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Play Like a Girl
CCBC Review:
Misty is fiercely competitive and loves sports, especially football. When she decides to join the football team in seventh grade, she convinces her best friend, Bree, to do it with her. Bree doesn’t love the sport or the hard work and soon quits, but Misty sticks with it, earning a place in the starting lineup. Misty Wilson recounts the singular year in her life when she was not only navigating her position as the only girl on the football team—most players respect her, though one refuses to accept her presence—but also the changing relationships and social pressures of middle school that leave her feeling uncertain about where she fits in. At home, Misty’s stepdad is especially enthusiastic about her playing; but Misty feels ignored in general by her mom, who is overwhelmed caring for young twins. At the same time, Misty ignores her younger sister without seeing the parallels. The sports, friendship, and family storylines all seamlessly intertwine in this lively, honest, sometimes painfully funny (e.g., Misty’s first foray into using makeup) graphic memoir. ©2022 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
Illustrated by David Wilson
CCBC Age Recommendation: Ages 10-13
Age Range:
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13)
Formats:
Biography, Autobiography and Memoir
Graphic Novel
Subjects:
Autobiography/Memoir
Competitiveness
Families
Friendship
Girls and Women
Sexism
Sports
On CCBC Booklists:
Great Middle School Reads
School Stories: Selected PreK-12 Literature about the School Experience
Publishers:
Balzer + Bray, HarperAlley
Publish Year: 2022
Pages: 258
ISBN: 9780063064690
CCBC Location: Non-Fiction, 741.5 Wilson