Crushing It and Mia Hamm

Becker, Erin. Crushing It

August 6, 2024 by Penguin Workshop

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. 

Gray, Karlin and Hess, Micheline (Illustrator)

Mia and Friends: Mia Hamm and the Soccer Sisterhood that Changed History

August 27, 2024 by First Second 

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

This graphic novel gives a brief overview of Hamm's life and career, with a concentration on her involvement on various teams, and the other women with whom she played. Born in 1972, Hamm wore corrective shoes for a foot problem, but loved to hang out with her older brother, Garrett, who played soccer. Soon, it was clear that she was a big help when he picked her for his team. The family moved a lot because her father was in the Air Force, and this made it harder for Mia to make friends. When she was just 15, she was picked to join the Women's National Team along with Brani Chastain and others. She played in the Women's World Championship in 1991, and the first women's Olympic soccer tournament in 1996. Her older brother died of a rare bone marrow disease in 1997, and today she works with the Mia Hamm Foundation to help raise funds and awareness for bone marrow/cord blood transplants. The book also talks about the 1999 World Cup victory, what the various players have been doing since, and also the legacy of equal pay, which wasn't settled until February of 2022. There is also a brief discussion of how younger soccer players have been inspired by Hamm's career. 

While this doesn't have a lot of details about Hamm's personal life, the focus on her teammates and her career will make this a popular book with young soccer fans who would like to follow in her cleats. The artwork is brightly colored, and there's a good balance of pictures to text. My favorite part is that other teammates who were not as well known are at least mentioned, some in more detail than others. This is a great purchase for any elementary or middle school library.