Leveling Up (Gamers #2)

After the Gamers worked to get an esport team at their middle school in Gamers: Attempting Connection, the group has had some success at competition, but are continuing on in their lives. This book focuses on Bard, who still struggles with maintaining friendships, especially since his mother is sinking deeper into depression. She's been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, but isn't taking her medication, and always is worse in the winter, feeling somewhat better in the spring when she can participate in roller derby again. Bard meets Reyna, who is also interested in video games, but Bard doesn't want to expand the team. When faculty sponsor Sam Keene, the school librarian who uses they/them pronouns, announces that Chell's dad (who has gotten his job back) has helped create a middle school league for eSports, more kids do join. Not only that, but the game that the group will be competing with has changed. Alyx has gotten an advanced copy of the game, but Bard struggles with learning it. Reyna joins, and is a great asset since she will put together detailed strategy manuals, but Bard is less happy about some of Mario's volleyball teammates joining, especially Dmitri, who remains a bully. Even more grating is the fact that Dmitri is better than Bard at the new game. Bard has to miss some meetings to watch his mother, and he notices that when he invites his mother to watch him play, she calms down. The school counselor, Mrs. Beckett, tells Bard that some studies have shown that games do help with some depression. She also encourages Bard to tell his teammates what is going on in his life. The first meet goes well, but during the second, Dmitri veers from the strategy the team has agreed on, and things go poorly. Dmitri quits the team, since he hates losing. After Bard tells Mario about his mom, he invites teammates over to play games at his house, which is a first. The group has fun, which they haven't in a while, and Bard's mom does okay. Chell is apprehensive about playing the team from her old school, the Sparklers. The Gamers win on a technicality, but the Sparklers, who have benefitted in the past from glitches, don't seem to mind. They make it to the tournament being held at the Bellairs College Esports Area. Alyx's parents fund t shirts so they can advertise their business, and the four original players get to compete. With the title hanging in the balance, will Bard come back from an underwhelming season?