Team Misfit: Statebound

The Misfits are back! After their shocking regional kabaddi championship, Jordan and the team are invited to the State Championship — but the rulebook says they need a sixth player, and the new girl who shows up might change everything.

Your name is Jordan, and three months ago you did something impossible. You and four other kids — Maya, Dev, Suki, and Carlos — all got cut from your school sports teams, taught yourselves a sport called kabaddi in three weeks, and won the entire regional tournament. Quiet little Suki made the winning raid at the buzzer, and the trophy now lives on a shelf in Carlos's garage, right next to his notebook of plays.

These days the five of you meet at the park every afternoon, orange headbands and all, just to keep the magic alive. Today Maya is practicing tackles on a pile of leaves, Dev is timing his breath-holds, and Suki is showing Carlos a new ankle grab.

'You know what is weird?' you say to nobody in particular. 'I used to dread coming to this park. Now it feels like home.' Carlos grins without looking up. 'That is not weird, Jordan. That is the Misfits.'