The book opens with a glossary explaining a number of gymnastics terms. Mateo is part of a team of three guys, including Greyson (white, redhead) and Jordan (black). Mateo is smaller than the other two and appears to be Hispanic. Mateo is the star gymnast of their small team, until an even smaller boy, Aaron (white, black hair) shows up. Mateo gets jealous of his abilities and during their gymnastics meet shows poor sportsmanship. Some words from their coach and Aaron's kindness help him regain his equilibrium and they end up working together as a team.
The text isn't particularly inspired, but for that rare bird, a realistic sports story for beginning and intermediate readers, featuring a diverse group of kids no less, I won't be picky. I was a little surprised that the set covers lesser-known sports, including boys' gymnastics, tae kwon do, and t-ball, but it's great to have a range to present to that one kid who doesn't want soccer, football, or basketball. The illustrations are simple digital cartoons and add some emotional depth to the story.
The reading level is intermediate, for kids who are reading almost-chapter books like Frog and Toad or National Geographic. This is available in an (expensive) library bound or in paperback editions. I rarely purchase library bound titles for the easy readers, since I expect them to get a lot of hard use and be ready to be replaced, especially on the inside, before the outer binding wears out, but these fill an important niche in collections and are worth purchasing.
Verdict: With so few sports stories for beginning readers, especially featuring a diverse range of kids, this is worth purchasing if you can afford it.
ISBN: 9781515848042; Published January 2020 by Picture Window/Capstone; Review copy provided by the publisher; Donated to the library
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