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Fast Break
Not yet published
Expected 6 Oct 26Kindle Edition
Expected publication October 6, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
NetgalleyE ARC provided by Netgalley
Mikayla is disappointed when her family moves across town to a better school district after her mother gets a new job, especially since she has to leave her best friend, Squeaks, and the coach at her new middle school doesn't return her mother's phone calls. Her first day of school is okay, and there are some nice students, but she runs a foul of Taylor, who is not only on the basketball team, but is the daughter of the coach. The coach tells Mikayla that she missed tryouts, and can't expect to just show up and get on the team. Luckily, Mikayla's art teacher, Mr. Browne, is starting a co ed intramural team, and one of the other players recommends that Mikayla check it out. She gets on the team, in a new position, but has a positive outlook as long as she can continue to play ball. Things are a little rocky at home, with her father staying at home to watch her baby brother, Kenny, and burning most of the meals. Her mother is very busy, and doesn't have time to talk to Mikayla or come to her games. After getting a little bossy when her team was losing, and being called out about it by Squeaks, Mikayla apologizes, and tries to be a better teammate. She gets paired with Taylor on a science fair project, and the two manage to work out some of their problem, but when the projects fails, they have an argument. Mikayla finally has a heart to heart with her mother, and gets some much needed help with managing life at her new school.
Strengths: It would be hard to move to a new school and want to be on a team; it happens often, and coaches are usually fairly understanding. I was glad that Mikayla's move wasn't completely horrible, and that she had the option of the co ed team. Taylor is horrible, but it was nice to see that they were able to come to an understanding. The family dynamics with the mother's new job were also realistic, and, again, it was good to see things ironed out. The TEAM dynamics always appeal to young readers, and there are lots of good ideas for how to be a better teammate that will be much appreciated. I will definitely buy a copy of this.
Weaknesses: The noses are a bit wonky, but that's a me thing. I wasn't super thrilled with the portrayal of the stay-at-home dad as incompetent, and with Mikayla having to pitch in to cook dinner because he burned salads. Aren't most men able to cook basic food now? I know 60 year olds that can do a decent job.
What I really think: There can never be enough sports books, and there are very few graphic novels that on the topic, so this will join the basketball team along with Khan's We are Big Time, Tavares' Hoops, Shah's Wish I Was a Baller, and Yang's Dragon Hoops very nicely!
Mikayla is disappointed when her family moves across town to a better school district after her mother gets a new job, especially since she has to leave her best friend, Squeaks, and the coach at her new middle school doesn't return her mother's phone calls. Her first day of school is okay, and there are some nice students, but she runs a foul of Taylor, who is not only on the basketball team, but is the daughter of the coach. The coach tells Mikayla that she missed tryouts, and can't expect to just show up and get on the team. Luckily, Mikayla's art teacher, Mr. Browne, is starting a co ed intramural team, and one of the other players recommends that Mikayla check it out. She gets on the team, in a new position, but has a positive outlook as long as she can continue to play ball. Things are a little rocky at home, with her father staying at home to watch her baby brother, Kenny, and burning most of the meals. Her mother is very busy, and doesn't have time to talk to Mikayla or come to her games. After getting a little bossy when her team was losing, and being called out about it by Squeaks, Mikayla apologizes, and tries to be a better teammate. She gets paired with Taylor on a science fair project, and the two manage to work out some of their problem, but when the projects fails, they have an argument. Mikayla finally has a heart to heart with her mother, and gets some much needed help with managing life at her new school.
Strengths: It would be hard to move to a new school and want to be on a team; it happens often, and coaches are usually fairly understanding. I was glad that Mikayla's move wasn't completely horrible, and that she had the option of the co ed team. Taylor is horrible, but it was nice to see that they were able to come to an understanding. The family dynamics with the mother's new job were also realistic, and, again, it was good to see things ironed out. The TEAM dynamics always appeal to young readers, and there are lots of good ideas for how to be a better teammate that will be much appreciated. I will definitely buy a copy of this.
Weaknesses: The noses are a bit wonky, but that's a me thing. I wasn't super thrilled with the portrayal of the stay-at-home dad as incompetent, and with Mikayla having to pitch in to cook dinner because he burned salads. Aren't most men able to cook basic food now? I know 60 year olds that can do a decent job.
What I really think: There can never be enough sports books, and there are very few graphic novels that on the topic, so this will join the basketball team along with Khan's We are Big Time, Tavares' Hoops, Shah's Wish I Was a Baller, and Yang's Dragon Hoops very nicely!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a sweet story about a tween named Mikayla who has to adjust to a new school and basketball team. After being unfairly excluded from the competitive girls’ team, Mikayla reluctantly tries the coed team, where she is by far the most skilled player. I found this graphic novel to be expressive and easy to follow. It is pretty light on text but I thought the dialogue was funny and sounded natural to how people talk.
This book is about how we can meaningfully handle frustration. Through playing with a less experienced team, Mikayla has to learn to value her teammates more than she does winning or showing off her own skills. This is difficult because she is an excellent player who is used to playing with people at her own level. However, in befriending several teammates, Mikayla sees that their enjoyment matters too and that she also has more fun when she trusts and encourages her teammates rather than trying to manage them or make them perfect.
This book is also thoughtful in how it handles Mikayla’s relationship with her family. There is definitely strain caused by the mother’s transition into a new job and the father’s transition to stay-at-home parenting. Mikayla feels she is not a priority to her mother, and she lashes out at both friends and family. I like that the book shows that stress and frustration towards people you love is normal during transition and doesn’t negate strong, healthy bonds.
On a final note, I’m thrilled by illustrator Del Hahn’s note shouting out Allen County Public Library librarians! YAY!
Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillan for the eARC!
This book is about how we can meaningfully handle frustration. Through playing with a less experienced team, Mikayla has to learn to value her teammates more than she does winning or showing off her own skills. This is difficult because she is an excellent player who is used to playing with people at her own level. However, in befriending several teammates, Mikayla sees that their enjoyment matters too and that she also has more fun when she trusts and encourages her teammates rather than trying to manage them or make them perfect.
This book is also thoughtful in how it handles Mikayla’s relationship with her family. There is definitely strain caused by the mother’s transition into a new job and the father’s transition to stay-at-home parenting. Mikayla feels she is not a priority to her mother, and she lashes out at both friends and family. I like that the book shows that stress and frustration towards people you love is normal during transition and doesn’t negate strong, healthy bonds.
On a final note, I’m thrilled by illustrator Del Hahn’s note shouting out Allen County Public Library librarians! YAY!
Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillan for the eARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to preview this book.
Mikayla is a middle school girl who excels at basketball. She’s one of the stars of the Perry Middle School Night Hawks. But Mikayla is leaving Perry Middle and moving across town to Denton because her mom has a new, much better job. After following advice to just be real, Mikayla starts her new school. Things are going great and she’s making new friends, except for…Taylor. A grump who also happens to be the Denton Basketball Coach’s daughter!
This is a great story that I know the majority of middle grade readers will love. The characters are easy to identify with. The plot is straightforward but not overly simplistic. The graphics are great! It’s hard to show movement with just illustrations, but the way that the speed and direction of basketball games was shown was engaging. You could feel the hectic pace of the game. As well, the illustrator did a great job with conveying emotions on characters’ faces. Well rounded characters, and a well rounded story. Even the side characters are great. Everyone would want to have a friend like Squeak. I can’t wait to add this to my classroom library!
Mikayla is a middle school girl who excels at basketball. She’s one of the stars of the Perry Middle School Night Hawks. But Mikayla is leaving Perry Middle and moving across town to Denton because her mom has a new, much better job. After following advice to just be real, Mikayla starts her new school. Things are going great and she’s making new friends, except for…Taylor. A grump who also happens to be the Denton Basketball Coach’s daughter!
This is a great story that I know the majority of middle grade readers will love. The characters are easy to identify with. The plot is straightforward but not overly simplistic. The graphics are great! It’s hard to show movement with just illustrations, but the way that the speed and direction of basketball games was shown was engaging. You could feel the hectic pace of the game. As well, the illustrator did a great job with conveying emotions on characters’ faces. Well rounded characters, and a well rounded story. Even the side characters are great. Everyone would want to have a friend like Squeak. I can’t wait to add this to my classroom library!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Ah, middle school, where friendships make and break you. In this contemporary graphic novel about Mikayla and her love of basketball, we see all the different ways that friends can be, as well as how basketball can be. Mikayla was the MVP at her old school, but here she isn’t even allowed to try out for the girls team, because, well, she moved too late in the season, and rules are rules. So, instead she joins a co-ed team, and learns all over again what it is to both enjoy the game, and not be hard on your teammates.
Great illustrations, realistic feelings of abandonment, when her mother can’t make her games because she is busy working, and a stay-at-home dad, who is learning to cook. Mean girls, mean coaches, and good friends round everything up.
Cute story. I think middle-grade kids will love it, even if they don’t love sports stories, because this is more about how to make and keep friends, even friends you don’t like at first.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book will be published on the 6th of October 2026.
Great illustrations, realistic feelings of abandonment, when her mother can’t make her games because she is busy working, and a stay-at-home dad, who is learning to cook. Mean girls, mean coaches, and good friends round everything up.
Cute story. I think middle-grade kids will love it, even if they don’t love sports stories, because this is more about how to make and keep friends, even friends you don’t like at first.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book will be published on the 6th of October 2026.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received a copy of this eBook from netGalley for a honest review.
This book about a girl dealing with moving in the middle of the school year and missing out on being on the girls basketball team is moving and a celebration of accepting life's challenges as they happen. I will read more by this author.
This book about a girl dealing with moving in the middle of the school year and missing out on being on the girls basketball team is moving and a celebration of accepting life's challenges as they happen. I will read more by this author.
April 6, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for the eARC.
My students will love this novel! A story about adjusting to change, how to be a team, how to apologize, and express your emotions appropriately. I loved the panels of the basketball games. Great illustrations of action and emotion. I do think the plot pace was a bit unbalanced, but overall this will be a great addition to any classroom library.
My students will love this novel! A story about adjusting to change, how to be a team, how to apologize, and express your emotions appropriately. I loved the panels of the basketball games. Great illustrations of action and emotion. I do think the plot pace was a bit unbalanced, but overall this will be a great addition to any classroom library.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was a fast, fun read. Basketball fans and anyone who has a competitive streak will enjoy this graphic novel. Although many graphic novels deal with moving to a new school, this one approached it in a fresh way.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews