Caleb helped write the grant that bought eight high-powered gaming computers for his middle school, and he becomes a member of the school’s new esports team. The group decides to devote a semester to playing a popular game based on World War ll called the Good War and the group members form teams representing the Axis and the Allies.

There are a lot of friendship and personality issues to be worked out among the team members as well as game roles and strategies to decide. Soon their matches are being live streamed with classmates providing commentary on Twitch, and the local news is paying attention. When members of the Axis team begin speaking with German accents and wearing matching t-shirts decorated with German medals, it’s clear that hate groups have begun to influence the gamers and both kids and adults have to figure out how to respond.

The first of many books I anticipate reading about e-sports and the sub-plot about hate groups is age-appropriate and necessary.