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The Endless Game
A middle school boy gets drawn into his new town’s intense summer game of capture the flag in this adventurous slice-of-life graphic novel debut perfect for fans of The Cardboard Kingdom and Craig of the Creek.
When Fred Townsend and his family move to Lakeside, Illinois, Fred is inducted into a game of capture the flag that has split the entire town in two. But this isn’t a normal game. It’s been going on for decades and has been passed down from generation to generation. It has its own history, laws, and institutions, with elaborate castle-like bases, dreary prisons, kid-run saloons, and even a council of home-schooled kids that preside over the rules of the game.
But for Fred, and all of Lakeside’s kids, this unending war is not just about winning—it’s also about learning how you want to fit into the world, the power of friendship, and making sure this summer is one they will never forget.
When Fred Townsend and his family move to Lakeside, Illinois, Fred is inducted into a game of capture the flag that has split the entire town in two. But this isn’t a normal game. It’s been going on for decades and has been passed down from generation to generation. It has its own history, laws, and institutions, with elaborate castle-like bases, dreary prisons, kid-run saloons, and even a council of home-schooled kids that preside over the rules of the game.
But for Fred, and all of Lakeside’s kids, this unending war is not just about winning—it’s also about learning how you want to fit into the world, the power of friendship, and making sure this summer is one they will never forget.
248 pages, Paperback
First published April 28, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 23, 2026
This is a classic adventure summer read that I wish there were more of. It reminds me of being a kid and reading about a grand adventure, be it "The Babysitter's Club" founding or Tom Sawyer's adventures on an island or the Boxcar kids life on the run, and wanting to have a part of that adventure too. However, this book goes above and beyond by including far more diversity and characters that look like me in the story than I ever found in my own examples and that makes it shine all the more. It's just good old fashioned fun and makes me want a whole series exploring this whole town.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
In the summer of 1998, Fred's family moves to Lakeside. His mother is trying to find a teaching job while taking care of his younger sister Ellie, and his father is finishing up work elsewhere before joining them. Fred approaches a neighbor his age, Rusty, who acts a bit oddly, telling Fred he has to make sure he's not a spy. Fred is taken to Downhill Castle, where children from his neighborhood are involved in a weirdly intense game of capture the flag with the kids from the Uphill neighborhood. They have a large building for their headquarters, and very strict rules about how the game works. A council of homeschooled children make final decisions. One of the interesting rules is that if someone is tagged, they have to report to the jail run by the other side every day until someone breaks them out or the new school year starts! The parents know about this, and abide by the rules even if it means not sending their child to a summer program for which they have already paid, since the game has been going on for 75 years. The Downhill team is angry that they have lost their king, Mike, who was arrested for graffiti and sent to stay with his grandmother in Montana for the summer, with King Raquel taking his place. Fred and the other children are investigating and trying to exonerate their ruler. The Uphill team is led by Jamie Crown, whose parents are wealthy and influential. He cheats at the bike race and is generally unpleasant. Will the Downhill team be able to hold their own and perhaps get Mike back in the game?
I love to see Kids Doing Things, but I'm glad this was set in 1998. I can't see kids today being allowed this much freedom, and phones would ruin everything, especially the carrying of paper messages. Part of me thinks that this would be a really fun way to spend a summer, but I felt bad for the kids who were tagged and had to spend their summer in jail. I half expected a note at the end of this, explaining some of the facets of the game. The maps are a nice touch. I can see this graphic novel being popular with readers who enjoyed Sells' Cardboard Kingdom.
In the summer of 1998, Fred's family moves to Lakeside. His mother is trying to find a teaching job while taking care of his younger sister Ellie, and his father is finishing up work elsewhere before joining them. Fred approaches a neighbor his age, Rusty, who acts a bit oddly, telling Fred he has to make sure he's not a spy. Fred is taken to Downhill Castle, where children from his neighborhood are involved in a weirdly intense game of capture the flag with the kids from the Uphill neighborhood. They have a large building for their headquarters, and very strict rules about how the game works. A council of homeschooled children make final decisions. One of the interesting rules is that if someone is tagged, they have to report to the jail run by the other side every day until someone breaks them out or the new school year starts! The parents know about this, and abide by the rules even if it means not sending their child to a summer program for which they have already paid, since the game has been going on for 75 years. The Downhill team is angry that they have lost their king, Mike, who was arrested for graffiti and sent to stay with his grandmother in Montana for the summer, with King Raquel taking his place. Fred and the other children are investigating and trying to exonerate their ruler. The Uphill team is led by Jamie Crown, whose parents are wealthy and influential. He cheats at the bike race and is generally unpleasant. Will the Downhill team be able to hold their own and perhaps get Mike back in the game?
I love to see Kids Doing Things, but I'm glad this was set in 1998. I can't see kids today being allowed this much freedom, and phones would ruin everything, especially the carrying of paper messages. Part of me thinks that this would be a really fun way to spend a summer, but I felt bad for the kids who were tagged and had to spend their summer in jail. I half expected a note at the end of this, explaining some of the facets of the game. The maps are a nice touch. I can see this graphic novel being popular with readers who enjoyed Sells' Cardboard Kingdom.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was a quick and engaging read. The Endless Game centers on Fred, a sympathetic and relatable new kid in town who gets drawn into a decades-long, town-wide game of capture the flag. The story drew me in with its cast of well-differentiated characters and its inclusion of families in multiple shapes and sizes.
What's particularly clever is how the book uses the "endless game" as a backdrop to explore deeper themes. We see the tradition through the fresh eyes of Fred's mom, who recognizes that it has gotten too serious, even as the town's adults accept it as an unchanging part of life. The narrative does a great job showing the game's dual nature: it can be all-consuming in a negative way that prevents kids from joining summer camps when they're "in jail", but it also provides a unique structure for Fred to build strong friendships and find a sense of belonging he's lacked before. It's a fantastic exploration of teamwork, playing by the rules, and finding your own way to contribute to a community. I particularly liked how important skills in this game included: being a loyal friend, being a fast and skillful bike rider, taking responsibility for your choices, and being able to hide well.
There's also the mystery of how a former town resident got in trouble for vandalism; his friends must gather evidence to prove his innocence. The game's setting, with its established laws and arbitration, provides a fun and age-appropriate framework for discussions about rules, fairness, and evidence.
Sophie Morse's art is fun, consistent, and interesting, perfectly complementing the story's adventurous, slice-of-life feel. Overall, The Endless Game is a wonderful debut that entertains while touching on important issues in a way that feels just right for a middle-grade audience.
What's particularly clever is how the book uses the "endless game" as a backdrop to explore deeper themes. We see the tradition through the fresh eyes of Fred's mom, who recognizes that it has gotten too serious, even as the town's adults accept it as an unchanging part of life. The narrative does a great job showing the game's dual nature: it can be all-consuming in a negative way that prevents kids from joining summer camps when they're "in jail", but it also provides a unique structure for Fred to build strong friendships and find a sense of belonging he's lacked before. It's a fantastic exploration of teamwork, playing by the rules, and finding your own way to contribute to a community. I particularly liked how important skills in this game included: being a loyal friend, being a fast and skillful bike rider, taking responsibility for your choices, and being able to hide well.
There's also the mystery of how a former town resident got in trouble for vandalism; his friends must gather evidence to prove his innocence. The game's setting, with its established laws and arbitration, provides a fun and age-appropriate framework for discussions about rules, fairness, and evidence.
Sophie Morse's art is fun, consistent, and interesting, perfectly complementing the story's adventurous, slice-of-life feel. Overall, The Endless Game is a wonderful debut that entertains while touching on important issues in a way that feels just right for a middle-grade audience.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Graphic Novel
2.5 stars rounded up
I received an electronic ARC from Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing through NetGalley.
An interesting premise as this game of Capture the Flag has gone on for generations. Readers will appreciate the adventures but I'm glad it was set in 1998. The amount of freedom all the kids have would not fly today. A new family moves to Lakeside, Illinois in the latest of their moves. Fred finds the courage to go meet some other kids and gets pulled into the ongoing Uphill versus Downhill game. Readers see the various tactics used by both sides as the summer progresses. Amato clearly establishes the good king and the bad one by how the sides respond and interact. The darkly colored black and white style set the tone well. I'm not a fan of the horrible way the one side treated the other but acknowledge how realistic it was.
2.5 stars rounded up
I received an electronic ARC from Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing through NetGalley.
An interesting premise as this game of Capture the Flag has gone on for generations. Readers will appreciate the adventures but I'm glad it was set in 1998. The amount of freedom all the kids have would not fly today. A new family moves to Lakeside, Illinois in the latest of their moves. Fred finds the courage to go meet some other kids and gets pulled into the ongoing Uphill versus Downhill game. Readers see the various tactics used by both sides as the summer progresses. Amato clearly establishes the good king and the bad one by how the sides respond and interact. The darkly colored black and white style set the tone well. I'm not a fan of the horrible way the one side treated the other but acknowledge how realistic it was.
May 26, 2026
This one has just become my favorite summer graphic novel for this year, as Bellwoods is my favorite for Fall.
These kids take summer games to the next level. A game of capture the flag that was supposed to bring two sides of the river together became a historical summer event with kings, dungeon time, and strategy. A new kid arrives and he joins the side of those with a good king, one who doesn't break the law to win. The other side lives under a ruthless bully and his reign must end. So Much Tension. I wish I could be a biker but I would probably end up in a prison cell in need of rescue from my teammates all the time. Plus, there's a mystery to ve solve, who framed the good king? No doubt we know who, but they need to gather evidence.
These kids take summer games to the next level. A game of capture the flag that was supposed to bring two sides of the river together became a historical summer event with kings, dungeon time, and strategy. A new kid arrives and he joins the side of those with a good king, one who doesn't break the law to win. The other side lives under a ruthless bully and his reign must end. So Much Tension. I wish I could be a biker but I would probably end up in a prison cell in need of rescue from my teammates all the time. Plus, there's a mystery to ve solve, who framed the good king? No doubt we know who, but they need to gather evidence.
May 29, 2026
This is the story of the new kids making friends in another new town. It's a book about what really brings people together. It's a book about what it really takes to be a leader and a book about what good leaders choose to motivate loyalty and respect from their teams.
Beyond all that adult stuff (which is pretty awesome), it's a book about an epic summer adventure. One that every kid from the 80s can relate to and every kids now, should aspire to. Not a device in site. Love it!
It would have gotten 5 stars but there was the whole generational grudge/vendetta thing going on that I just didn't like.
Beyond all that adult stuff (which is pretty awesome), it's a book about an epic summer adventure. One that every kid from the 80s can relate to and every kids now, should aspire to. Not a device in site. Love it!
It would have gotten 5 stars but there was the whole generational grudge/vendetta thing going on that I just didn't like.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A whirlwind of an adventure capturing the endless possibilities of summer and finding friends along the way.
I loved the themes of finding your place, whether within your family, with your friends or just a physical location and community. I also really liked the detail of the homeschooler council, as a former homeschooler myself I'm tired of seeing books depicting them as isolated even in a town or city, here they are a part of the weird fabric of the town as much as anyone else.
Anyway the story itself will pull readers in and have them tearing through pages to the crashing conclusion!
I loved the themes of finding your place, whether within your family, with your friends or just a physical location and community. I also really liked the detail of the homeschooler council, as a former homeschooler myself I'm tired of seeing books depicting them as isolated even in a town or city, here they are a part of the weird fabric of the town as much as anyone else.
Anyway the story itself will pull readers in and have them tearing through pages to the crashing conclusion!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Fun and energetic. It was amusing to see how invested a whole town was in a game of capture the flag. Comparing this to Craig of the Creek was spot-on. I can see lots of kids enjoying this story about friendship and teamwork.
May 21, 2026
3.5 stars. This was a fun, kind of silly graphic novel, perfect for the upcoming summer. I think kids who like the Cardboard Kingdom series would be really into this. I loved that it was set in the 90s!
May 25, 2026
DNF for The Endless Game. Interesting concept, and the illustration style is fun, but the large cast and complex politics of the game left very little time for character development.
(I also was confused by some geographic details that didn't quite make sense.)
(I also was confused by some geographic details that didn't quite make sense.)
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Reminded me of a 90s kids movie in the best kinda way - I can see this being a very popular summer reading book.
May 8, 2026
So fun- this is exactly how childhood summers should be spent!
May 25, 2026
This town would be a bit much for me but I'm really glad Fred likes it.
May 29, 2026
I love the concepts and the lore (this absolutely could be a series if desired), but sometimes I got confused by who was who because they looked so similar to me.
May 30, 2026
Fred (new kid), Rusty, King Raquel, Kelsey. A decades-long game of capture the flag in an Illinois neighborhood. Being a good friend and being yourself.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews