The story of Mia Hamm and her teammates on the U.S. National Soccer Team is as fast-paced and energetic as the games that are shown. It begins with Mia at age two, wearing corrective shoes, but determined to join her father and brother kicking the ball around. Readers follow Mia as she catches the eye of the national coach and joins the national team at age fifteen. The increasing popularity of women’s soccer is traced through the Women’s World Championship competitions in 1991 and 1995, the Olympics in 1996, and the record-breaking attendance at the 1999 Championship. Illustrations capture the constant motion of the players, their emotions on and off the field, and the cheering crowds. Rows of trading cards show the lineup for the team at each of the major events. Other pages feature the national flags of the competing teams or scoreboards for the various matches. Back matter includes selected sources, professional highlights for each of the teammates, as well as a section on their courageous fight for equal pay and benefits. There are even quotes from current players about how these women inspired them. Those players who are quoted also appear as young fans within the book. VERDICT: An immersive look at the world of women’s soccer that is an enjoyable read for those who are sports fans - and those who are not.

This graphic novel gives a brief overview of Hamm's life and career, with a concentration on her involvement on various teams, and the other women with whom she played. Born in 1972, Hamm wore corrective shoes for a foot problem, but loved to hang out with her older brother, Garrett, who played soccer. Soon, it was clear that she was a big help when he picked her for his team. The family moved a lot because her father was in the Air Force, and this made it harder for Mia to make friends. When she was just 15, she was picked to join the Women's National Team along with Brani Chastain and others. She played in the Women's World Championship in 1991, and the first women's Olympic soccer tournament in 1996. Her older brother died of a rare bone marrow disease in 1997, and today she works with the Mia Hamm Foundation to help raise funds and awareness for bone marrow/cord blood transplants. The book also talks about the 1999 World Cup victory, what the various players have been doing since, and also the legacy of equal pay, which wasn't settled until February of 2022. There is also a brief discussion of how younger soccer players have been inspired by Hamm's career.

While this doesn't have a lot of details about Hamm's personal life, the focus on her teammates and her career will make this a popular book with young soccer fans who would like to follow in her cleats. The artwork is brightly colored, and there's a good balance of pictures to text. My favorite part is that other teammates who were not as well known are at least mentioned, some in more detail than others. This is a great purchase for any elementary or middle school library.