I really liked this one! It is a great story of friendship and lessons about winning and losing. I really enjoyed seeing how the characters grew throughout the book and how their friendships evolved as they stepped out of their comfort zones.

The fifth quarter refers to a quarter that doesn’t exist in basketball games, where the younger, not as good players, get to play in the game, shooting baskets that don’t actually count in the real game.

Lori is in the fourth grade, and is one of the players that only gets to play in the fifth quarter, but she still loves the game, and wishes her friends loved it as much as she did.

Meanwhile, her mother wants to run for office, and Lori feels that even though she is doing it for the children, she is getting even less attention paid to her.

This is a story of friendships and sportsmanship, and doing things that are important. There is even a little bit of homesickness thrown in, when she goes to an away camp for basketball.

<em> Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. </em>

An action-packed, long form story focused on competition, friendship, feelings, growth, determination, and perseverance. A great read for older fans of Raina Telgemeier’s and Victoria Jamieson’s books.

Lori Block loves being on her school basketball team, even if she and her friends are relegated to playing "the fifth quarter" - the extra period where the not-so-good kids play and the points don't count. Determined to get better, she practices and takes part in different basketball camps, but she's got to learn how to finesse her social interactions: she can come off as brusque or downright mean to players she doesn't think match her own drive to succeed. Meanwhile, her mom's considering running for local office, taking more time away from Lori. Can Lori develop her own self-confidence, learn to navigate everyday social situations, and up her basketball game? 

The Fifth Quarter is a good sports story and a good school story. Lori is a relatable character; she's a fourth grader dealing with some big feelings: she's got two younger siblings constantly clamoring for her parents' attention; she gets frustrated by friends who don't share her consuming passion for basketball, and may even be slightly threatened when a new friend shows up to play what she may feel is "her" sport. When her mom decides to run for public office, it adds another layer of frustration and stress to Lori's life; it's even more competition for her mother's time, helping her mom campaign will take time away from basketball practice, AND since her mother is running against a school friend's father, she's worried that it will affect her friendship. That's a lot for a fourth grader! Her parents are supportive and encouraging, and her friends stand firm and call Lori out when they see her being unreasonable, letting readers know that it's okay to feel these things, but not okay to act negatively on those feelings. Readers will see themselves in Lori, and hopefully, her friends, too. A smart book that respects its readers, with artwork that realistic fiction graphic novel readers will recognize and enjoy, The Fifth Quarter is good reading for all graphic novel/realistic fiction readers. Suggest books like Pippa Park Raises Her Game, by Erin Yun, Victoria Jamieson's Roller Girl, Cathy Johnson's The Breakaways, and Jason Reynolds's Track series.

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Lori Block plays on a basketball team, but she and her friend Sophia only get to play in the fifth quarter, when points aren't being scored. They struggle with some issues, like double dribbling or a weak defense, but love basketball. Lori would like to do better, and maybe get on a travel team, so her parents enroll her in basketball lessons. Fourth grade is a time of a lot of tears, and Lori is easily upset by things like Sophia not wanting to play basketball at lunch, and her mother running for town council. She's worried that her groups of friends don't like her, especially since one friend's father is running for the same position her mother is. When a friend shows up at her basketball lessons, Lori isn't very kind, and her friends call her out on her lack of support, although Lori continues to make hurtful remarks. She enjoys playing basketball with one fifth grader, Jordan, and occasionally plays with Jordan and her friends at recess. She goes to a summer camp, and calls her father to come and get her at night. He is able to persuade her to stay. Lori's game starts to improve, her mother's campaign finishes up, and she is able to concentrate on school and basketball once again.
Strengths: Lori's family is realistically busy and dysfunctional. Her mother works a lot, and her father lets her younger twin siblings spend much more time on devices than is good for them, and both parents struggle to control the children in public. I haven't really seen this reflected in middle grade literature, although I have certainly seen this in action in the aisles of Target. They do manage to get to her games, talk to her about her problems, and give her the support she needs. The friend drama is also realistic. How many elementary school friendships realign over playing basketball versus playing "unicorns". Lori manages to grow up a little over the course of the book, and is a bit more in control of how she treats her friends.
Weaknesses: As an adult, the poor parenting really bothered me, and there was one picture at a basketball game with half the spectators glued to their phones! I am also easily distracted by noses in graphic novels, and sometimes characters' noses or mouths would just not be drawn. Had I just accepted that and not tried to search for meaning, I would have been less distracted. Not understanding basketball all that well, I also found the pictures of the action on the court less informative than text descriptions of games.
What I really think: Definitely purchasing, especially since a sequel, Hard Court, is coming out and seems to deal with soccer.

A good middle grade graphic novel. The story moved at a rather quick pace and left some things up in the air which could get a little confusing. However, the main themes and ideas are relevant to the targeted audience and it was great to see a sports book for girls.

The Fifth Quarter is about a girl named Lori who loves to play basketball. She plays during the fifth quarter, a time dedicated before the actual game for the not-so-good players. Along with this storyline, Lori's mom is also running for office. Lori learns to navigate friendships, family obligations, and her love of basketball. Readers will surely fall in love with her grit and determination. I enjoyed this book, and I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

3-4 stars. Nice to see some real, but realistic (not a huge transformation) character growth in a protagonist who starts off insecure, jealous, and suspicious of “friend stealers” and spotlight thieves.