Play like a girl : a graphic memoir

First Title Value for Searching:

Personal Author:

Wilson, Misty (Writer)

Edition:

First edition.

Physical Description:

258 pages : color illustrations ; 21 cm.

Genre:

Autobiographical comics.

Nonfiction comics.

Graphic novels.

Sports comics.

Comics (Graphic works)

Summary:

"Debut author Misty Wilson chronicles her seventh-grade experience as the only girl on her town's football team in this empowering graphic memoir about teamwork, friendship, crushes, and touchdowns."--

Subject Term:

Football for children -- United States -- Biography -- Comic books, strips, etc.

Middle school students -- United States -- Biography -- Comic books, strips, etc.

Sex role -- Comic books, strips, etc.

Comic books, strips, etc.

Additional Credits:

Wilson, David (Illustrator)

Audience/Lexile:

Ages 8-12.

Grades 3-7.

Publication Info:

New York, NY : Balzer + Bray, Harper Alley, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, [2022]

Subject:

Football for children -- United States -- Biography -- Comic books, strips, etc.

Middle school students -- United States -- Biography -- Comic books, strips, etc.

Sex role -- Comic books, strips, etc.

Comic books, strips, etc.

Autobiographical comics.

Nonfiction comics.

Graphic novels.

Sports comics.

Comics (Graphic works)

Wilson, Misty (Writer) -- Childhood and youth -- Comic books, strips, etc.

Gender role

Gender roles

Gendered role

Gendered roles

Role, Gender

Role, Gendered

Role, Sex

Roles, Gender

Roles, Gendered

Roles, Sex

Sex roles

Comic strips

Comics

Funnies

Manhua (Comic books)

Manhwa (Comic books)

Serial picture books

SAILS ISBN:

9780063064683

9780063064690

Available:

Library	Shelf Number	Shelf Location	Status
Searching... Ahern MS Media Center Foxboro	GN B WIL	Stacks	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Beckwith Middle School	GN B WIL	GRAPHIC NOVELS	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Bridgewater Public Library	JGRAPHIC PLAY	CHILDREN GRAPHIC NOVELS	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Dighton Middle School	B WIL	Stacks	Searching... Unknown
Searching... East Bridgewater Public Library	WILSON	CHILDREN GRAPHIC NOVELS	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Foxboro - Boyden Library	J GRAPHIC TWEEN WILSON	1:TWEEN	Searching... Unknown
Searching... James White Memorial, E. Freetown	J GN WIL	CHILDREN GRAPHIC NOVELS	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Middleborough Public Library	YA GN B WILSON	YOUNG ADULT GRAPHIC NOVELS	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Norfolk Public Library	JGN 92 WILSON, M.	CHILDREN GRAPHIC NOVELS	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Raynham Library	JGRAPHIC WIL	CHILDREN GRAPHIC NOVELS	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Swansea Public Library	YA (GRAPHIC) PLAY LIKE A GIRL	YOUNG ADULT GRAPHIC NOVELS	Searching... Unknown

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

Debut author Misty Wilson chronicles her seventh-grade experience as the only girl on her town's football team in this empowering graphic memoir about teamwork, friendship, crushes, and touchdowns.

Misty never shies away from a challenge, on or off the field. So when the boys tell her she can't play football, there's only one thing to do: join their team and show them what she's got.

But the training is rougher than she thought--and so are the other guys, who aren't thrilled about having a girl on their team.

Middle school isn't so easy, either. Misty wants to fit in with the popular kids, but they think a girl playing football is "weird." Even her best friend doesn't get it.

Can Misty find a way to score points with her teammates, make new friends, and show everyone--including herself--what it means to play like a girl?

"I am a huge fan of Misty and her courageous journey of staying true to herself. Readers will love her!" --Terri Libenson, New York Times bestselling author of the Emmie & Friends series

"This is the book I wish I'd had as a kid. Misty's passion for football and her fight to play in a male-dominated sport while balancing friendship and crushes makes for a winning read!" --Dr. Jen Welter, first female NFL coach, first female running back in men's pro football, and founder of Grrridiron Girls

Reviews (4)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Seventh grader Misty tackles middle school politics on and off the football field in the Wilsons' debut, a heartening graphic memoir by a husband-and-wife duo. Despite her stepdad and coach's support, Misty is discouraged by the hostility she receives from boys who resent having a girl on their football team. Though her best friend Bree reluctantly plays, too, Bree eventually quits to hang out with effortlessly cool Ava. In addition to Misty's struggles navigating taunts from her teammates, she must also endure painful barbs from both Ava and Bree, including their assumption that Misty doesn't like boys because of her love of sports and seemingly uncaring attitude toward her appearance. Hoping to alleviate rumors and mitigate bullying, Misty experiments with a more traditionally feminine gender expression by wearing skirts and makeup. As Misty juggles school and friendship drama, and hones her football skills, her sense of self takes shape. Expressive and brightly colored art, reminiscent of Raina Telgemeier's, deftly captures early 2000s fashion and complicated football plays. Misty's busy blended family's dynamics are refreshing, and conversations surrounding social exclusion are sensitively rendered in this cathartic story of sports and identity. Ages 8--12. Agent: Daniel Lazar, Writers House. (Sept.)

Horn Book Review

In this engaging graphic memoir, protagonist Misty is a fierce competitor who loves football: it combines strategy, teamwork, and tackling ("In other sports, I get in trouble for barely touching people!"). So when she finds out the summer before seventh grade that there's a town youth football league, she signs up. She persuades her best (and only) friend, Bree, to sign up with her; but as Misty throws herself into conditioning and acquiring skills despite the scorn of her male teammates, it soon becomes clear that Bree is more interested in clothes, hanging out at the pool, and a new friendship with a cool, popular girl. Misty's coach's statement that "football is all about getting knocked down and getting back up again" serves as the central metaphor for the book as middle school brings the pain of Bree's betrayal, the humiliation of trying unsuccessfully to fit in, and an imposed-from-without dissatisfaction with her appearance, among other challenges. Cleanly laid-out panels make for accessible reading, and the book does an excellent job of folding the football story line (including plenty of play-by-play game-time action) into that of Misty's life struggles. Readers will cheer as Misty eventually makes new, true friends; wins the acceptance of (most of) her football teammates; begins to take on a more responsible role in her family; and comes to an empowering conclusion: "I knew one thing for sure: I was done trying to be someone else." Appended with an author's note and a disclaimer about the dangers of playing tackle football. Martha V. Parravano September/October 2022 p.115(c) Copyright 2022. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Kirkus Review

Middle school drama hits hard in this coming-of-age graphic memoir. Natural competitor Misty has faced off against the boys for years, always coming out on top, but now they're moving on without her into the land of full-contact football. Never one to back away from a challenge, Misty resolves to join the team and convinces her best friend, Bree, to join her. While Misty pours herself into practicing, obviously uninterested Bree--who was motivated more by getting to be around boys than doing sports--drifts toward popular queen bee Ava, creating an uneasy dynamic. Feeling estranged from Bree, Misty, who typically doesn't think much about her appearance, tries to navigate seventh grade--even experimenting with a more traditionally feminine gender expression--while also mastering her newfound talent for tackling and facing hostility from some boys on the team. Readers with uncommon interests will relate to the theme of being the odd one out. Social exclusion and cutting remarks can be traumatic, so it's therapeutic to see Misty begin to embrace her differences instead of trying to fit in with frenemies who don't value her. The illustrations are alive with color and rich emotional details, pairing perfectly with the heartfelt storytelling. The husband-and-wife duo's combined efforts will appeal to fans of Raina Telgemeier and Shannon Hale. Main characters present as White; some background characters read as Black. A sincere, genuine, and uplifting book that affirms the importance of being true to yourself. (Graphic memoir. 9-13) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Booklist Review

Debut author Misty Wilson's Play like a Girl is an excellent addition to the growing group of books targeted toward middle-school readers that tackle the powerful and problematic impact that traditional gender stereotypes have on the lives of tweens. As the only girl on her school's football team in seventh grade, Misty is initially disrespected and ridiculed by several teammates who disapprove of her presence on the team, and her best friend critiques her competitive nature. Throughout the memoir, Misty also shares the struggles that she faced off the football field trying to fit in, find supportive friends, and get comfortable with not conforming to traditional gender roles. Readers will admire how Misty maneuvers through all the challenges she faces to become a champion off and on the football field, appreciate the message of accepting and believing in yourself despite what others say, and be heartened by Misty's powerful transformation. Supported by David Wilson's expressive and detailed artwork (especially in his well-choreographed scenes of football plays), Misty's Play like a Girl will be a welcome choice for readers looking for graphic novels that defy and challenge traditional gender stereotypes. An excellent addition to collections that already include graphic memoirs like Liz Prince's Tomboy (2014).