Debut author Misty Wilson chronicles her seventh-grade experience as the only girl on her town’s football team in this empowering graphic memoir about teamwork, friendship, crushes, and touchdowns.
Misty never shies away from a challenge, on or off the field. So when the boys tell her she can't play football, there's only one thing to do: join their team and show them what she's got.
But the training is rougher than she thought—and so are the other guys, who aren't thrilled about having a girl on their team. Middle school isn't so easy, either. Misty wants to fit in with the popular kids, but they think a girl playing football is "weird." Even her best friend doesn't get it
Can Misty find a way to score points with her teammates, make new friends, and show everyone—including herself—what it means to play like a girl?
Praise for Play Like A Girl
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“Supported by David Wilson’s expressive and detailed artwork… Misty’s Play like a Girl will be a welcome choice for readers looking for graphic novels that defy and challenge traditional gender stereotypes.”
Booklist (Starred Review)
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“A sincere, genuine, and uplifting book that affirms the importance of being true to yourself.”
Kirkus Reviews
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“Expressive and brightly colored art… deftly captures early 2000s fashion and complicated football plays. Misty’s busy blended family’s dynamics are refreshing, and conversations surrounding social exclusion are sensitively rendered in this cathartic story of sports and identity.”
Publishers Weekly
Honors, Awards, Recognition
Winner of the Buckeye Children’s & Teen Book Award
MASL Black-eyed Susan Book Award Nominee
2024 Rise Honoree for Feminist Literature
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
A winner of the 2022 Nerdies for Graphic Novels
Named to the Cooperative Children’s Book Center’s Best of Year
Vancouver Island Regional Library 2023 Top Reads
Project Lit 2024 Book Club Pick, Middle Grade
2025 Choose To Read Ohio Booklist
Press
WKYC Good Company Interview
1455 Literary Fest
Metropolitan LitFest
