Breakaway

May 17, 2010
Montalbano, who played soccer as a child and in college, taps into her love and knowledge of the game in her fast-paced debut novel. Initial descriptions of 12-year-old Lily's passion for soccer can be a little much, but the prose soon lightens ("Lily mentally lumped the dads at the game into two categories: Berries and Nuts. The Berries were the one with BlackBerries in holsters.... The Nuts were the dads who took the game way too seriously"). Lily is determined to lead her team to victory in the league championship, which they lost in the finals the year before. Her plan to impress a coach who's scouting for a select team backfires when she hogs the ball, resulting in a two-game suspension. Lily's interactions with family members and with two very different friends are as credible as the on-field
action, as she learns the importance of teamwork in all aspects of her life. A crackerjack, play-by-play account of the season finale brings the story to a winning ending. It's an ideal pick for readers more interested in scoring goals than boyfriends. Ages 9–12.

July 1, 2010
Gr 5–8—-ily, 12, is the star of her soccer travel team. When her coach notices that her temper tantrums and self-centeredness prevent her from being the team player she could be, he benches her. There are several didactic monologues interspersed among some excellent play-by-play action scenes as Lily learns to overcome her disappointment and gain a better perspective. Montalbano brings a bit of humor to the story by describing parents of players as either "Berries or Nuts"—those who occasionally glance up at a game between texting on their BlackBerries and those who are overly obsessed with their child's performance on the field. Even though Lily's thorough transformation appears to be a bit abrupt, soccer-playing readers will recognize some of her traits either in themselves or in others and enjoy this tale of friendship through teamwork.—"Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA"

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