Mari Costa’s illustrations and Lark Pien’s coloring are incredible and bring the entire book to life. It amazes me how they can turn my words into this visual medium that conveys the story in a whole new light. I love seeing their talent and imagination at play!
Offside tells the story of five very different middle-school students who may have more in common than they thought. Al, Nicky, Palmer, Fabiola, and Seba are all on the school soccer team, but that doesn’t mean they’re all on the same side. When Al and Nicky’s rivalry threatens to tear the team apart, everyone’s going to have to pick sides. That is, until Palmer looks into why Nicky joined the team, and he starts to realize that there’s a bigger problem than what’s on the field… and maybe the only way to truly win is together.
With the characters having varying levels of English and Spanish fluency, Offside features the groundbreaking format used in Invisible, to tell a story about soccer, friendship, and what it really means to work as a team.
Graphic novels are an incredible way to engage readers by having them use both visual and textual literacy which can enhance critical thinking skills. In addition, graphic novels can improve comprehension and vocabulary, stimulate creativity, and showcase/engage a wide variety of readers!
John Schu, you should have asked me about my experience with youth soccer teams because although I was never a player, I was a soccer mom that became the team manager for my sons’ travel and school teams (shoutout to the Coral Gables Toros, Pinecrest Premier, and CCHS Explorers). I was lucky to witness first-hand how soccer (and sports in general) can build bonds among teammates and families. Whether it was traveling across the city, state, or country… the memories that were created will last a lifetime!
Offside releases on July 7, 2026. Pre-order a copy today!
