There aren't many books out there, which center around middle grade girls and basketball. So this one is a treat in that sense alone. But this one goes a step further than that. Elle is a pretty average girl, except for the fact that she's quite a bit taller than the other girls her age. Her uncertainty and self-criticism is something very common for the age group.

The author builds a realistic, middle grade world. Girls who like basketball and tales of the troubles of growing up during middle grade are sure to enjoy this tale.

I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed it enough to leave my honest thoughts.

Elle DeLuca is lucky that she enjoys playing basketball-- she's 6' tall in the 7th grade, so everyone always asks. When a new coach changes her position, she is concerned that she isn't as good a player as she could be. Add to her worries the fact that her private school has a mandatory cotillion that involves her dancing with boys much shorter than herself. She also has to wear a dress, which seems like a horrible idea. Her friend Avery tries to be supportive, and her mother, while very busy with her sports loving siblings and special needs sister, also tries to help when she can. Elle eventually finds a dress that works, and realizes that dancing can be fun under certain circumstances, and she also learns to hold her own on the basketball court in hew new position.

Strengths: There are not as many books about girls' basketball as I need, and it's great to see a basketball star writing a book based loosely on her own life. There were many good details about basketball. I especially liked the part where Elle's mother talks to the principal about changing expectations for the dance so that students may dance with a friend of the same gender (since Elle was okay with dancing with her friend Amanda) or wear appropriately dressy slacks instead of a skirt. Much more in line with today's students.
Weaknesses: A mandatory cotillion? These things still exist, but the whole idea seemed so strange to me that the school might well have required a mandatory interview with a space alien.
What I really think: Definitely purchasing, and looking forward to the next book, expected 12 June 2018.