Track season is here. So is Maggie.
Maggie Vaults Over the Moon offers more than a sports story. It is an uplifting novel about loss, resilience, courage, and the long climb back. For girls in sports, the families who support them, and the coaches who help them rise, Maggie is a reminder that strength is built one brave effort at a time.
"Girls who play sports and the coaches and families who support them will thoroughly enjoy this warm, uplifting story." — Christine Brennan, USA TODAY Columnist and Best Selling Author of On Her Game: Caitlin Clark and the Revolution in Women’s Sports
"A fine YA novel about perseverance in sports and in life." — KIRKUS REVIEWS
When a fiery car crash kills her older brother, Maggie Steele is left grieving, unmoored, and unsure how to imagine the future. On her family’s Kansas farm, life goes on, but for Maggie, everything has changed.
Then she discovers an unlikely path forward: the pole vault.
What begins as a daring challenge becomes something more. As Maggie learns the discipline, fear, and freedom of launching herself into the air, she also begins the harder work of rebuilding from within.
Maggie Vaults Over the Moon is a moving coming-of-age story about grief, resilience, courage, and the long climb back.
More than a story
This special 2nd Edition of Maggie Vaults Over the Moon includes materials designed to deepen the reading experience and open conversation about perseverance, confidence, and growth.
Foreword by Olympic pole vault champion Katerina Stefanidi
Chapter discussion questions by Dr. Melissa I. White, language arts teacher and sport psychology specialist
These added features make Maggie a strong choice not only for individual readers, but also for teams, classrooms, families, and book groups looking for a story that speaks to both sport and life. Your current page already highlights Stefanidi’s foreword and Dr. Melissa White’s discussion questions as key added-value features.
"Heartwarming and realistic, this book is a winner!" — Nancy Julien Kopp, Chicken Soup for the Soul
Why readers connect with Maggie
An emotionally honest story
Maggie’s journey begins in heartbreak and slowly becomes a story of courage, persistence, and renewed hope.
A distinctive sports setting
Set against the backdrop of Kansas farm life and high school track, the novel brings readers into the demanding, unusual world of the pole vault.
A story for athletes and beyond
Even readers who know little about track and field will recognize Maggie’s deeper struggle: learning to believe in yourself after life knocks you down.
A cross-generational read
At the heart of the novel is Maggie’s bond with her grandmother, whose steady wisdom and love help guide her through grief, adolescence, and the difficult work of becoming.
What readers are saying
“Maggie Vaults Over the Moon is seriously the most inspiring book I’ve ever read. Maggie’s journey shows that with enough determination, you can overcome anything.” — Taylor, 16
“I couldn’t put this book down! Maggie’s story made me want to push myself harder in everything I do.” — Alex, 15
“The world needs more Maggies!” — Joline Frook, sports mom
A strong choice for
girls in sports
track and field families
coaches and mentors
middle grade and YA readers
parents looking for an uplifting, meaningful read
classrooms, teams, and discussion groups
Ready to meet Maggie?
Maggie Vaults Over the Moon is a moving coming-of-age novel about grief, resilience, and finding lift again. Set against the world of Kansas farm life and high school pole vault, Maggie’s story speaks to girls in sports, the families who support them, and the coaches who help them rise.