# Curveball

**Author:** Pablo Cartaya
**Grade range:** Grades 3–5
**Age range:** 8–11
**First published:** 2024
**Genre:** Middle Grade Graphic Novel
**ISBN-13:** `9781368089265`
**ISBN-10:** `1368089267`
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/book/curveball
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## About this book

When a knee injury sidelines Elena Rueda from the sport she loves, she discovers joy in pursuits without winners — like live-action role-playing with her brother Benji — and learns that friendship and fun matter most. Pablo Cartaya's character-driven grades 3-5 graphic novel is a 2026-2027 Sunshine State Young Readers Award (Florida) nominee.

## Themes

- friendship
- perseverance
- family

## Where this book is assigned

### Mississippi Magnolia Book Award

- **recommended** · 6th grade · Mississippi — [source: Mississippi Library Association / USM — 2026 Magnolia Book Awards nominees (student-choice; PreK-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 divisions)](https://aquila.usm.edu/magnolia_book_awards/12)
- **recommended** · 7th grade · Mississippi — [source: Mississippi Library Association / USM — 2026 Magnolia Book Awards nominees (student-choice; PreK-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 divisions)](https://aquila.usm.edu/magnolia_book_awards/12)
- **recommended** · 8th grade · Mississippi — [source: Mississippi Library Association / USM — 2026 Magnolia Book Awards nominees (student-choice; PreK-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 divisions)](https://aquila.usm.edu/magnolia_book_awards/12)

### Sunshine State Young Readers Award

- **recommended** · 3rd grade · Florida — [source: Sunshine State Young Readers Award 2026-2027 Master List (Grades 3-5)](https://www.floridamediaed.org/ssyra-3-5.html)
- **recommended** · 4th grade · Florida — [source: Sunshine State Young Readers Award 2026-2027 Master List (Grades 3-5)](https://www.floridamediaed.org/ssyra-3-5.html)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · Florida — [source: Sunshine State Young Readers Award 2026-2027 Master List (Grades 3-5)](https://www.floridamediaed.org/ssyra-3-5.html)

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_Generated from primary-source citations indexed on ReadingList.school. For the full HTML view with reading-list cross-references, see https://readinglist.school/book/curveball._