Review by Frank Plowright

At the school she’s leaving Mikayla Thomas is a star basketball player, but there’s been no response from the basketball coach at the school she’s moving to. Eventually she’s told a meeting has been arranged after school on her first day. Having introduced suspense, writer Shawn Pryor spends the first forty pages leading up to the meeting running through Mikayla’s family and friends, and contrasting the friendly atmosphere at her old school with the chilly tone at her new one, much of that supplied by the ultra-cold Taylor. It turns out her mother is the basketball coach…

The troubles faced by the child changing schools is a common theme for graphic novels aimed at younger readers, and all take the similar path of difficulties piling up before a breakthrough moment after which all goes well. Pryor doesn’t diverge from that template, but basketball being such a strong part of Mikayla’s life establishes the necessary identifying point.

Del Hahn’s expressive cartooning ensures strong feelings transmit, with grumpy young teens a speciality. With basketball such an important part of the story, pages of games are incorporated, and Hahn captures the fast movement, delivering the action dynamics.

Mikayla’s possible salvation comes in the form of the newly established co-ed team, but it means playing considerably below her level, with the tensions and exasperations that brings for a competitive player. Pryor explores these well, while establishing that basketball is a team game, and building tensions with the entitled Taylor. The general path is predictable, but Pryor ensures young readers will understand Mikayla’s feelings and want her to succeed.