romance between Tory and Mel works well--sweet, believable and only part of the two girls' lives. Love this book!

[Sydney Dunlap · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful story about two girls figuring out who they are and who they want to be both on and off the soccer field. I absolutely loved it. It is so honest and real, and the author does an amazing job of capturing tween emotions and experiences. The story is skillfully narrated in two points of view, and the pace is just right to keep the pages turning. I enjoyed the poetry that was interspersed, and the characters were well-developed and interesting. Five stars for CRUSHING IT. I look forward to seeing more from this author.

[Kathreadsall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this middle grade queer novel by Erin Becker!

Crushing It is told in dual POV of Mel and Tory- and both their stories and characters are well fleshed out! Loved the queer romance, but the true focus of the stories was on learning what true friendships look like, and how to stand up for yourself.

Really enjoyed all the different relationships shown- sister, step-brother, parents, friends, and more than friends!

Crushing it is a wonderfully queer middle grade novel that reminds you that it's okay to change.