Rivals by Tommy Greenwald
When is it more about the play than the player? Is it ever okay to play injured for the sake of the win? Just that one game? Alfie is hoping to be a sports journalist and reporter some day, and she's getting lots of practice in her middle school with her radio program and the school newspaper. She pays attention to the details and she noticed one of the players from the cross town rival team might be limping a bit in the big opening game of the season. And her sharp eyes aren't wrong. But her reporting opens up a whole lot more than just a player playing hurt.
Recommended for grades 6 and up.