Sol Goes for Goal!: A Hillside Valley Graphic Novel

Hillside Valley #2

by Julio Anta, Gabi Mendez (Illustrator)

It's back to school for the Hillside Valley kids! Sol's trying out for the middle school soccer team but will a crush on the team captain distract her from her goals? Find out in this new Hillside Valley graphic novel—filled with friendship, first crushes, and some impressive soccer skills!

Welcome back to Hillside Valley-this time it's Game On for Sol!

Twelve-year-old Sol is a great friend, a model student, a beloved daughter and a star soccer player. At least that's what everyone always expects of her. But when the soccer team captain Lily walks by, Sol starts to lose focus. What's with this heart fluttering feeling she has around Lily?! And how can she stay the star player--the star everything--that people see her as if she can barely remember her name (much less how to play soccer) around Lily? Is Sol destined to let everyone down, including herself? Or can she figure out how to be the Sol she wants to be...on and off the field. Settle back into the cozy community of Hillside Valley in this second irresistible graphic novel! And don’t miss the first Hillside Valley Graphic Novel, Speak Up, Santiago!

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, LGBT, Sports, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction

Kindle Edition

First published June 9, 2026

About the author

Julio Anta is the writer of many graphic novels including the Eisner Award-nominated Frontera, This Land Is Our Land: A Blue Beetle Story, Home and Sí, Se Puede: The Latino Heroes Who Changed the United States.

Julio was born and raised in Miami, Florida and currently resides in New York City.

Forthcoming work includes a slate of graphic novels for HarperAlley, Random House Graphic and First Second.

Reviews

[Isabella]

graphic novel read-a-thon book 3!

[Tina Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first YA LGBTQ+ book I ever read. It's a simple innocent story about a girl who has a crush on another student. The reader will also learn the importance of balancing friendships and not putting too much pressure on yourself to be perfect.

[Lexi (Reads and Riesling) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love any book where the MC is a girl in sports and this one is no different! I absolutely adored Sol! I think the story, illustrations, and pace of this graphic novel were perfect. Probably one of my favorite graphic novels for the year so far, if not my favorite. Highly recommend!

[Lisa Pineo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a solid middle grade graphic novel. I didn't read the first in the series so this is more of a stand alone review. I think it would have helped understand Sol's friendship dynamics with her first friend group as they mostly came across judgy and annoying. Sol is one of those kids who thinks she needs to be perfect at everything: in her family, within her friends, at school, in her hobbies, etc. She wears herself out trying to project this persona and learns she doesn't have to always be best in everything. I liked the crush on fellow soccer player Lily and how it wasn't a big deal she was a girl, just that it was interfering with Sol's ability to play soccer and be a team player. The artwork is also great with it's realistic style, not too cartoony or childish. It represented this text well and really helped bring out Sol's story.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Copy provided by the publisher
Julio Anta's website: https://www.julioanta.com/all-work

Soledad is the "perfect" daughter, unlike her older sister Luna. Sol is driven and dedicated, and doesn't have time for nonsense as she pursues her academic and athletic goals, while Luna is distracted by silly things like boyfriends. Sol's best friend, Willie, has an important art project coming up, and she wants to support him, but she finds herself spending more and more time with her soccer teammates. One reason for this is that she has a crush on Lily. This sometimes makes it hard for her to focus on the soccer field, and occasionally trips her up. She doesn't want to talk to anyone about this, since she thinks it will ruin her image as a "perfect" student and daughter. There is some tension with Willie and her other friends, and when Sol falls asleep after school and misses Willie's art exhibit, it takes a while for the two to work through this. Sol eventually talks to Lily about her feelings, after confiding in Luna and getting advice from her, and the two are able to have a relationship and still play soccer together. We do see Santiago, from the first book in this series; he talks to the Hillside Valley kids on video chats and shows up to Sol's championship game in New York City because his girlfriend is the captain of the team Sol is playing. I'm curious to see where book three in the series might take us. Perhaps something from Willie's perspective?
Strengths: I've long said that there need to be more graphic novels about sports. Softball and soccer gets some representation; what we really need is football! The diverse ensemble cast will appeal to readers who like series like Libenson's Emmie and Friends, Chmakova's Berrybrook Middle School, or Miller's Click or Besties series. Mendez' illustrations are bright and colorful, and have a slightly older feel to them that will appeal to middle school readers. Romance has been something my students have requested a lot this year, and it never hurts to throw a crush or two into a middle grade novel. We see just enough of Sol's family to make her a well rounded character. I can see this being popular with graphic novel fans.
Weaknesses: It was hard to believe that Sol was so distracted by her crush; yes, romance is important to middle schoolers, but generally worry more about their sports careers. I did appreciate that the issue was not that Sol had a crush on another girl, but rather her feelings were interfering with her life. This is definitely where current middle schoolers are with LGBTQIA+ issues.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Speak Up, Santiago and want to know more about Hillside Valley, or who are fans of soccer books like Becker's Crushing It or graphic novels like BeKa and Maya's The Love Report.
https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...
https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sol aces her tryout for the middle school soccer team. But will the 7th grader, called “Little Miss Perfect” by her high school age sister, be able to focus on her moves when she is constantly distracted by the team’s captain, Lily? This fast-paced novel melds fun soccer action with a blossoming middle school romance. Hillside School is ranked second out of 8 teams, and readers can track the team’s progress throughout the season’s 6 games. They also can track the up and down distraction level of Sol as she tries to ignore Lily (her “major weakness” on the field), occasionally ignoring strategic moves on the field.

Sol’s family is Nicaraguan, and there’s some bilingual dialogue at home. Spanish phrases are immediately translated into English. Sol’s mother and friends are constantly asking her who her boyfriend is, and Sol never corrects them to clarify that she’s into girls, so there’s some dramatic tension there. She finally talks with her friend Santi, from the first book in the series, Speak Up, Santiago!, and shares with her sister that she has a crush on Lily. They both are completely supportive. Readers will be pleased with the happy ending.

Sol is Latine, and her friends are white, Black, Brown, and one is Muslim and wears hijab. The bright, clean digital art is easy to follow. It’s not necessary to read the first book in the series to enjoy this one.

(I wished that Sol had spoken up about being into girls – it almost felt as if she was ashamed of it because she didn’t tell any of her friends. The story was predictable, but will satisfy readers who want a quick, fast-paced sports novel.)

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sol wants to make the soccer team. She trains very hard, and find, in doing so, that she has developed a crush on Lily, the captain of the team. She isn’t so worried that Lily is a girl like she is. She is worried that having a crush will distract her from playing well, because she has seen how her older sister having crushes and hanging out with boys has made her distracted.

So, Sol tries everything in her power to not notice Lily on the field, to not pass to her when playing, and generally not look her way, all to get focused on the game. That doesn’t work as well as it could.

This is a cute middle grade story of finding friendships, and making team work, as well as learning there are ways to stay focused even if you do fall in love. I enjoyed the humor, the diversity, and Sol herself,so determined to be all things perfect, and failing at it.

This is part of the HIllside Valley Graphic Novel series, but you do not have to have read any other books in the series to get into this one.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This is coming out on the 9th of June 2026.

[Kirin · Rating 3 out of 5]

If there is a hijabi on the cover, I feel compelled to pick up the book to see the representation and share my thoughts. In this middle grade graphic novel, Abeer is a side character on the soccer team and a classmate of the protagonist, Sol. She doesn't have any character development or identifiable characteristics, and her hijab and religion are never mentioned, she is just visible diversity in the main character's story. Muslim parents, I would imagine, would like to be aware that while framed around soccer, the majority of the book is built on Sol's crush on another girl, Lily, and how her growing feelings interfere with her soccer play and focus. Balancing her energy between friends, school, soccer, and her dreaming about Lily, have her letting people down, being a bad friend, and having to learn to apologize, prioritize, and ask for help. I think her friends are incredible for forgiving her, I don't think having a crush is a pass for being a bad friend and teammate, but the book has a happy ending and presumably everyone learned and grew, and is better for it all.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a wonderful follow up to Speak Up, Santiago! I enjoyed watching Sol go on her own journey, meeting her new friends, and seeing her and her sister bond as well. (I am very much the 'That's my sister!' big sister.) I liked seeing Sol and Willie's friendship and the bumps they hit and then apologize for. And I also appreciated that Santiago was still included even though he doesn't live in HIllside Valley. The story was great, the illustrations are fun and eye-catching- just a good read!

I will say, I'm giving it 4 instead of 5 stars because of Sol and Luna's mom and the way she treated Luna and it was never addressed. That kind of pressure and comparison of your kids is a lot and it wasn't really challenged. I know it's a graphic novel, it's short, you can't address every detail but when it's going into kids' hands and they see that but not any kind of conversation about it I always feel a little disappointed.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 2nd installment of the Hillside Valley graphic novels does not disappoint! Sol goes for Goal! centers on the same friend group as book 1 of the series, Speak Up, Santiago!, but this time it is specifically focused on Sol as she navigates juggling school, soccer, friends AND her first crush ever. For a character who feels like she MUST be perfect at all times, she struggles to keep focused on everything when all she wants to focus on is her team captain - and crush - Lily. As she becomes overwhelmed with her new team and feelings, she drops the ball on other important parts of her life, including her friends. Sol has to come to terms with the fact that perfection isn't always possible, and that is OK.

The story is fast-paced and colorfully illustrated, which draws readers into the story.

Thank you #NetGalley for the digital advance reader copy! #SolGoesforGoal

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

In SOL GOES FOR GOAL!, Sol has high expectations for herself. She works hard to navigate school, soccer, and her friends, but having a secret crush on her team’s captain threatens to derail her. After missing a friend’s big event and messing up in a big game, Sol begins to worry that her distraction is letting the people around her down.

The fast-paced story focuses on balancing school, family, friends, and sports along with navigating a first crush, which will hit relatable notes for middle grade readers. The graphic novel does revisit a diverse set of characters first introduced in SPEAK UP, SANTIAGO! but reads well as a stand-alone story. Anything with soccer is guaranteed to capture the interest of the readers at my school, so I know this one will be read and enjoyed by many of our readers.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

While twelve-year-old Sol's older sister, Luna, steams at their mother's constant comparison of the two girls, Sol tries out and makes the soccer team. She's incredibly focused and goal-oriented except for the distraction of her crush on the team captain, Lily. As momentum builds toward a possible league championship, Lily's preoccupation causes unexpected problems and just might cost her a friend. The artwork is colorful, stylish, and filled with action, including play on the soccer field. One of the strengths of this story is how Sol isn't particularly worried about her crush being on a girl but about the crush itself. Sol's imperfections make her all the more likeable and relatable. This solid follow-up to the earlier Speak Up, Santiago! will have wide appeal.

[Kelly {SpaceOnTheBookcase] · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soledad is used to being perfect, when a crush messes with her focus, Sol has to do some soul searching to figure out who she is again. In this coming of age graphic novel, Soledad is excited to make her middle school's soccer team. Known for winning, the past two seasons haven't been the best but the Hillside Valley team is ready to change that. Unfortunately for Sol, her crush Lily is the team captain.

This book has strong theming on growing up and friendship which I think is relatable to the age group. There is diversity within the characters which I liked, along with a diversity of activities so kids can find themselves in different characters. Overall it's a strong middle grade option.

Thank you Random House Kids for the gifted copy.

[Ashley Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I scribed this book review for my 8-year old daughter:

Who are the characters? And what do we know about them?

Sol and Lily are the main characters. We know that Sol has a crush on Lily and it makes it hard for her to play soccer when she is normally good at it.

What lesson did you learn from the story?

Always try your best

How did the pictures make you feel?

The pictures were fun to look at. They made me feel calm.

What did you think of the ending?

I liked it, it was a good end to the story.

Why should someone read this book?

If you like soccer and/or relationships this book is for you!

Thank you to Julio Anta, the publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC!

[Amanda Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this graphic novel made me think about my child with the perfection complex. He did everything he set out to do. And he always had something negative to say about how he did it. In truth, he was brilliant, dedicated, and hardworking. But it seems like maybe he didn't see himself that way. Self-acceptance is a great theme for a middle-grade novel of any type. Other important themes of the book include friendship, sisterhood, acceptance of people different from us, and forgiveness. It also has direct but tasteful LGBTQ themes.

I really enjoyed this story. It is short and simple but has depth in both the story and the characters.

[Tiffany Seward · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐ Children’s Fiction | Sports | Soccer

Thank you to Random House Children's Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Sol Goes for Goal! follows Sol as she trains to join her school soccer team while balancing school, family life with her sisters, and navigating school crushes. The story captures the camaraderie, and challenges of soccer practice in a way that feels authentic.

This book is great for young readers who love soccer, play the sport themselves, or are curious about what life is like on a soccer team.

[Kimberly Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Julio Anta and Gabi Mendez have created a solid winner with Sol Goes for Goal! There is a lot in this story - coping with perfectionism, dealing with family expectations and comparisons, handling a first crush, being a good friend, and learning to forgive yourself. Mendez's illustrations, especially the use of color and motion, conveyed emotion beautifully. There is enough here for all readers to find themselves in the story, and the story itself is both universally relatable and effortlessly affirming for LGBTQ+ kids.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to thank Random House Children's Books and NetGalley for a free eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

I loved Sol goes for Goal! It's the prefect graphic novel for a preteen with anxiety issues or a preteen that is questioning their identity or even a sporty preteen who is dealing with the pressure of too much on their plate. There's a focus here on good sibling dynamics and great friendships. Great job. I can't wait to continue the series.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the free digital copy to read and review.

I love how queer-normative this world is. While everyone assumes Sol likes a boy, no one is bothered about finding out she likes a girl. I love that the stress for her is all around being distracted and not about being judged. This book was super cute and I love these characters!

[Diane Rembert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sol is both excited and nervous about trying out for the soccer team. Meanwhile, she is trying to support her best friend’s dream, help her team win a championship and explore a crush on one her teammates. She eventually turns to the one person she least expected for advice…her older sister.

This was an interesting read.

[Gabriele | QueerBookdom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Representation: lesbian Nicaraguan protagonist, Nicaraguan secondary characters, lesbian white secondary character, Black secondary character, Latine secondary characters, Black tertiary character, Muslim tertiary character.

Content Warning: none.

[Josh Campeau · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5- A great middle grade graphic novel that continues that Hillside Valley stories. I found the first a bit more compelling, but it was great to get some focus on queer crushes for middle schoolers. Looking forward to seeing what's in store for the series next.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a delightful middle grade graphic novel about a young soccer player getting a crush on her team captain, and trying to navigate her perfectionism and friendships with a distracted brain. My kid loved it. It's great to see a queer Latine middle grade book.

[Dikla Shenhav · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great!

the BEST book I've ever read! I highly recommend it. I instantly fell in love with this magical book byvJulio Anta

[Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can just currently not get into the book. It’s probably me and not the book because the illustrations are lovely and the story seems well done and nice. It’s just a me thing.

[Lois Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 out of 5 stars.

A cute and light-hearted followup story to its predecessor.