Net Ninjas: The Kitchen Line Problem Paperback Book

A Middle Grade Pickleball Chapter Book About Pressure and Patience

New school. New team. Same net.

When Isabel transfers to a new middle school, she doesn’t just have to learn the rules of pickleball, she has to earn her place on a team with history.

Nicholas is expected to lead. His older sister was last year’s number one and took the team to state. Now everyone assumes it’s his turn.

Melody plays fast. Carson plays loud. Charlotte is fighting to be in the top four. And Isabel is the new student with a brand-new paddle and something to prove.

As ladder rankings shift and pressure builds, the kitchen line becomes more than just a rule. It becomes the line between rushing and resetting. Between panic and patience. Between climbing the rankings… and staying there.

In this emotionally layered middle grade sports novel, readers step inside the gym where every rally matters, every mistake counts, and leadership isn’t about being the loudest, it’s about staying steady when everything speeds up.

Perfect for readers who love:

• Pickleball books for kids
• Middle grade sports fiction
• Competitive team stories
• Books about growth mindset and resilience
• Chapter books for ages 8–12
• School sports and friendship stories
• SEL-focused classroom reads

Fast-paced, thoughtful, and relatable, Net Ninjas: The Kitchen Line Problem blends sports competition with real emotional stakes, making it ideal for young athletes, reluctant readers, and kids learning how to handle pressure.

Because sometimes the hardest line to clear…
is the one just seven feet from the net.

Meets ASCA standards: M1, M2, M4, B-SMS 1, B-SMS 2, B-SMS 6, B-SMS 7, B-SMS 9, B-SS 4

Meets CASEL competencies: Self-Management, Self-Awareness, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills

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