MIA and Friends - by Karlin Gray

About the Book

"Despite being named after a famous ballerina, little Mia Hamm never cared for pirouettes. Instead, she chased the ball: the baseball, the basketball, and especially the soccer ball. She was often the only girl in the game until, at age fifteen, she stepped onto the soccer field as part of the US Women s National Team. All around her, young women tackled and dribbled, passed and kicked, scored and screamed. They were just like her--but even more skilled. For Mia to improve, she had to play up to the levels of Michelle Akers, Briana Scurry, Brandi Chastain, and so many others. She was determined not to let her team down!"--

Book Synopsis

Based on the true story of soccer legend Mia Hamm, Mia and Friends follows a group of young women who made history at the 1999 Women's World Cup!

Despite being named after a famous ballerina, little Mia Hamm never cared for pirouettes. Instead, she chased the ball: baseball, basketball, and especially soccer. Since she was often the only girl on her sports teams, she had a hard time making friends. But when fifteen-year-old Mia made the U.S. women's national soccer team, everything changed. All around her, young women tackled and dribbled, passed and kicked, scored, and screamed. They were just like her--but even more skilled. For Mia to improve, she had to play up to the levels of Michelle Akers, Briana Scurry, Brandi Chastain, and so many others. She was determined not to let her team down.

Review Quotes

"A kicky tribute to the iconic soccer star... Just as the art vividly captures the players' infectious intensity and athleticism, the larger overall story of how the team lit up a new interest in the sport in the United States, particularly among girls, makes equally compelling reading." --Kirkus

"An immersive look at the world of women's soccer that makes for an enjoyable read for those who are sports fans, and even those who are not. --School Library Journal

About the Author

Karlin Gray is not a soccer player or a sports star. But, like Mia Hamm, Karlin grew up as a shy military "brat" who moved frequently and found some great friends along the way. (And coincidentally, she graduated from the same high school as Mia!) Today, Karlin is the author of several biographies, including Nadia: The Girl Who Couldn't Sit Still and Serena: The Littlest Sister, and lives in Connecticut with her family.

Born and raised in New York City, Micheline Hess started her professional comic book career in the early '90s with Milestone Comics. A graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, she has several creator-owned works such as Malice in Ovenland, The Anansi Kids and the All Saints' Day Adventure, and Diary of a Mad, Black, Werewolf. She hopes to encourage a stronger sense of self-love, friendship, and a hunger to embrace all things new and different in the world around them.