The Fifth Quarter

Dawson, Mike

ISBN 10: 1250244188 / ISBN 13: 9781250244185

Published by First Second, 2021

About this Item

Seller Inventory # 1250244188-3-36763061

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Fifth Quarter
• Publisher: First Second
• Publication Date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1250244188
• ISBN 13: 9781250244185
• Binding: paperback
• Condition: Good
• Weight: 14 ounces

About this title

Synopsis

Get ready to hit the court in this heartfelt, sporty, graphic novel, the first in Mike Dawson's middle-grade duology about a girl who deals with her insecurities through her love of basketball.

Lori Block is fully dedicated to her fourth-grade basketball team―even if she’s stuck in the “fifth quarter,” the extra practice period where the less experienced players take the court and the points don’t count.

But for Lori, it matters. Every drill, every pass, and every small improvement gives her something she doesn’t always find elsewhere: confidence. On the court, she feels capable. Off the court, things are more complicated―awkward friendships, shifting expectations, and the growing uncertainty of where she fits in.

As Lori pushes herself to improve her game, she also faces new challenges beyond basketball: navigating school dynamics, managing her own expectations, and preparing for her first overnight away from home.

Through it all, she has to decide what real courage looks like―on the court, at school, and in herself.

About the Author

Mike Dawson is the author of several graphic novels and comics collections, including Freddie & Me: A Coming of Age (Bohemian) Rhapsody and Ace Face: The Mod with the Metal Arms. His work has appeared at The Nib, Slate, and The New Yorker, and has been nominated for multiple Eisner and Ignatz Awards, as well as the Slate Cartoonists Studio Prize. He lives at the Jersey Shore with his wife and children.