August 26, 2025 by Aladdin
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Jo Belmonte is very interested in fashion design, as well as Somerset Babbette, the goat who is the school mascot. She's been trying to get the goat a better living environment, but the principal keeps changing things. As a new school year starts, she's dealing with a particularly bad flare up of her juvenile rheumatoid arthritis while waiting for insurance to approve a new medication for her. To complicate matters, she has four older brothers in high school! Meg, on the other hand, has her own issues to deal with. An avid soccer player, Meg has ignored a twinge in her hamstring until a random movement at a game makes it a critical injury. The doctor recommends rest and crutches, but Meg's father thinks she should ice it and get back to playing. Luckily, she doesn't take his advice! For a while in the summer, Meg goes to stay with her quirky Nana Rose at her retirement facility, where she contemplates the school year without soccer. The big interest for the upcoming school year is a student competition to be elected the Greatest of All Time, with students working on projects that contribute to the school. There's also a massive Harvest Ball that occupies their thoughts. Jo is still working with her friend Arvin, whose father has a farm, to improve conditions for Babette, but when the goat is stolen, Meg jumps in to help investigate. The school year is very busy with plans for the dance, the G.O.A.T. competition, and finding Babette, and having to deal with physical problems while also doing school work becomes difficult for both Jo and Meg. Jo has treatments and therapy, and Meg must work on a return-to-play plan while missing her soccer teammates. There's a happy ending, with Jo sharing a sweet kiss with Vanessa.
Strengths: It was interesting to see a character with juvenile RA, since I've only seen this in Mendez's Aniana del Mar Jumps In and Otis' At the Speed of Lies. There's just enough information about treatment and coping strategies that Jo's other interests aren't overwhelmed by her health concerns. Meg's sports injury is something that I see a lot more of at school, but which is woefully underrepresented in literature, and I loved the idea of a return-to-play plan. The author's personal experience with both of these issues lends a lot of realistic detail to the story. Of course, there's the dance, the hunt for the goat, and the competition to move the story along as well. Like this author's Free Period, there's some LGBTQIA+ representation as well.
Weaknesses: There was a LOT going on, and since this switched between Meg and Jo's perspective, it was sometimes hard to keep track of all of the activities. I also had a hard time believing that the G.O.A.T. competition would take place.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed busy realistic school stories like Kelly and Mbalia's On Again, Awkward Again, Ryan's Mountain Upside Down, or Arango's It's All Or Nothing, which also involves a sports injury.
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Jo Belmonte is very interested in fashion design, as well as Somerset Babbette, the goat who is the school mascot. She's been trying to get the goat a better living environment, but the principal keeps changing things. As a new school year starts, she's dealing with a particularly bad flare up of her juvenile rheumatoid arthritis while waiting for insurance to approve a new medication for her. To complicate matters, she has four older brothers in high school! Meg, on the other hand, has her own issues to deal with. An avid soccer player, Meg has ignored a twinge in her hamstring until a random movement at a game makes it a critical injury. The doctor recommends rest and crutches, but Meg's father thinks she should ice it and get back to playing. Luckily, she doesn't take his advice! For a while in the summer, Meg goes to stay with her quirky Nana Rose at her retirement facility, where she contemplates the school year without soccer. The big interest for the upcoming school year is a student competition to be elected the Greatest of All Time, with students working on projects that contribute to the school. There's also a massive Harvest Ball that occupies their thoughts. Jo is still working with her friend Arvin, whose father has a farm, to improve conditions for Babette, but when the goat is stolen, Meg jumps in to help investigate. The school year is very busy with plans for the dance, the G.O.A.T. competition, and finding Babette, and having to deal with physical problems while also doing school work becomes difficult for both Jo and Meg. Jo has treatments and therapy, and Meg must work on a return-to-play plan while missing her soccer teammates. There's a happy ending, with Jo sharing a sweet kiss with Vanessa.
Strengths: It was interesting to see a character with juvenile RA, since I've only seen this in Mendez's Aniana del Mar Jumps In and Otis' At the Speed of Lies. There's just enough information about treatment and coping strategies that Jo's other interests aren't overwhelmed by her health concerns. Meg's sports injury is something that I see a lot more of at school, but which is woefully underrepresented in literature, and I loved the idea of a return-to-play plan. The author's personal experience with both of these issues lends a lot of realistic detail to the story. Of course, there's the dance, the hunt for the goat, and the competition to move the story along as well. Like this author's Free Period, there's some LGBTQIA+ representation as well.
Weaknesses: There was a LOT going on, and since this switched between Meg and Jo's perspective, it was sometimes hard to keep track of all of the activities. I also had a hard time believing that the G.O.A.T. competition would take place.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed busy realistic school stories like Kelly and Mbalia's On Again, Awkward Again, Ryan's Mountain Upside Down, or Arango's It's All Or Nothing, which also involves a sports injury.
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