Retro Review: Girl Overboard by Justina Chen Headley

If you didn't get your fill of Winter Olympics in the last few weeks, here is your chance to get back on the slopes. Whether you are regular, goofy-footed, or *gasp* a two planker (like me BTW) you're going to love GIRL OVERBOARD.

From the LB Teen/Hatchette website:

Everybody thinks Syrah is the golden girl. After all, her father is Ethan Cheng, billionaire, and she has everything any kid could possibly desire, right down to a waterfront mansion, jet plane, and custom-designed snowboards. But most of what glitters in her life is fool's gold. Her half-siblings hate her, her best friend Adrian's girlfriend is ruining their friendship, and her own so-called boyfriend is after her for her father's name. When her broken heart results in a snowboarding accident that exiles her from the mountains--the one place where she feels free and accepted for who she is, not what she has--Syrah must rehab both her busted-up knee, and her broken heart, and learn that she's worth her weight in real gold.

Right now, I'm in the midst of last minute preparations for a class I'm teaching called "Desire in the Middle Grade and Young Adult Novel." Because of that, my lens is very much on how authors allow readers to connect with their main character through a stated or implied desire/goal/want. I'm focussed on how a writer can make showing, not telling, do the heavy lifting in introducing character, setting, conflict, and desire. Chen Headly does this beautifully.

In the first three chapters the author makes it clear that Syrah is a little rich girl. This is a challenge for Syrah but it could easily be a problem for the author. Not a lot of readers will feel that they can connect with Syrah. Did you get a recording studio for your 10th birthday? Probably not.

Here's where the difference between sympathy and empathy comes into play. If a character is sympathetic, it means we like them. If a character is empathetic, it means that we can connect with them. Not all main characters need to be likeable but we need to be able to connect with them in some way. Often, that is through their desires.

Who doesn't want SOME thing?

No one. (she says answering her own question)

And because of that, we empathize. Syrah wants to ride more than anything. An injury has sidelined her and so her yearning for a chance back at the mountain is especially intense.

In addition to her desire, Syrah has a parents who don't get her and a blended family that drives her crazy. Many of us can relate to that too.

The author uses Syrah's father's 70th birthday party and Chinese New Year celebration to showcase the family's wealth and dysfunction: the nanny who helps 15 year-old Syrah dress, her half-sister's yippy purse dog, Syrah's Viewridge Prep perfectly wealthy classmates, and the rubberband of a dress that her mother has lain out for her. All of this is well juxtaposed with Syrah's desire.

Alone in my bedroom, I stare at my pale face. Turning away, I rush over to my bedside table, grab my cell phone and call Age, wherever he is, ready to beg him to come get me. Bring me to the mountain. To hell with my knee. And my parents. 

Her pre-accident snowboarding posters, and ribbons are relegated to her closet. The one place in her "antique-laden" home where she's allowed to keep the things that define her. But her parents have a hold on her and so she uses the skin colored makeup her mother has required so she can be presentable for the party to conceal her true self – something with which all teen readers can empathize.

One tid bit... I do wish that the publisher had been brave enough to use an Asian model on the cover instead of having her facing away from us. 

For more of the snowboarding and GIRL OVERBOARD love take a look at the Author's You Tube Channel here.

Noelle Pikus-Pace: My Olympic Hero

I don't know if it's because we're both athletic moms in our thirties, both suffer miscarriages, or go to the same church and have a friend in common, but the person I've enjoyed following most this olympics is Utah-native Noelle Pikus-Pace. After placing 4th in the 2010 Olympics and missing a medal by one-tenth of a second, Noelle retired to expand her family.  Unfortunately, she lost her baby. I know too well how difficult that can be both emotionally and physically and how putting my focus on creating something else (for me music, writing, and exercise) can be healing. It was her husband who suggested maybe she should give skeleton one more shot.

Here is the link to the video of her winning run and her rush to get to her family. That joy on her face is so full. We see so much happy in winning, but none outshines hers. Unfortunately NBC wouldn't let me embed this one.
Her interview with Kristi Yamaguchu

If you're interested in Noelle, here are a few more articles on her I found inspiring:
Noelle Pikus-Pace fights through adversity for skeleton silver is Sochi
Noelle Pikus-Pace redeems herself, earns gold in record-setting time in final skeleton competition on home track

Who have you most enjoyed watching this Olympics?

Watching the Olympics with Sporty Girl Books

Sochi 2014 has been a great time to watch women in sports. Take a look at our blog post about women to watch at Sochi.

Today we will share some of our favorite Olympic themed books.

Sugar and Ice - Middle Grade Fiction
For Claire Boucher, life is all about skating on the frozen cow pond and in the annual Maple Show right before the big pancake breakfast on her family's farm. But all that changes when Russian skating coach Andrei Grosheva offers Claire a scholarship to train with the elite in Lake Placid. Tossed into a world of mean girls on ice, where competition is everything, Claire realizes that her sweet dream come true has sharper edges than she could have imagined. Can she find the strength to stand up to the people who want to see her fail and the courage to decide which dream she wants to follow?

Gold Medal Winter - Middle Grade Fiction

Esperanza Flores's place on the United States Olympic figure skating team has come at the expense of an injured skater, so in addition to the pressure of sudden fame and outsized expectations Espi has to deal with the resentment of her teammates--and their efforts to sabotage her routine.






Getting in the Game - Middle Grade Fiction
Seventh grader Joanna Giordano wants to play ice hockey, but the only game in town is the boys' middle school team. Everyone tries to talk her out of playing--from the principal and the coach to the class bully, and even her best friend, Ben. With humor and a feisty spirit, Joanna fights for her place both on and off the ice.






Being Sloan Jabobs - YA Fiction
Meet Sloane Emily Jacobs: a seriously stressed-out figure-skater from Washington, D.C., who choked during junior nationals and isn’t sure she’s ready for a comeback. What she does know is that she’d give anything to escape the mass of misery that is her life.

Now meet Sloane Devon Jacobs, a spunky ice hockey player from Philly who’s been suspended from her team for too many aggressive hip checks. Her punishment? Hockey camp, now, when she’s playing the worst she’s ever played. If she messes up? Her life will be over.

When the two Sloanes meet by chance in Montreal and decide to trade places for the summer, each girl thinks she’s the lucky one: no strangers to judge or laugh at Sloane Emily, no scouts expecting Sloane Devon to be a hero. But it didn’t occur to Sloane E. that while avoiding sequins and axels she might meet a hockey hottie—and Sloane D. never expected to run into a familiar (and very good-looking) face from home. It’s not long before the Sloanes discover that convincing people you’re someone else might be more difficult than being yourself.


 
Hockey Girl - YA Fiction
Tara’s softball team has been challenged by the boys to put together a winning girls’ hockey team. The bet? Whichever team finishes lower in its respective division will have to wear cheerleading outfits (complete with skirts and pompoms) to the other team’s entire next season of home games! Tara and her Roadrunners are determined not to give the YYYs the satisfaction. But winning is going to be an uphill battle for the girls, especially in a hockey-crazed town that cares more about the boys’ Junior A team than anything else. So when the boys teams begin screaming for more ice-time, it’s the girls teams that get relegated to the graveyard times at the local rinks – if they’re lucky. To make matters worse, Tara discovers that the one boy who seems sympathetic to their cause (and super-cute, to boot) is the son of the ice-rink manager and their most belligerent opponent.What the Roadrunners need is some divine intervention which comes in the shape of Sister Helen, a former women’s ice hockey star and their new coach. Inspired to fight for their right to play, the girls launch a campaign to gain fair and equal ice time. Will the town rally behind the girls? And will the Roadrunners pull it together in time to finish ahead of the Hornets and save their dignity?


Want more? Here are book recommendations from other bloggers:

15 Olympic Themed Reads from One Savvy Mom!
Sports and the Olympics from Start with a Book
9 Books to Get in a Winter Olympics Mood from In Bed with Books


Olympic Actives:

Olympic Activities for Kids
Celebrate the Winter Olympics

Superbowl Sunday with Sporty Girl Books

As you enjoy your Superbowl Sunday, here are some of our favorite sporty girl football books to add to your to-be-read list.

Sweet Feet - MG Nonfiction
Ten-year-old Samantha “Sweet Feet” Gordon isn’t just a girl who plays football. She’s also the best player in a league full of boys and has become an online sensation. Known for flying past the defense to reach the end zone 35 times while racking up almost 2,000 yards in one season, Sam’s YouTube highlight reel made her an overnight sensation. Appearing in her own Super Bowl commercial and on ESPN, Good Morning America, and Cartoon Network, Sam’s attitude that girls can do anything, has inspired people across the world, from the U. S. women’s soccer team to NFL greats to other kids just like her. She even got her own Wheaties box—the first one to ever feature a female football player. Sam’s courage on and off the football field has lead her to greatness, but there were times when it wasn’t easy. Readers will hear Sam Gordon’s take on her love of football, her rise to fame, and her hopes for the future in this exciting autobiography full of stories and photos that will inspire all kids to go for their dreams.




Dairy Queen - YA Fiction
When you don’t talk, there’s a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said. Harsh words indeed, from Brian Nelson of all people. But, D. J. can’t help admitting, maybe he’s right.

When you don’t talk, there’s a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said. Stuff like why her best friend, Amber, isn’t so friendly anymore. Or why her little brother, Curtis, never opens his mouth. Why her mom has two jobs and a big secret. Why her college-football-star brothers won’t even call home. Why her dad would go ballistic if she tried out for the high school football team herself. And why Brian is so, so out of her league.

When you don’t talk, there’s a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said.
Welcome to the summer that fifteen-year-old D. J. Schwenk of Red Bend, Wisconsin, learns to talk, and ends up having an awful lot of stuff to say.




Catching Jordan - YA Fiction
What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university.

But everything she's ever worked for is threatened when Ty Green moves to her school. Not only is he an amazing QB, but he's also amazingly hot. And for the first time, Jordan's feeling vulnerable. Can she keep her head in the game while her heart's on the line?





Wild Cards - YA Fiction
After getting kicked out of boarding school, bad boy Derek Fitzpatrick has no choice but to live with his ditzy stepmother while his military dad is deployed. Things quickly go from bad to worse when he finds out she plans to move them back to her childhood home in Illinois. Derek’s counting the days before he can be on his own, and the last thing he needs is to get involved with someone else’s family drama.

Ashtyn Parker knows one thing for certain--people you care about leave without a backward glance. A football scholarship would finally give her the chance to leave. So she pours everything into winning a state championship, until her boyfriend and star quarterback betrays them all by joining their rival team. Ashtyn needs a new game plan, but it requires trusting Derek—someone she barely knows, someone born to break the rules. Is she willing to  put her heart on the line to try and win it all?

Women to Watch in Sochi

The Sochi Winter Games begin on February 6th and NBC is going to be providing us with over 1539 hours worth of coverage. Here, in images and video, are some of the women you might want to keep your eye on. 

First, the Women’s Ski Jump Team who are a part of olympic competition for the first time EV-ER! That's right EV-ER. Where have they been? Banned from the olympics because – I kid you not – the men in charge thought that jumping and landing like that would hurt their reproductive organs. Bogus. This didn't stop these girls and women from pursuing the sport. They still did it. They checked the jumps for their male counterparts. They still competed. Just not at the Olympics. For more on the story check out this NPR piece from December of 2013 or this NPR piece from 2005.

After 12 years of lobbying to be included in the Olympics, I hope that the team gets tons of support and TV coverage. Here's a great video from the organization Let Her Jump.

Jazmine Fenlator will represent USA as a bobsled pilot. Jazmine didn't have a lot growing up and her family had even less after Hurricane Irene hit their home. In this video she talks about the importance of perseverance and working towards your goals.

Image from NBC Sports and Getty Images

Lanny Barnes, an accomplished biathlete and part of two past Olympic teams, was ill during the qualifying race for the Women's Biathlon. Lanny finished 6th and Tracy, her twin sister and also a past Olympian, was 5th. Tracy Barnes surrendered her place on the 2014 Olympic team to Lanny.  In this NPR interview the two women talk about the reason for their decision, and their inspiration and support for each other. Are you a twin? Do you feel that your twin is a part of you?

This NBC video of Julia Mancusos, Julia Mancusos Unusual Training, makes me want to be her. I wish I was as fearless and could bomb down steep hills. I wish I could play the ukulele in Hawaii. I wish I could lift like that. I wish I could surf.








Julie Chu knows that it's better to work than to wish. She is the three time Olympian (two silvers and a bronze) and team captain of the 2012 and 2013 IIHF Women’s World Championship team. Fairfield, Connecticut is her hometown, she went to Harvard, she's has coached at the collegiate level, and has so much experience: world championships, nations cups, professional teams that I can't list them here. Take a look at her amazing resume at her Olympic page.








Tatyana McFadden is a nordic skier and biathlete in the Paralympics which will take place in March after the February games. McFadden is a  Grand Slam marathoner (she won the Boston, London, New York and Chicago marathons!) and an experienced Paralympian. In 2004, 2008, and 2012 she medaled in track and field events. Most recently, at the 2013 International Paralympic Nordic Skiing World Cup in Cable, Wisconsin, she was Fourth in Long Distance - Classic Sitting; and Fifth in Sprint, Middle Distance - Freestyle Sitting. From the IPC website: "Depending on functional disability, a competitor uses a sit-ski, a chair equipped with a pair of skis. Athletes with blindness/visual impairment compete in the event with a sighted guide." When Tatyana was in highschool, they wouldn't let her participate in track events. Her family's lawsuit resulted in Tatyana's Law: The Sports and Fitness Equity Act. (If you are a girl and a para-athlete I'd love to feature you on the blog. Please write to me at annajboll [at] gmail [dot] com.) If this video doesn't inspire you, nothing will. :)

Good luck to all the incredible women athletes who are competing in the Sochi Olympic and Paralympic games and to all girls who have Olympic aspirations! 

Agent Julia A. Weber on Sporty Girls and Sporty Books

If you follow me on Twitter or have come across any of my interviews/ wish lists online, you will know that I’m a huge fan of sports-themed fiction, and always encourage writers to submit their sports manuscripts to me.

My entire life has been shaped by sports in one way or another. As a child/ teenager, I tried as many sports as I could: field hockey, tennis, badminton, squash, dance, horse-riding, windsurfing… obviously, some of these lasted longer than others. While windsurfing only lasted a few attempts, during which I realised that my talent was… cough… limited, and squash was just a short stint at boarding school, I’m still playing field hockey today (20+ years later). I’m also a passionate golfer these days. But I’ve always been just as happy to watch sports – whether it’s football (I mean soccer), horse racing, tennis, handball, rugby… I just love it all.

Are you asking yourself what any of this has to do with books yet? Well, when you choose books to read, you tend to go for books that cover your interests. Right?

When I was younger, the only sports-themed novels that seemed to be available for sports-obsessed girls like me where about horse-riding (I was a big fan of The Saddle Club) and dance/ ballet – the (stereo)typical girls’ sports so to speak. There was the occasional football (still talking about soccer) book for boys… and that was pretty much it. (Please bear in mind that I grew up in Germany… so if you remember all these amazing sports novels about girls… lucky you. We didn’t have them.) Children’s literature over here was pretty much dominated by Enid Blyton and Astrid Lindgren. Which was great, don’t get me wrong. At the time, I didn’t really think about it much. Sure, I would have loved to find a YA series featuring field hockey, but it’s not like I had sleepless nights over it. And goodness knows, I’m making up for it now (not with field hockey books though. Where are those?). These days, there are so many amazing books about sporty girls out there, and I absolutely love it. What I love even more is the diversity of the sports featured. The Pretty Tough series, the Dairy Queen series, and Miranda Kenneally’s Hundred Oaks series are great examples of books where girls break into so-called “boys’ sports” and show them how it’s done. ;) I think they show girls that you don’t have to perpetuate the stereotype and only play sports that are considered “girly”. That you can cut your own way, follow your dreams, and make it happen. They also show that girls can be just as tough, ambitious, hard-working, and talented as boys if they put their mind to it. Something I think is important to tell girls who still live in a world where they keep hearing that they should smile, look pretty, and be cute. Don’t get me wrong. I’m a girly girl. I only ever wear skirts and dresses, I love nail polish and pretty things. I like romance and cute boys… that doesn’t mean that I can’t play sports where I get dirty. Yes, dancing is fun and I enjoyed horse-riding when I was younger… but the reason why hockey has always been my no. 1 sport? Because – being part of a team aside – it takes me to my personal limit. Sweat dripping into your eyes, that knowledge that your team needs you to go the extra mile even though you’re close to throwing up. Every broken toe, bruise, or pulled muscle a battle wound. That feeling when it’s raining so hard that you can barely see through the raindrops on your eyelashes, the hockey stick slipping in your hands, the astroturf so slippery you just slide over it. I don’t know if that’s “girly”, or “cute” (well, I guess the short skirts are), but who cares? It’s about doing something you love, and not somebody telling you that you can’t or shouldn’t because you’re girl (or a boy for that matter. What’s wrong with a boy wanting to dance or ride horses? Nothing. That’s what!). It’s about proving that you can be just as passionate, good, or tough.

Sports teach you so much about life. It teaches you about winning and losing, about making the right decisions for you and your team, how to be a team player, about fair play, (unhealthy) ambition and motivation, and how to deal with set backs, injuries, and failure. Sports shape us as a person; sometimes good, sometimes bad. And that is what makes sports such a good framework for book, no matter the age group. Authors have the possibility to create characters that are role models, characters that show readers what is possible, and that it’s okay to go after what you want. I so often find myself (or my teenage self) in sports-themed novels: the team spirit, the friendship but also rivalry between team members, the fight for the starting position on the team, the cute boy in the boys’ team, the fear of failing, losing, and not being good enough, the feeling that your coach doesn’t like you, the dream of winning a competition or championship, the frustration at yourself and others when you don’t reach your goal, the pain of getting injured and watching the others play the game you should be playing, the time that needs to put into the game and therefore missing out on parties or trips to the cinema your other friends invite you to. Where there’s sports, there’s (potential) conflict – that’s what fascinates us players, viewers, supporters, readers.

I know my life wouldn’t be the same without sports in it, and I really hope that supporting sports-themed novels with kick-ass (am I allowed to say kick-ass on here?) heroines will encourage girls to fall in love with sports (whether active or passive) and maybe even try sports they never thought they could play. Life is too short to have people tell you that girls should only enjoy tea parties and play with dolls. Seriously.

Julia is a cardigan-wearing literary agent with a — sometimes unhealthy — love for books, sports, coffee, cake, romance, and eye candy. She's a right-handed left-handed, hates the sound a pencil makes on paper, always (ALWAYS) has random numbers flying around her head, and her favourite pizza topping is a combo of pineapple and black olives… just in case you were wondering. While based in Germany, Julia's open to international submissions, and is looking for MG, YA, NA, Women's Fiction, Romance, and Thrillers. Julia is always on the look-out for new clients, but also extremely picky, so make sure your query and manuscript are the best they can be before querying.
Where to find Julia: Website, Twitter

Interview with Justine Siegal, a baseball pioneer

I am very honored to have the opportunity today to interview Justine Siegal. When I was doing research on girls who play baseball, Justine’s name came up again and again, not just for her own accomplishments in the sport, but also for the work she does helping and inspiring girls who play ball.

Here is a little about Justine: A true pioneer, Justine is the first woman to coach men’s professional baseball and to throw batting practice to a Major League Baseball team. She is the Founder of Baseball For All, a nonprofit that provides opportunities for girls in baseball. She has been featured in thousands of media outlets including: The New York Times, Oprah Magazine, NPR’s All Things Considered, and ESPN. Justine received her PhD in Sport Psychology from Springfield College.

Interview:

You recently wrote an article about the differences between playing baseball and playing softball. Why was it important for you to play baseball?

J:I have always loved baseball. I never considered softball the same sport. I wanted to play the game I loved. And that was, and is baseball.

In my local little league there were two or three girls on each team, but when I look at the roster of the 12U teams there are none. Why do you think girls give up on baseball?

J: Girls are told to give up on baseball. There is so much pressure from other parents, coaches, and sometimes even their own parents to quit. Too many people think that softball is the equivalent of baseball so when they suggest the girl drop baseball for softball they often think they are helping. When in fact they are teaching her that her dreams are not as important as boys' dreams and that girls do certain things and boys do other things - and to not cross that line.

Was there ever a point that you thought of giving up?

J: Yes, once I gave up in high school. It felt like I could do no right. The softball coach was harassing me to play softball and the assistant baseball coach was giving me some grief, and I just walked off the field. I'm not proud of that but I didn't know what to do anymore. That night, I got myself together and the next day I apologized to my baseball coach and was back on the team. So I really only quit for a day. What I really needed was someone to talk to about the conflicted feelings and messages I was receiving daily just because I wanted to play baseball. I really felt alone in my pursuit.

What do you think the future is for women in baseball? Will we ever see a woman in the major league?

J: My board and I are working hard through Baseball For All to build baseball leagues for girls across the country. That is what I hope is the future for women in baseball. I don't know if a woman will play in MLB. As cool as that would be I would really like to see a professional women's baseball league.

Tell us a little bit about the Sparks and Baseball for All. Why do you think it's important for girls to play on girl's teams?

J: Baseball for All is a nonprofit that provides opportunities for girls to be in baseball as players, coaches, umpires, and leaders. The Sparks were our first girls' program and it's a team of 12u that play at Cooperstown Dreams Park. We are the only girls' team out of 104 boys teams. 2014 will mark our 11th year attending the Cooperstown tournament.

I think girls playing with other girls is important because it brings a sense of camaraderie. I am a big believer in co-ed baseball teams, I just also think we need to provide opportunities for girls to play baseball with other girls.

Were there any books that inspired you to continue to pursue your dream?

J: I have been an avid reader since kindergarten. I love books!  For me growing up there were not a lot of female role models in baseball. I mostly read non baseball books, particularly fiction. But when reading baseball I read everything I could about the Cleveland Indians, my home team. One book that I love that girls can buy now is Sliding into Home by Dori Hillstead Butler. It is a book about a girl who plays baseball and it has a great ending but you will have to read it to find out!

Thank you so much for doing this interview, Justine. You’re a sporty girl inspiration!

Make sure to check out Justine's TEDx talk about girls in baseball linked on the sidebar.