A dramatic visual account of the pivotal game of the 1997 NBA Finals.It's suspenseful from the get-go: With the seven-game series between the Chicago Bulls and the Utah Jazz tied at two wins apiece, Bulls shooting guard Michael Jordan wakes up in the middle of the night before Game 5 feeling sick as a dog. Six foot eight small forward Scottie Pippen reassures his worried teammates: "He'll be here. And if he's sick, he'll still play, 'cause you know how he is." And (spoiler alert) show up he does-looking shivery and miserable in Williams' chiseled action scenes, but through an exciting, seesaw contest, he racks up 38 points on the way to a close-fought win. Switching back and forth between the game and an argumentative trio of young fans pinned to their TV, Soria alternates punchy dialogue and announcers' commentary with prose interludes setting up the episode, the game's stars and rules, and the aftermath (along with a paean to Jordan's signature shoes). Dramatic angles and flashes of dazzle crank up the pace, and figures in the panels, nearly all people of color, have individualized features and a range of skin tones. New and confirmed fans will appreciate the MJ timeline (up to his third and final retirement in 2003) and multiage reading list at the end.Pulse-pounding, both as a sports highlight and a tribute to the character and determination of one of the game's unexcelled greats. (Graphic nonfiction. 9-11)

Gr 2–5 —The popular "Who Is" series continues in graphic novels that focus on one incident in a life instead of a full biography. In this case, the focus is the "flu game," a game in the 1997 NBA championship in which Michael Jordan fought through a case of the flu to lead the Bulls to a win. Interjected into the story are asides, which are often full-page text boxes, about the other players on the team and the rules of basketball. There is an additional, alternating storyline that follows three young children watching the game. As a means of conveying the cultural importance of Jordan and the Bulls, it is clunky and not altogether effective. The artwork is not extraordinary, but is vivid and energetic. Because of the popularity of the "Who Is" series, this book may find a larger audience beyond the sports fans one would expect. VERDICT Young readers who are not familiar with the "flu game" or Michael Jordan will be drawn in by a familiar and engaging format. A strong secondary purchase anywhere basketball books or this series is popular.—Elizabeth Nicolai