Sierra loves soccer and is thrilled to be on a team. But her aunt with whom she lives can never come to the games. Not only does she work at a restaurant on Saturdays, but the games are played at a suburban field far from the city apartment where they live. Everyone on the team but Sierra has someone to cheer for them. Yet when the coach asks if there’s anything she needs, Sierra says no. Finally, Sierra’s aunt is able to shift her work schedule to see Sierra’s last game of the season. The two travel by bus through the city, “then walk the rest of the way to the fields.” But when they arrive, it starts to rain and the game is cancelled. Sierra knows her aunt can’t ask off work again, so that night, without her aunt knowing, she sneaks out of the room they share, working up the courage to call her coach and ask if the rescheduled game can possibly be played on a Monday, in the empty lot near her apartment. The coach makes no promises, but is able to make it work in this picture book that offers a matter-of-fact look at class and economic issues in the context of an emotionally genuine story with a welcome but not unbelievable happy ending. (Ages 5–8)

A warmhearted story about a young girl who finds a way to bring together the two things that make her most happy- soccer and her family.

Nothing makes Sierra happy like soccer. Her shoes have flames as she spins the ball down the spread-out sea of grass. But nothing makes her sad like soccer, too, because the restaurant where her auntie works is busy on game days and she can’t take time off to watch Sierra play. On game days, her auntie helps Sierra get ready and tells her, "Play hard and have fun." And Sierra does, but she can’t help wishing she had someone there to root for her by name, and not just by the number on her uniform. With honesty and rare subtlety, author Maribeth Boelts and illustrator Lauren Castillo portray an endearing character in a moving, uplifting story that touches on the divides children navigate every day- and remind us that everyone needs someone to cheer them on from the sidelines.