Curveball

by Pablo Cartaya, Miguel Diaz Rivas (Illustrator)

Overview

Roller Girl meets Cardboard Kingdom in this original, contemporary graphic novel from award-winning author Pablo Cartaya and New York Times best-selling illustrator Miguel Díaz Rivas.

Baseball is Elena Rueda’s entire life: She may be the only girl on her team, but she’s the best player and everyone knows it. Except . . . Elena has stopped having fun, and it’s time to leave the sport behind.

The problem is, Elena has no idea who she is without a bat in her hand. Can a summer spent with her brother's quirky friends in an empty sandlot that offers a world of possibility show Elena who she is—and teach her to love to play again?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781368090094
Publisher:	Disney Publishing Group
Publication date:	05/07/2024
Pages:	192
Sales rank:	489,665
Product dimensions:	5.75(w) x 8.55(h) x 0.74(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Pablo Cartaya is an internationally acclaimed author, screenwriter, speaker, and educator. His work has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, NBC, and on Oprah’s Booklist. Pablo has worked with Disney, Apple TV+, and Sesame Street on projects adapted from television series and movies. In 2021, he served as a judge for the National Book Award in Young People's Literature and has taught creative writing workshops and spoken at various universities and conferences throughout the world. He calls Miami home and Cuban American his cultura.

Miguel Díaz Rivas is a freelance illustrator from Cabra, Spain. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Media and Communications and studied illustration and animation at ESDIP in Madrid.

Editorial Reviews

02/26/2024

In this uplifting graphic novel, Cartaya (The Last Beekeeper) and Diaz Rivas (the FGTeeV series) chronicle the trials and tribulations of baseball-playing Latinx middle schooler Elena Rueda. Though she loves the sport and is a skilled player—and the only girl on her team—her mother’s single-minded focus on furthering Elena’s career forces Elena to consider leaving the diamond. A tweaked medial collateral ligament prevents her from attending a summer baseball clinic, which seems like a blessing in disguise—until she realizes that she doesn’t have friends to spend her downtime with. But a summer LARPing with her younger brother Benji may be the spark to get her back on the field. The conflict between Elena’s prodigious skill and her own desires, complicated by her mother’s hovering, presents a moving take on the struggles of growing up surrounded by the pressure to succeed and lacking the opportunity to explore different facets of oneself. By centering Benji’s fanciful hobbies and rendering the siblings’ individual challenges via vibrant color and kinetic movement, this grounded tale of self-discovery transcends a rote sports narrative. Ages 8–12. Author’s agent: Jessica Regel, Helm Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Atlanta Japp, Advocate Art. (May)

Publishers Weekly

02/01/2024

Gr 5–7—Curveball is certainly just that: readers will think they are in for a story about baseball, and before they know it, they're in the middle of a family drama with some terrific role-playing game action thrown in. While this title seems to have something for every reader, athletes struggling to remember their passion for the game, or players with overbearing parents, will find that this is the book for them. Even those domineering parents themselves might enjoy and benefit from this story and from flipping through the pages of Elena's summer with a hurt knee. Students will connect with the pressures Elena faces, from team competition to family and friend dynamics. Elena also deals with the unique challenge of being the only girl playing a male-dominated sport. Meanwhile, gamers will welcome the respect given to their hobby, and older elementary and middle school students will appreciate the way characters navigate relationships. The illustrations provide readers with immediate insight into each characters' personality. Teachers who are helping students find their path amidst pressure from parents and peers can recommend this title as good starting point for discussions. VERDICT Purchase where sports graphic novels and role playing games are popular, especially where there are gaps in female representation.—Darby Wallace

School Library Journal

Curveball is a lively adventure, rounding the corners of fun, family, and friends before diving into the power of imagination. It’s sure to be a heartwarming hit.”
—Johnnie Christmas, #1 New York Times best-selling author of Swim Team
 
“Bursting with imagination, Curveball dazzles with great writing and kinetic artwork. I loved it!”
—Raúl the Third, three-time Pura Belpré Award–winning author-illustrator of the World of Vamos books

“A heartfelt story about following your own path while discovering the power of imagination and friendship. Curveball will be a sure hit with readers!”
—Kristin Varner, critically acclaimed author of Horse Trouble
 
“Curveball drives home the vital message that it’s okay to play to win, it’s okay to play for fun, and the best games are the ones where you can do both. You will find yourself rooting for this family!”
—Mike Dawson, award-winning author of The Fifth Quarter
 
“Refreshing . . . A solid story of sports and emotional growth in an unexpected, imaginative package.”
—Booklist, starred review
 
“A moving take on the struggles of growing up surrounded by the pressure to succeed and lacking the opportunity to explore different facets of oneself. [With] vibrant color and kinetic movement, this grounded tale of self-discovery transcends a rote sports narrative.”
—Publisher’s Weekly

“[Curveball has] something for every reader.”
—School Library Journal

From the Publisher