Copyright Date:
2024
Edition Date:
2024
Release Date:
08/06/24
Illustrator:
Zerrougui, Safiya,
Pages:
229 pages
ISBN:
0-593-43047-6
ISBN 13:
978-0-593-43047-7
Dewey:
Fic
LCCN:
2022050714
Dimensions:
21 cm
Language:
English
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews
(Mon Oct 07 00:00:00 CDT 2024)
High school freshman Aliya Javaid is miffed about moving from Tampa to Milwaukee.Though she's now closer to her grandparents, Aliya misses the beaches, food, friends, and her basketball team. At her new Islamic school, she tries out for the girls' basketball team-only to realize they aren't that good. But with their new, more experienced, coach, Jessica Martinez, they begin to practice harder, focusing both on skills and teamwork. When Aliya, whose family is Pakistani and Indian, gets overwhelmed by balancing schoolwork and practice, her grandfather's reminder that mistakes are part of learning helps ground her. Over the course of the season, the team improves, drawing a cheering audience. When they're unfairly matched against a higher-performing team, Coach Martinez's advice to play their best stands them in good stead. The all-Muslim, hijab-wearing team attracts a fair share of media attention, though reporters always try to pin them down to identity-related narratives. The girls express their discomfort and collectively decide to steer their interviews to basketball and their hopes for the team. Though some of the dialogue is stilted, the story effectively builds on smaller moments and victories as the girls learn to collaborate, iron out team dynamics, and celebrate small victories. Aliya, too, grows and gains confidence in her abilities and talent. The dynamic illustrations make use of interesting compositions to reflect the game's pace and the characters' inner growth.An inspiring sports story that focuses on more than the score. (character studies, cover concepts) (Graphic fiction. 8-12)
SWISH! Cheer courtside for a Muslim teen as she joins an all-girls, hijab-wearing basketball team and learns that she’s much more than a score. This energetic graphic novel is inspired by a true story!
“A slam dunk!" —Minh Lê
A GOOD HOUSEKEEPING BEST KIDS’ BOOK AWARD WINNER
Aliya is new to Wisconsin, and everything feels different than Florida. The Islamic school is bigger, the city is colder, and her new basketball team is…well, they stink.
Aliya’s still excited to have teammates (although the team's captain, Noura, isn't really Aliya's biggest fan), and their new coach really understands basketball (even if she doesn't know much about being Muslim). This season should be a blast...if they could just start to win. As they strengthen their skills on the court, Aliya and the Peace Academy team discover that it takes more than talent to be great--it's teamwork and self-confidence that defines true success.
For fans of The Crossover and Roller Girl, this graphic novel goes big with humor and heart as it explores culture and perceptions, fitting in and standing out, and finding yourself, both on and off the court.