Description

---

Kristy Barrett is a soccer star. She's been a star since elementary school, and now is so good that she's been told she may someday make the women's Olympic team.

Everything changes in an instant, when a blow to her head during a game results in a severe concussion. It's not her first head injury, but it's the worst one she's ever had. The doctors say it will take time to recover; they don't know how long. All Kristy knows is that her team is moving on without her, and her purpose—soccer—is gone, and she doesn't know what to do, or even who she is. Her days are marked by pain and panic attacks.

Through two unexpected new friendships and insightful therapists, Kristy starts to rebuild her life. The question is, will her new life include soccer?

Sports injuries are a reality of competitive play, for both male and female athletes. Here is a story that athletes and other readers will relate to as they navigate middle-school and their own identities.

About the Author

---

James Preller is the author of the popular Jigsaw Jones mystery books, which have sold more than 10 million copies since 1998. He is also the author of Bystander, named a 2009 Junior Library Guild Selection, Six Innings, an ALA Notable Book, and Mighty Casey, his own twist on the classic poem, “Casey at the Bat.” In addition to writing full-time, Preller plays in a men’s hardball league and coaches Little League. He compares coaching kids to “trying to hold the attention of a herd of earthworms.” He lives in Delmar, New York with his wife, three children, cats and dog.