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4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
emotional
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
hopeful
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
informative
fast-paced
This graphic novel was part memoir, part history (including the formation of Title IX, the history of women's soccer, and the rise in popularity of the sport.) The history was fascinating, but the memoir pieces were a bit flat for me (although team sports were not part of my life so it didn't really resonate), and the transition between the two was a bit clunky. Still, it was a quick, interesting read. 3.5 stars
Read it because:
Impulse borrow from the library
Reminded me of:
It's almost unfair to try to compare this to Dragon Hoops, which was one of my favorite books of 2022, but there were huge similarities with the part-memoir, part-history and the sports focus.
Read it because:
Impulse borrow from the library
Reminded me of:
It's almost unfair to try to compare this to Dragon Hoops, which was one of my favorite books of 2022, but there were huge similarities with the part-memoir, part-history and the sports focus.
adventurous
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
relaxing
This graphic memoir packs a surprisingly strong emotional punch.
Ervick started playing soccer as a young girl in the days before there were girls' teams at schools. Goalkeeper Ervick helped lead her team to the national girls' playoffs. It wasn't until she was in high school that the effects of Title IX were felt, and high school soccer teams--and other girls' sports programs--started getting the funding and support they deserved.
This memoir is multilayered: Ervick talks about the unique alone-ness of being a goalkeeper, the camaraderie and cliques of the team, the history of women in sports, historical figures who were also "keepers," the impact of Title IX, the US women's 1999 World Cup win, and her ultimate transformation from soccer player to soccer mom.
Ervick writes frankly about her relationships with her teammates, young romance, and her struggle to find her place in sports and its effect on her later life choices. I was surprised by the strong feelings she evoked.
The artwork is colorful and sometimes includes cropped-in photos and reproductions from the historical record (as seen on the book cover). Ervick includes excerpts from her childhood diary, newspaper clippings, and the like. The people's emotions and movements are easy to grasp.
Recommended memoir, even for those readers who never played sports.
Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.
Ervick started playing soccer as a young girl in the days before there were girls' teams at schools. Goalkeeper Ervick helped lead her team to the national girls' playoffs. It wasn't until she was in high school that the effects of Title IX were felt, and high school soccer teams--and other girls' sports programs--started getting the funding and support they deserved.
This memoir is multilayered: Ervick talks about the unique alone-ness of being a goalkeeper, the camaraderie and cliques of the team, the history of women in sports, historical figures who were also "keepers," the impact of Title IX, the US women's 1999 World Cup win, and her ultimate transformation from soccer player to soccer mom.
Ervick writes frankly about her relationships with her teammates, young romance, and her struggle to find her place in sports and its effect on her later life choices. I was surprised by the strong feelings she evoked.
The artwork is colorful and sometimes includes cropped-in photos and reproductions from the historical record (as seen on the book cover). Ervick includes excerpts from her childhood diary, newspaper clippings, and the like. The people's emotions and movements are easy to grasp.
Recommended memoir, even for those readers who never played sports.
Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.