From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2–Mia's favorite sport is soccer but she hates losing. In fact, she dislikes it so much that she quits in the middle of a game. Upset about her attitude, her siblings do not let her participate the next day. Mia learns quickly that there will be times when she will score a goal and those when she will not, but playing the game is the most fun of all. Bright, energetic cartoons depict the child's ups and downs. Attractive endpapers contain colorful sketches of the girl progressing from birth (showing a soccer ball given as a baby gift) through stretching activities, trials of not scoring, and the final celebration of the sport. The text represents the mixed feelings of all athletes learning the game. Parents or coaches wanting a story about the joy of playing soccer without emphasizing winning or losing will find an appropriate read-aloud here.–Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
K-Gr. 2. The world's top goal scorer and three-time Olympian offers a soccer tale, putatively autobiographical, about a little girl whose tendency to stomp off the field when frustrated prompts her teammates to teach her a lesson. The text perfectly reflects a competitive child's rage when things don't go as desired ("Mia didn't want better luck next time. She wanted better luck now"), as do Thompson's expressive portraits of furious little Mia, all furrowed eyebrows and clenched fists. Hamm's somewhat vague author's note, in which she recalls that "while playing soccer with my family, I learned . . . how to lose gracefully," won't totally satisfy kids' inevitable curiosity about whether or not this incident actually happened. Even so, young soccer enthusiasts will still be relieved to see a larger-than-life heroine reacting to frustration in a familiar way as they learn the lesson about good sportsmanship. A concluding, double-page spread features facts and photos charting Hamm's rise to fame, and a removable glossy photo comes tucked inside the back cover. Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Book Description
Free Mia Hamm photo inside!

Mia loves playing soccer. That is, until she has trouble scoring a goal when her team is about to lose. Before she can lose, she quits. Fed up with her attitude, Mia's brothers and sisters will not let her play with them anymore. Will Mia learn that beinga team player is more important than winning or losing the game?

This wonderful and motivating story from America's soccer champion shows kids that:

Winners Never Quit!

About the Author
Mia Hamm, star of the U.S. National Soccer Team, Olympic Gold Medalist, World Cup champion, and five-time U.S. Soccer Player of the Year, is the world's greatest female soccer player. She serves as an important role model for children, inspiring them to strive for their dreams. In 1999 she formed the Mia Hamm Foundation benefiting bone marrow disease patients and their families, as well as providing athletic opportunities for young women. Mia is the author of the national bestseller Go For the Goal: A Champion's Guide to Winning in Soccer and Life. When she is not traveling the world playing soccer, she resides in Austin, Texas.

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
Superstar soccer player Mia Hamm kicks up a high-scoring picture book for kids about winning, losing, and being part of a team. With friendly, summery watercolor illustrations from Carol Thompson -- not to mention a free photo of Mia Hamm inside -- the author tells the story of little Mia, a sports-loving girl who particularly adores playing soccer with her siblings. It's obvious that Mia has talent on the soccer field, but when she has trouble scoring goals, she loses interest in the game. Unfortunately for her, Mia's brother and sister don't care to play with quitters, and the next day they make her stand on the sidelines to watch. After some time, though, Mia gets the picture about being a good sport: "Maybe she'd score the goal. Maybe she wouldn't. But she was playing." Readers learn, too, that playing "was more important than winning or losing." A lighthearted picture book with a simple message, Hamm's debut as a picture book author is a first-rate effort. Kids will also be thankful for the author's note and shots of Hamm's life in back, and the action photo is ultra-cool for fans to display. This read is a sure bet to keep kids in the game. Matt Warner

FROM THE PUBLISHER

From the most recognizable name in women's soccer comes a book about winning and losing, but most of all, teamwork. Mia Hamm, the ultimate role model for female athletes, draws from her own experiences to show that quitters never win, whether it is on the field or in the classroom.

As one of six competitive siblings, Mia would often quit a game rather than lose. Her brothers and sisters eventually refused to play with her at all until Mia came to understand what it meant to be part of a team. Carol Thompson's vivid illustrations bring this story to life, and full-color photographs show Mia in action on the field, as well as the family that helped her become a star.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Even superstar athletes don't come out on top every time. That's the name of the game in this slight picture book about soccer phenomenon Hamm's early lessons in being a good sport. Young Mia loves the cheers she receives when she routinely scores soccer goals in the local games with her siblings and friends. But when things don't go her way-and the ball doesn't go into the net-Mia announces "I quit!" Her poor attitude gets her left out of the action, as nobody likes to play with a whiner and a quitter. "If you can't learn to lose, you can't play," warns Mia's older sister Lovdy. Fortunately, the heroine has an epiphany ("She didn't hate losing as much as she loved soccer") and before long Mia's back, sporting her shin guards. Hamm's (Go for the Goal) message, sure to reach a wide audience of young soccer fans, is important, even if the delivery is a bit on the trite side. Thompson's (A New Room for William) loose-edged pencil-and-watercolor compositions, in both vignettes and full-page scenes, capture the zippy energy of the kids on the field. A brief author's note, scrapbook-style spread and frame-ready autographed photo bring this attractive package to a close. Ages 4-7. (Sept.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature - Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz

This light-hearted tale by a real-life female sports heroine begins with her early soccer-playing days. One day, when she cannot seem to score, she quits; she'd rather quit than lose. Her friends do not want to play with her any more if she can't learn to lose. She finally realizes that she wants to play; that playing is more important than winning or losing. A final direct message from Mia herself reinforces the simple but important lesson: learn how to play as part of a team and how to lose gracefully. Right from the jacket picture of an active young girl chasing a soccer ball throughout the multiple images inside as she makes her choices there is a consistent spirit of high enthusiasm, a spilling over of energy flowing from the pages. Thompson's watercolor sketches obviously derive from observations of youngsters at play. Along with a personal message, there are photographs of a grown-up Hamm in action at the end for interested fans. But they do not convey as much fun as the illustrations. 2004, HarperCollins Publishers, Ages 4 to 7.

School Library Journal