Michigan's entire life was hockey en she was not conditioning and training, she was watching hockey movies and thinking about hockey. All of her hard work pays off when she is finally named Assistant Captain of her school team, but a few days later, the team is cut due to funding. Without rich parents to pay her tuition at a private school, she's seemingly out of options. So, she tries out for the boy's varsity team, which she easily makes, but her coaches and teammates aren't happy about it. Michigan endures months of physical and emotional abuse and hazing without reporting it, focusing on her craft instead. Allen's debut is a plot-driven novel that takes readers inside a misogynistic team and a school and town that allow that behavior to go unchecked. The book's power comes from highlighting the pain and abuse that barrier-breaking women endure in a male-driven field, but the characters are thinly drawn and the ending is too tidy for such a complicated story. Our admirable heroine deserves more than that.

Gr 9 Up-When budget cuts end her hockey team right before her final season, Michigan Manning has little choice but to try out for the boys' team if she wants to keep playing. But making it onto the team is the least of her problems when it becomes obvious that neither the coach nor her teammates want her there. With Coach looking for any opportunity to cut her and her teammates' hazing becoming increasingly violent, Michigan is forced to decide how much she is willing to sacrifice in order to keep playing the game she loves. This timely sports story is an uncomfortable read but a necessary one, tackling tough issues like hazing and sexism in sports. Allen skillfully paints a bleak picture without coming across as message-y, and Michigan's own coaching duties allow her to reflect on the example that she's setting for future generations. While readers may chafe at Michigan's reluctance to step forward sooner and put a stop to it, as the violence toward her escalates, the result is a high stakes page turner where the tension is palpabale. VERDICT Frank discussion of sexual assault and harassment make this a better choice for older readers who enjoy sports and Jennifer Mathieu's Moxie but may not be ready for E.K. Johnston's Exit, Pursued by a Bear. Mimi Powell, Library Systems and Services, Kissimmee, FL