When middle school student May Li wins a trophy for being the top girl player in a state chess competition, her teammate says she’s only getting the attention because she’s a girl. This starts a friendly bet about who can win the team captain spot for Nationals. And though May starts out confident, pressure builds as she juggles being part of the school’s publicity campaign, her chess lessons, classwork, and even time with her best friend. Each chapter is titled with a chess term, and the book gives a genuine explanation of the game without hand-waving or invoking magical abilities. It shows May working hard to excel as a chess player but still trying to remember the joy of playing the game. And of course it includes all the drama of competition, as May and her team head to Nationals. – Sondra Eklund, Mathical Selection Committee
The clock is ticking for May Li, whose middle-school chess team just earned a victory at the state championship—and with it, a ticket to nationals. What’s even more exciting is that May got an award for being the top female player and a splashy feature in the biggest chess magazine in the country. May should be thrilled. But some of her teammates, including her supposed-to-be-friend Ralph, aren’t too pleased with the attention she’s getting—and they’re even questioning her skills. Backed into a corner, but not one to back down, May makes a move as bold as any of her chess tactics: She bets Ralph she can win the school’s internal tournament and be chosen as team captain for nationals.
The crown is May’s for the taking . . . except she’s starting to crumble under the weight of everyone’s expectations. Anxious feelings begin to affect her performance and, what’s worse, eat away at her love for the game. Now May is left to wonder: Can you still play for fun when you’re playing to win?
– Book description from publisher