Starr, David

Growing up with a developmental condition that left her clumsy in both movement and speech, Jazz was teased and never had the chance to play team sports. Now rid of her symptoms, Jazz is ready to play basketball at her junior high, but the reappearance of an old bully makes her question herself and tempts her to let down the team that is counting on her. Last Pick emphasizes teamwork and countering bullying with fairness and forgiveness and how determination can help overcome obstacles.

"Fourteen-year-old Madeline Snow is the star goalie and captain of her girls rep hockey team. When her father moves the family to a small town, she feels like she's losing a lot. Maddie is unhappier than ever. Soon she discovers she's made the town's only Bantam team, but since they have a skilled goalie in Connor Spencer, Maddie wonders if she will get to play. When Connor dies in a car accident, Maddie is overwhelmed with sadness and guilt. But Maddie has become part of the community, and her friends help her to find the focus she needs to fill the empty net"--Provided by publisher.

Growing up with a developmental condition that left her clumsy in both movement and speech, Jazz was teased and never had the chance to play team sports. Now rid of her symptoms, Jazz is ready to play basketball at her junior high, but the reappearance of an old bully makes her question herself and tempts her to let down the team that is counting on her. Last Pick emphasizes teamwork and countering bullying with fairness and forgiveness and how determination can help overcome obstacles.

"Fourteen-year-old Madeline Snow is the star goalie and captain of her girls rep hockey team. When her father moves the family to a small town, she feels like she's losing a lot. Maddie is unhappier than ever. Soon she discovers she's made the town's only Bantam team, but since they have a skilled goalie in Connor Spencer, Maddie wonders if she will get to play. When Connor dies in a car accident, Maddie is overwhelmed with sadness and guilt. But Maddie has become part of the community, and her friends help her to find the focus she needs to fill the empty net"--Provided by publisher.

"A junior high soccer team in Vancouver, with mostly refugee and immigrant teen players, is sponsored to play in a big tournament in Toronto. Abbas Wassef, a recent arrival from Syria and a striker on the team, is looking forward to playing the top team in Ontario where he will reconnect with a buddy from Syria. Abbas has a big problem. He has witnessed a bad traffic accident that has given him flashbacks to the strife in Syria, and triggered a fear of airplanes and flying. But Abbas finds a way to conquer his fear and anxiety in time for the tournament. Along the way, he also helps his whole team deal with the pressures of being the only team at the tournament from outside of the GTA, being younger than most of the other players, and meeting the expectations of their sponsors back home"--Amazon.com.

"A junior high soccer team in Vancouver, with mostly refugee and immigrant teen players, is sponsored to play in a big tournament in Toronto. Abbas Wassef, a recent arrival from Syria and a striker on the team, is looking forward to playing the top team in Ontario where he will reconnect with a buddy from Syria. Abbas has a big problem. He has witnessed a bad traffic accident that has given him flashbacks to the strife in Syria, and triggered a fear of airplanes and flying. But Abbas finds a way to conquer his fear and anxiety in time for the tournament. Along the way, he also helps his whole team deal with the pressures of being the only team at the tournament from outside of the GTA, being younger than most of the other players, and meeting the expectations of their sponsors back home"--Amazon.com.

"When Dylan doesn't get off to a good start at his new school and gets in trouble for fighting, he has to join the soccer team with a group of immigrant and refugee students who play on a rough, gravel field. Mocked by his old team, Dylan becomes determined to bring his new team to the championship finals. Getting to know his teammates opens Dylan's eyes about hardship, and shows him the value of a goal that wins in sudden-death play -- a golden goal"--Amazon.com.