Chess is Halima Kasim’s favorite thing in the world. But with no local chess club in her small town, she has no one to practice with offline. Yearning for worthy opponents IRL, she recruits newbies: her next-door BFF Jem (a dedicated friend reeling from the recent loss of her grandfather), Jem’s long-lost friend Parker (eager to escape the shadow of his sport-star siblings), and Daniel (itching for answers after discovering a mysterious note left for him inside a book). Together the team forms their own chess club, navigating not just the board but the highs and lows of middle school social life. Along the way they’ll learn that it takes more than practice to be great—it’s teamwork, confidence, and the power of friendship. And never forget . . . chess is a game full of surprises.
A Junior Library Guild selection
“This engaging, early middle grade story revolves around the game of chess both in its design and in the narrative itself…this story is robust in depth and thoughtful in delivery, chronicling the development of a group of friends through the lens of chess…This is an uplifting addition to library collections for newly confident middle grade readers.“–School Library Journal
“Alternating among all four kids’ perspectives, Donnelly effectively fuses various social themes, like navigating the loss of friendships, dealing with bullying, and being a good sport, with basic information about chess game play and history...A winner with lots of great moves.”–Kirkus
Rebecca Donnelly 