“In this debut title of his Winning Season series, Wallace supplies fast-paced sports action abundant enough to satisfy even the most reluctant-reader sports fan, while also managing to create a story with genuine sweetness at its core. Sixth-grader Manny and his friend Donald decide to switch from soccer to football, despite being the scrawniest guys on the team. And sure enough, they suffer on the sidelines, until they earn their brief, but oh-so-rewarding time in the spotlight. This book should fly off the shelves to kids who seek fast-moving sports stories with soul.” — Children’s Literature review