Finding Her Feet

Gr 4-6–Sixth grader Lily is going through a tough time. She’s confused by the changing social dynamics of middle school. Her former best friend Beth has ditched her for the more popular Amelia. Lily can’t bring herself to tell her father, who has been her primary parent since her mother left five years ago, that she’s struggling. Teacher Mr. Allen has noticed her isolation and invites her to join the girls’ soccer team he recently formed. Initially skeptical, Lily finds confidence and community—until she ends up in the middle of a conflict between two players. This short, heartfelt novel was initially published in England and chapters about the history of women’s soccer in England are interspersed with plot. Readers will get caught up in Lily’s story, and may be prompted to do more research. The history is interesting and deeper than American women’s soccer, but a tie-in between the two might have benefited the American edition. The layout and spacing of the text, the length, and the frequent illustrations make this a good fit for middle school students looking for extra support with reading. The illustrations provide the only clues about characters’ racial background. Lily is white and Beth and Mr. Allen are Black. Lily’s team has a broad racial makeup but it’s not always clear which illustrations represent which characters.