THE BREAKAWAYS by Cathy G. Johnson, colors by Kevin Czap (First Second, March 2019)

Quiet, sensitive Faith starts middle school already worrying about how she will fit in. To her surprise, Amanda, a popular eighth grader, convinces her to join the school soccer team, the Bloodhounds. Having never played soccer in her life, Faith ends up on the C team, a ragtag group that’s way better at drama than at teamwork. Although they are awful at soccer, Faith and her teammates soon form a bond both on and off the soccer field that challenges their notions of loyalty, identity, friendship, and unity.

The Breakaways from Cathy G. Johnson is a raw and beautifully honest graphic novel that looks into the lives of a diverse and defiantly independent group of kids learning to make room for themselves in the world.

Select praise for THE BREAKAWAYS:

Booklist review: “Kids after empowering, character-driven stories about realistic friendships will fall in love.”
Kirkus review: "Groundbreaking—and as complicated as middle school."
Publishers Weekly review: "Johnson’s graphic novel will resonate with readers who are figuring out who they are and where they belong."
School Library Journal review: “A down-to-earth friendship story for readers of Svetlana Chmakova's Awkward, Jennifer L. Holm's Sunny Side Up, and Raina Telgemeier's Drama.”