The Off Season

Reach for this book when your teen is grappling with a sudden family crisis or feels the heavy burden of keeping everyone else together. It is an ideal choice for adolescents facing the reality of a loved one's life-altering injury or the quiet stress of balancing personal dreams with household duties. DJ Schwenk returns in this sequel to Dairy Queen, finding her world upended when her brother Win suffers a devastating spinal cord injury during a college football game. The story explores deep themes of resilience, the complexity of sibling bonds, and the slow process of finding hope when the future looks nothing like you planned. Murdock captures the gritty reality of rural life and athletic pressure with a voice that is both honest and deeply empathetic for readers aged 12 and up. It provides a mirror for teens who feel they must be the 'strong one' in their family during times of grief or medical trauma.