A humorous and heartfelt MG debut about chess girl power and performance anxiety in elite
sports. For fans of Kelly Yang and Celia C. Perez! Tick toc . . . Tick toc . . . The
clock is ticking for May Li whose middle-school chess team just earned a victory at the state
championship kicking them into high gear in preparation for nationals. What’s more exciting
for May is that her win came with a special award for being the top female player in the
tournament. An award that earns her a spot on a splashy Lingard Middle School campaign
celebrating student achievements. May should be thrilled. But some of her teammates
including her supposed-to-be-friend Ralph aren’t too keen on the special attention she’s
getting—and they're even questioning her skills. Backed into a corner but not one to back down
May makes a move: She bets Ralph she can win Lingard’s internal chess tournament and become
team captain for nationals. Under the pressure of her teammates and school’s expectations
May starts to crumble under pressure. Anxious feelings begin to take the fun out of chess and
even affect her game. Now finding the joy in chess may be just what May needs to do in order to
win the bet. The board is set. The game is on! The crown is May's for the taking.
