Out of Bounds (Soccer Sisters #1)

by Andrea Montalbano

Overview

A fantastic series starter about a group of friends and the lessons they learn about friendship, life, and family through their love of the world's most popular sport—soccer!

Makena Walsh absolutely loves soccer. She knows it's the best sport around and she feels lucky that the teammates on her super competitive and super skilled team, the Brookville Breakers, feel the same way. The girls always have and always will be Soccer Sisters. But when a new person joins the Breakers, everything changes. Skylar is a great player and really cool—but she also doesn't always play by the rules. Makena, hoping to impress Skylar, starts acting out and running wild, off and on the field.

With a huge tournament looming, Mac's got tough choices ahead. Choices that will affect her family, her friends, and the game she loves. Can she stay true to what the Soccer Sisters believe in and win the big game?

Fans of Alex Morgan's book, The Kicks will love this series by former soccer player, coach, and motivational speaker Andrea Montalbano.

Perfect for anyone looking for books:

• to give as gifts!
• for children who love soccer.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781492644811
Publisher:	Sourcebooks
Publication date:	04/04/2017
Series:	Soccer Sisters Series , #1
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.30(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Andrea Montalbano is a writer, advocate, coach, and soccer player. She grew up playing soccer in Miami and took that love to Harvard, where she was a cocaptain and a Hall of Famer. She then attended Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism, kicking off a long career at NBC News as a writer, producer, and supervising producer for the Today show. Andrea left broadcast journalism to write books and authored Breakaway in 2010. Determined to create a series for girls, she spent the next few years writing the Soccer Sisters novels. Off the field, Andrea is an activist for using sports for social change, and has represented the U.S. government abroad to teach the importance of sports for girls. She is a founder of the Girls of Armenia Leadership Soccer charity and is also on several boards for Coaches Across Continents, a global leader in education through sports. She has enjoyed coaching her own two children on local club teams and lives with them and her husband, Diron Jebejian, outside New York City.

Editorial Reviews

"An empowering first entry in a female-centric soccer series focusing on putting personal values before fitting in with the cool kids …The book targets soccer players specifically, but sports lovers of all kinds will be able to orient themselves using the handy glossary of terms. Characters are likable and well developed, with particular resonance for female readers. The length and simplicity make this selection ideal for reluctant readers" — School Library Journal

"Soccer aficionados will delight in the play-by-play game descriptions and will be cheering for the soccer sisters’ success. The shining spot in this first book in a series is the focus on friendships, empathy, and making good choices that will positively impact others. Readers will connect with Makena and the soccer sisters, and will look to emulate the positive relationships described throughout the book" — School Library Connection

From the Publisher

06/01/2017
Gr 3–6—An empowering first entry in a female-centric soccer series focusing on putting personal values before fitting in with the cool kids. Makena (Mac) Walsh defines herself through soccer, particularly her close bond to her "soccer sisters" on her team. Her teammate Chloe leaves the league for ballet summer camp, and Skylar joins the team as her replacement. Skylar is the embodiment of cool, with her spiky, multicolored hair and temporary tattoos. Mac quickly falls under her spell, both on and off the field. But Skylar isn't just a risk taker; she'll do anything to win or get her way. Mac quickly realizes the thrill of excitement is too close to the fear of discovery. When high jinks escalate to lying to her family and friends, Mac must choose between Skylar's friendship and her soccer sisters. With a professional soccer background, Montalbano grounds the story with details and writes fast action scenes. The book targets soccer players specifically, but sports lovers of all kinds will be able to orient themselves using the handy glossary of terms. Characters are likable and well developed, with particular resonance for female readers. The length and simplicity make this selection ideal for reluctant readers. VERDICT A general purchase for its exploration into an underdeveloped genre, and a solid recommendation to soccer fans and sporty kids.—Jessica Bushore, Xenia, OH

School Library Journal