Review by Booklist Review
Maya Jenkins' biggest goal is to join the Chargers' soccer team, just like her dad has always wanted. Maya doesn't necessarily enjoy the long practice hours and the intense competition, but she knows that these things are necessary components to becoming a great soccer player. When Maya's world gets turned upside down and her parents decide to separate, she does what she's always done: rely on her "Wheel of Fortunes" to guide her. The problem is that sometimes all of your answers can't simply come from a fortune cookie. Collier's newest novel is an exploration of family dynamics, self-discovery, and friendship. Collier's protagonist learns how to deal with the disruptive changes in her world, coming to terms with who she is both as an individual and as part of a community. This book is filled to the brim with relatable characters who can demonstrate to readers how to navigate the complexities of friendship and family.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In Georgia, Black middle schooler Maya "MJ" Jenkins is a lot of things--a flautist, a soccer player, and a collector of fortune-cookie fortunes. Feeling that she had to choose between the instrument and the sport, MJ chose soccer ("Daddy's favorite thing"). But she continues to secretly play the flute in her closet, employing what she calls "Quiet Mode" to engage with the music that centers her. She also regularly consults the Wheel of Fortunes her family made from fortune-cookie slips, spinning it for insight into life events. Most immediately, MJ hopes to be named her soccer season's MVP, which would bring her closer to joining the club team on which her father once played. When MJ's best friend wins instead, their bond takes a turn for the worse--just as her parents, who've been "whisper-fighting" for months, break the news that they're separating for the summer. Beginning each chapter with a fortune, Collier (Just Right Jillian) delivers another immersive novel, and its emotionally tinged first-person voice offers fresh observations about parental tensions and changing friendship dynamics. Ages 8--12. Agent: Danielle Chiotti, Upstart Crow Literary. (Jan.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A Black girl learns to listen to her own voice. Maya Jenkins is a Black middle schooler living in Georgia who enjoys soccer, collecting fortune-cookie fortunes, and playing her flute. She's good at soccer and works hard to keep improving her game, but a major motivation is how much her father loves the game and encourages her success. Although music makes her heart happy, Maya, feeling she must choose between the two activities due to time pressures, settles on soccer--although she continues to play her flute in secret. Now she's ready to take on soccer camp and get one step closer to making the team her father used to play for. But the summer brings plenty of changes, and Maya finds herself spiraling as her world is upended when her soccer plans go off course, and her parents make a decision that devastates her. As challenges mount, will Maya be able to keep her head in the game? Collier masterfully delivers a multidimensional protagonist with a clear and relatable voice. Maya's story includes heartbreak, healing, and explorations of strained friendships and familial relationships with moments of fun and joy interspersed. Each chapter opens with a fortune-cookie aphorism that highlights the emotional themes that are developed. Maya's journey as she learns to adjust to life's curveballs and listen to her inner truth will keep readers hooked from start to finish. A sincere story that will leave readers feeling warm and hopeful. (Fiction. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
