  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 02/01/2018 Gr 3–6—Elle has always been tall, but as she enters seventh grade she is already six feet. It is a good thing she loves playing basketball since that is all anyone ever asks her about when they meet her. With her new extra height, she is moving from a guard to center this year. Along with learning a new position, she is adjusting to her new height, making her feel like she will never be coordinated again. Elle is also dealing with her school's annual cotillion in which she will have to dance with a boy for the first time ever. As the tween protests being forced to wear a dress and dance for a grade, she learns that her friends and her family love her for who she is and that she is more capable than she believes. The author, a former WNBA MVP and Olympic gold medalist, keeps the basketball jargon in check and believable for this age group. Readers will be eager to see where the rest of the series takes Elle and her teammates. VERDICT The author's name may draw some recognition from big WNBA fans, but the diverse cast and timely subject matter for girls in middle grades are what will make this a strong choice for middle grades sports collections.—Carli Sauer, Carmel Middle School, IN - Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 02/15/2018 As a six-foot-tall seventh-grader, Elle Deluca is constantly asked, “Do you play basketball?” She does, but when her coach moves her from starting shooting guard to center, it makes Elle question her place on the team. She’s grown so much lately that her feet seem to always be where they shouldn’t, and that’s causing trouble for Elle off the court, too. She’s dreading having to learn to dance (with boys) in gym class and then perform at the upcoming cotillion. Furthermore, she hates wearing dresses and puts off her mother’s efforts to go shopping until there’s little time left. In this first book in her middle-grade Hoops series, Delle Donne introduces Elle, her teammates, her family, and close guy friend, Blake. Although it’s nice to see a multicultural cast of characters, her diverse team seems a bit contrived for a small private school in Delaware. To her credit, Delle Donne includes a physically and mentally challenged character inspired by her own sister. - Copyright 2018 Booklist. Loading...
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