Fast Break - by Shawn Pryor

About the Book

Book Synopsis

Growing up is a team effort in Fast Break, a contemporary middle-grade graphic novel about family, friendship, and one girl's drive to succeed on the basketball court and in life--perfect for fans of The Tryout and Ride On.

Mikayla Thomas is a star basketball player determined to be the best at everything she does, including helping her family move across town for her mom's new job. With Mom working longer hours and Dad staying home to care for her baby brother, Mikayla knows her parents are making major sacrifices for their family. The least she can do is keep her head in the game and give them nothing else to worry about.

When the girls' coach at Mikayla's new school refuses to let her try out for their lineup, her plan proves harder than she thought. Instead, she finds her way to the Firebirds, a ragtag coed-league team where Mikayla might make some new friends as well as teammates. Even though the Firebirds aren't great at hoops, if joining their roster is the only way to play this season, then Mikayla is ready to lace up and win like she always does. She'll just have to do it by herself.

But as she faces challenges on and off the court, at home and at school, Mikayla begins to realize that the path to success isn't a solo journey--it's a team effort.

About the Author

Shawn Pryor's work includes Kaiju Unleashed; Who Is Shaun White?; the hi-lo reader series: The Gamer, Taekwondo Academy, and Cash and Carrie; and multiple books for the Jake Maddox Sports and Adventure series and the Graphic Library series. In his free time, he enjoys reading, cooking, listening to streaming-music playlists, and talking about why Zack from the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is the greatest superhero of all time.

Del Hahn grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana, riding their bike to the library and getting up before the sun to have the TV all to themself to watch anime. Between the two, it didn't take long for Del to discover their passion for sequential storytelling. Del self-published their first works as a high schooler, taking that passion through university. Since then, Del has worked on numerous projects as the sole creator and in support roles. In 2022, Del moved to Auckland, New Zealand, to find some adventure. Del was barely off the plane when they joined Mukpuddy Animation, where Del was asked to contribute storyboards to shows like Badjelly and Night Eyes, as well as other small projects. Del now lives at the base of a mountain where they draw cartoons and eat cheeseburgers.