mohawkm's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
5.0
This was so good - even if you aren't interested in the technical details of 4th graders playing basketball, the working through of changing our behaviors when they aren't getting us what we want, and the family dynamics were fun and reflective at the same time.
ljrinaldi's review
4.0
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.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
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.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
francoisvigneault's review
4.0
Tremendously fluid cartooning and a down-to-earth story make this a winner. This story is wonderfully positive and uplifting but still deals with some very real emotional matters and difficult life lessons. There is also much more to this year-in-the-life of a basketball-loving fourth grader and her family than just what goes down on the court, themes of friendship, alienation, and even a bit of local politics enters the picture and everything is deftly handled by Mike Dawson. Well worth a read.
calvariaa's review
5.0
I was very excited to order The Fifth Quarter for the children's room at my library because kids LOVE sports books. There have been a lot of great sports graphic novels for teens published lately (Check Please, Dragon Hoops, A Map to the Sun) but sports themed graphic novels for early readers and middle grade still seem to be few and far between. I've been a fan of Mike Dawson's comics for years and I was very happy to add this to the collection.
This book sent me spiraling back to my tween years (in a good way.) I could relate to Lori, because I also started playing a sport in elementary school and was not very good at it. After lots of hard work and practice, I got better and started to really enjoy it. I think watching Lori's initial struggle and seeing her gain success after putting in hard work is a great message to send to kids. Society's trend of instant gratification has been trickling down to the youngest members, and reminding kids that it's okay to not be good at everything they try right away is very important.
The author absolutely nailed the dynamic of fifth-grade friendships. Both the shared joys and disagreements between the characters felt so realistic, and I think kids reading it will be able to relate to Lori and her friends. I thought Lori's jealousy was an especially interesting character trait because that is something that tweens feel all the time and they might not know how to deal with it properly. One of my favorite aspects of graphic novels is their ability to contribute to kids' emotional learning. Unlike prose novels, graphic novels normally don't have a first or third person narrator to explain what the characters are feeling. These feelings instead have to be deduced by the reader through dialogue and character expressions. The facial expressions and body language of the characters in this book are drawn so well and help the reader understand what is going on in the story.
I encourage all children's and tween librarians to add this book to your graphic novel collections! It makes a great addition to sports themed reading lists, alongside The Breakaways and Roller Girl.
This book sent me spiraling back to my tween years (in a good way.) I could relate to Lori, because I also started playing a sport in elementary school and was not very good at it. After lots of hard work and practice, I got better and started to really enjoy it. I think watching Lori's initial struggle and seeing her gain success after putting in hard work is a great message to send to kids. Society's trend of instant gratification has been trickling down to the youngest members, and reminding kids that it's okay to not be good at everything they try right away is very important.
The author absolutely nailed the dynamic of fifth-grade friendships. Both the shared joys and disagreements between the characters felt so realistic, and I think kids reading it will be able to relate to Lori and her friends. I thought Lori's jealousy was an especially interesting character trait because that is something that tweens feel all the time and they might not know how to deal with it properly. One of my favorite aspects of graphic novels is their ability to contribute to kids' emotional learning. Unlike prose novels, graphic novels normally don't have a first or third person narrator to explain what the characters are feeling. These feelings instead have to be deduced by the reader through dialogue and character expressions. The facial expressions and body language of the characters in this book are drawn so well and help the reader understand what is going on in the story.
I encourage all children's and tween librarians to add this book to your graphic novel collections! It makes a great addition to sports themed reading lists, alongside The Breakaways and Roller Girl.
readingwithcats's review against another edition
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
briface's review
4.0
Awesome middle grade graphic novel about basketball, following your passions, awkward friendships and having to really put work in to be able to make the team and play in the game.
caitlink's review
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
_morgueann's review
5.0
Lori can't seem to get things quite right. She isn't the best teammate, most enthusiastic daughter, or nice friend. She's often putting her foot in her mouth or taking it to personally. Through commitment to basketball, hard work, and gaining perspective on the inner lives of those around her, she becomes the best Lori she can be at the moment. Great for any kiddo needing the extra push to be a better winner and loser.
destdest's review
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Lovely! I really enjoyed this. Lori felt like a real, nine-year-old. She ain’t got it all together, and she still wants her mom’s time.
For Lori, ball is life, and she wants to stop being a benchwarmer. Her friend group is a little tense, and it feels like she’s always walking on eggshells because no one really gets her humor. The conversation at the end with Lori and her was the best!
Overall, I thought the illustrations were cute, and I liked the story a lot.
For Lori, ball is life, and she wants to stop being a benchwarmer. Her friend group is a little tense, and it feels like she’s always walking on eggshells because no one really gets her humor. The conversation at the end with Lori and her was the best!
Overall, I thought the illustrations were cute, and I liked the story a lot.
emilymyhren's review
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0