Starred Review Debut author Misty Wilson's Play like a Girl is an excellent addition to the growing group of books targeted toward middle-school readers that tackle the powerful and problematic impact that traditional gender stereotypes have on the lives of tweens. As the only girl on her school's football team in seventh grade, Misty is initially disrespected and ridiculed by several teammates who disapprove of her presence on the team, and her best friend critiques her competitive nature. Throughout the memoir, Misty also shares the struggles that she faced off the football field trying to fit in, find supportive friends, and get comfortable with not conforming to traditional gender roles. Readers will admire how Misty maneuvers through all the challenges she faces to become a champion off and on the football field, appreciate the message of accepting and believing in yourself despite what others say, and be heartened by Misty's powerful transformation. Supported by David Wilson's expressive and detailed artwork (especially in his well-choreographed scenes of football plays), Misty's Play like a Girl will be a welcome choice for readers looking for graphic novels that defy and challenge traditional gender stereotypes. An excellent addition to collections that already include graphic memoirs like Liz Prince's Tomboy (2014).

In this engaging graphic memoir, protagonist Misty is a fierce competitor who loves football: it combines strategy, teamwork, and tackling ("In other sports, I get in trouble for barely touching people!"). So when she finds out the summer before seventh grade that there's a town youth football league, she signs up. She persuades her best (and only) friend, Bree, to sign up with her; but as Misty throws herself into conditioning and acquiring skills despite the scorn of her male teammates, it soon becomes clear that Bree is more interested in clothes, hanging out at the pool, and a new friendship with a cool, popular girl. Misty's coach's statement that "football is all about getting knocked down and getting back up again" serves as the central metaphor for the book as middle school brings the pain of Bree's betrayal, the humiliation of trying unsuccessfully to fit in, and an imposed-from-without dissatisfaction with her appearance, among other challenges. Cleanly laid-out panels make for accessible reading, and the book does an excellent job of folding the football story line (including plenty of play-by-play game-time action) into that of Misty's life struggles. Readers will cheer as Misty eventually makes new, true friends; wins the acceptance of (most of) her football teammates; begins to take on a more responsible role in her family; and comes to an empowering conclusion: "I knew one thing for sure: I was done trying to be someone else." Appended with an author's note and a disclaimer about the dangers of playing tackle football.

Middle school drama hits hard in this coming-of-age graphic memoir.Natural competitor Misty has faced off against the boys for years, always coming out on top, but now they're moving on without her into the land of full-contact football. Never one to back away from a challenge, Misty resolves to join the team and convinces her best friend, Bree, to join her. While Misty pours herself into practicing, obviously uninterested Bree-who was motivated more by getting to be around boys than doing sports-drifts toward popular queen bee Ava, creating an uneasy dynamic. Feeling estranged from Bree, Misty, who typically doesn't think much about her appearance, tries to navigate seventh grade-even experimenting with a more traditionally feminine gender expression-while also mastering her newfound talent for tackling and facing hostility from some boys on the team. Readers with uncommon interests will relate to the theme of being the odd one out. Social exclusion and cutting remarks can be traumatic, so it's therapeutic to see Misty begin to embrace her differences instead of trying to fit in with frenemies who don't value her. The illustrations are alive with color and rich emotional details, pairing perfectly with the heartfelt storytelling. The husband-and-wife duo's combined efforts will appeal to fans of Raina Telgemeier and Shannon Hale. Main characters present as White; some background characters read as Black.A sincere, genuine, and uplifting book that affirms the importance of being true to yourself. (Graphic memoir. 9-13)

Gr 5–8 —For fans of Shannon Hale and Jennifer Holm, this graphic novel memoir tackles middle school drama on the football field. Misty and her best friend, Bree, decide to join the seventh-grade football team, but they quickly learn that it's not easy to tackle grumpy teammates on the field—or the perils of friendships in the classroom. With no administrative pressures in her way, the only things standing between Misty and her goals are the less-than-welcoming male teammates and her own self-esteem. While the illustration style is inviting and easy to sell to middle grade readers, and the story handles middle school conflicts like shifting friendships in a relatable way, the plot unfolds along a predictable arc, which could prevent readers from feeling fully invested. VERDICT The depiction of football is well done and will be a big draw, but the familiar path of the plot lessens the emotional buy-in for readers. Give this to sports-loving fans of Shannon Hale, Jennifer Holm, Kayla Miller, and Raina Telgemeier.—Aryssa Damron