From #1 New York Times bestselling author Nic Stone comes a challenging and heartwarming coming-of-age story about a softball player looking to prove herself on and off the field.
Shenice Lockwood, captain of the Fulton Firebirds, is hyper-focused when she steps up to the plate. Nothing can stop her from leading her team to the U12 fast-pitch softball regional championship. But life has thrown some curveballs her way.
As the sole team of all-brown faces, Shenice and the Firebirds have to work twice as hard to prove that Black girls belong at bat.
Strike two: Shenice’s focus gets shaken when her great-uncle Jack reveals that a career-ending—and family-name-ruining—crime may have been a setup.
Strike three: Broken focus means mistakes on the field. And Shenice’s teammates are beginning to wonder if she’s captain-qualified.
It’s up to Shenice to discover the truth about her family’s past—and fast—before secrets take the Firebirds out of the game forever.
Topics Softball. Families. Racism. African Americans. Black people. Female athletes. Sports and recreation.
Lexile 790L
Trim Size 8 3/10" x 5 1/2"
JLG Span Winter
Language English
Rights type Print
Publication date 2021-08-30
JLG Release Date Nov 2021
Minimum grade 5
Maximum grade 8
Reading level Middle
Format Print
Sports Middle Plus (Grades 5-8)
Sports Middle Plus
Sports Middle Plus (Grades 5-8)
For Grades 5-8
From biographies of legendary athletes to fiction featuring thrilling game-day moments, this 14-book collection keeps sports fans entertained all year long. A great choice for both avid and reluctant readers.