About This Book
Reach for this book when your child is facing a major life transition, particularly a move or a change in school, and feels like their hard work to belong has been reset. This story follows Oliver, a military kid who finally finds his footing on the football field only to learn he must move yet again. It speaks directly to the frustration of 'starting over' and the feeling that circumstances are out of a child's control. While the backdrop is middle school football, the heart of the book is about resilience and the importance of finishing strong even when the future is uncertain. Parents will appreciate how it models healthy emotional processing: Oliver is allowed to be angry and sad, but he eventually finds a way to channel those feelings into leadership. At a readable level for ages 8 to 12, it offers comfort by showing that while friendships and places might change, the character one builds stays for the long haul.
