Mia and Friends: Mia Hamm and the Soccer Sisterhood that Changed History
Karlin Gray
Illustrated by Micheline Hess
First Second
Published May 21, 2024
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About Mia and Friends: Mia Hamm and the Soccer Sisterhood that Changed History
Based on the true story of soccer legend Mia Hamm, Mia and Friends follows a group of young women who made history at the 1999 Women’s World Cup!
Despite being named after a famous ballerina, little Mia Hamm never cared for pirouettes. Instead, she chased the ball: baseball, basketball, and especially soccer. Since she was often the only girl on her sports teams, she had a hard time making friends. But when fifteen-year-old Mia made the U.S. women’s national soccer team, everything changed. All around her, young women tackled and dribbled, passed and kicked, scored, and screamed. They were just like her—but even more skilled. For Mia to improve, she had to play up to the levels of Michelle Akers, Briana Scurry, Brandi Chastain, and so many others. She was determined not to let her team down.
My Review
This graphic novel-style book follows Mia Hamm’s life and experiences, focusing on her time as part of the US Women’s National Team. Hamm and her teammates triumphed at the World Cup and earned Olympic medals while celebrating one another and building genuine friendships with each other.
At the end of the book, a chapter explores the Legacy of Equal Work for Equal Pay. I found the facts and details explained here pretty enlightening. Essentially, the women’s team was more highly decorated but paid less and restricted to a smaller budget for things like travel and equipment. It took a long fight in which the players risked opportunities in order to gain fair treatment. The book flashes forward to a new generation of players, including Megan Rapinoe and Abby Wambach who’ve continued the fight for equality in sports.
The pages show the players’ love for soccer and the joy of playing sports. I love the high energy of the scenes showing games and the ones that show the strong bond between the players.
This is a really quick read, and it offers a lot of information in just over 100 pages. The author lists lots of resources for further reading or watching in the back, which I’m sure sports fans will be excited to peruse. Pass this to young soccer fans and anyone in the mood to learn more about the history of women in sports.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.
Representation
Mia, a white girl, is the main character. She’s part of a diverse soccer team.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.
Romance/Sexual Content
One panel shows a young woman holding up her hand and showing off an engagement ring while others congratulate her.
Spiritual Content
None.
Violent Content
References to soccer injuries.
This isn’t violent, but it is sad. Mia experiences the death of someone close to her. One panel shows her at the person’s hospital bedside and another shows her and her family at the funeral.
Drug Content
None.
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