Matheson, Christie. Select. Random House, 05/2023. 224pp. Fiction. GRADES 5 – 8. $20.99. 978-0-593-56724-1. HIGH ADDITIONAL.
Twelve-year-old Alex loves soccer, and she’s good at it. When her skills attract the attention of an elite coach, her life changes both for the better and the worse. Her teammates are amazing and they have a real chance to go to Nationals. On the other hand, this coach is a misogynist bully. Set in San Francisco and on the peninsula, Select explores the tension between love of sport and the fact that, for many kids, an athletic scholarship is the ticket to a better life. Alex feels trapped by her poor, single mom’s expectations and her own conviction that her coach has crossed the line. Full of exciting soccer action, nuanced team dynamics, and a realistic portrayal of what it takes to play at the highest level, it explores the difference between positive and negative coaching. While some didactic prose over-explains the core themes, the author’s love of the game and deep respect for student athletes carries the story to a gratifying, if rather sudden, conclusion. Alex and her family read as white, teammates and coaches are of diverse races and ethnicities. Reviewed from an ARC. This book has California-specific content.
Melissa McAvoy—Retired