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After Amy Efaw Fifteen-year-old Devon is the last person anyone would expect to be in trouble. A role model for others, she makes good grades and is a soccer star. But Devon has kept her pregnancy a secret from everyone, even herself. Alone in her Tacoma apartment, she gives birth, stuffs the child in a garbage bag, and throws it–along with the trash in the place–in a dumpster. The police quickly arrest her for attempted murder, and she is sent to a juvenile detention facility while her fate is determined. Her attorney Dom, who wants her charged as a juvenile, not an adult, encourages Devon to peel off the protective layers to get to the truth. Told through a series of effective graphic flashbacks in which Devon distances herself by thinking of the newborn babe as IT, this book prompts much thought about guilt and conscience and our assumptions about others. Category: Teen Pregnancy/Moral Dilemmas/Justice. 2009, Ages Young adult, $17.99. REVIEWER: Barbara A. Ward (The ALAN Review). ISBN: 9780670011834 |
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Bad Machinery: The Case of the Team Spirit John Allison Allison is a triple threat: he plots deftly, draws confidently, and writes dead-on adolescent dialogue. Set in a grammar school in a British working-class community, this first book in his Bad Machinery series-originally published as a webcomic-has three earnest boys vying against three sharp-tongued girls to solve mysteries. The framing story concerns a Russian owner of a U.K. football (soccer) team trying to bully an elderly homeowner to sell her house; as the title hints, supernatural elements surface, too. There’s plenty of cynical commentary about British consumer culture, and the students’ sardonic banter provides a constant obbligato. About her mother’s boyfriend’s Velvet Underground albums, Shauna yawns, “It’s nice that you gave some money to people just playing music for the first time.” Allison’s adults are sympathetically drawn, too-even the archvillain has a human side. A wry glossary “defines” British terms (“Nuffink: The way you say ‘nothing’ if you were dragged up rather than brought up”), but can’t begin to illuminate the arcane mysteries of the British football-industrial complex; readers are on their own there. Dark, fast-paced, and riotously funny entertainment. 2013, Oni, Ages 10 and up, $19.99. REVIEWER: Publishers Weekly (Publishers Weekly). ISBN: 9781620100844 |
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Captain Disaster Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm Squish has joined a sports team! In the fourth “Squish” book, Squish learns a lesson about leadership and teamwork. Is the most important thing winning games? Or is it giving everyone a chance to play? Squish struggles with leading his friends. Told in black-and-white and green (with grayscale sections depicting a comic that Squish reads to himself), Jennifer and Matthew Holm maintain the goofy sensibility that has made Babymouse and Squish famous. The silly illustrations of Squish and his friends navigating an anthropomorphized world are supplemented with arrows throughout the story commenting on the action (i.e. “Kind of hard to wear shin guards when you don’t have shins, huh?”). Although there is a short spread at the end describing an “experiment with air pressure,” there is hardly any scientific content in the core story, besides the identities of the characters (the coach is a member of the Cyclops genus of crustaceans). This is a fun story about the challenges of leadership, but do not expect hardcore scientific content here. 2012, Random House, Ages 8 to 12, $6.99. REVIEWER: Raina Sedore (Children’s Literature). ISBN: 9780375843921 |
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Compulsion Heidi Ayarbe High school senior Jake Martin is obsessed with numbers . . . because numbers keep him safe. He spends his spare moments ritualistically searching for prime numbers hidden in objects and events, counting the correct sequence of numbers before stepping out of bed, and lining up his three clocks to watch the numbers change. As long as he can hold his life together with the magic of the good numbers, his team will win their third state soccer championship, Jake will be recruited by a top university, and his damaged family will heal. Perhaps after the championship game, the magic will transform reality. No more spiders will infest his brain, his mother will let go of her crippling paranoia, his dad will stop treating him like a freak, and his sister will forget her craving to be the most popular kid in school. If Magic Martin scores the winning goal, no one will care what bizarre rituals make his magic work. They will simply rejoice and accept him at last. Ayarbe gives Jake a compelling and convincing narrative voice that is both poignant and earthy. Numerous shadowy flashbacks help build tension throughout the novel. Older teen readers will be quickly caught up in the sheer momentum of Jake’s tale as he unwittingly reveals the source of his terrors and compulsions. This achingly believable novel is highly recommended for libraries serving young adults. VOYA CODES: 4Q 4P S (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Broad general YA appeal; 2011, Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins, Ages 15 to 18, $16.99. REVIEWER: Jamie Hansen (VOYA). ISBN: 9780061993862 |
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Dog Days Karen English English returns to Carver Elementary, the setting of her Nikka and Deja books, in this strong kickoff to her Carver Chronicles series. This time, the protagonist is new student Gavin, whose cool-kid potential (namely his basketball and skateboard skills) is undermined by his family. His parents don’t allow him to play a ceoverly violenta video games, and his older sister, Danielle, calls him mortifying nicknames like Gavmeister. Both of these horrors are revealed when Gavin’s new friend, Richard, comes over, a visit that ends with the boys accidentally breaking Danielle’s prized snow globe. In order to pay back his sister, Gavin earns money by walking his great-aunt Myrtle’s cranky and extremely accessorized Pomeranian, Carlotta. English captures Gavin’s realistic frustrations on the home front and the social nuances of elementary school life as he struggles to fit in without compromising himself (Ace Gavin doesn’t know if he likes that Deja girl. She reminds him too much of his sister). Freeman’s upbeat spot illustrations and English’s accessible storytelling target the book to emerging independent readers. 2013, Clarion, Ages 6 to9, $14.99. REVIEWER: Publishers Weekly (Publishers Weekly). |
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Exposure Mal Peet All Othello cared about was being a star soccer player. When he had the opportunity to play for another team, for more money, and in a different part of his country he knew it would not be popular with everyone; but, he refused to allow what others thought to stop him from doing what he thought was best for his career. He knew he might be “a fish out of water,” being black in a majority white part of his country, but he was not going to let that stop him either. He had to win over his new team mates, who were not happy that he was now on their team and that he was the highest paid player. He focused on the game and his skill as an athlete and won them and the fans over. What Othello never expected was to fall in love with a beautiful singing star, and to have his career, character, and life maligned by the media. The thing that Othello found most devastating was betrayal by someone close to him. This is an explosive, contemporary take on Shakespeare’s Othello. It is modern; fast paced, and does not ignore social problems of the twenty-first century. Readers will find this book engaging, and will recognize some of the same themes they see in the headlines of news organizations and tabloid magazines. 2009, Candlewick, Ages 16 up, $18.99. REVIEWER: Laura J. Brown (Children’s Literature). ISBN: 9780763639419 |
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Eyes on the Goal John Coy Jackson, Gig, Isaac, and Diego share a strong interest in sports. In the spring, they were all members of the same baseball team. Now about to enter sixth grade, the friends head off to a week at summer soccer camp. Of the four, only Diego has a background in soccer, and he’s placed in a group with other skilled players their age. Despite his lack of experience, Gig’s natural athleticism puts him in the same section, but both Jackson and Isaac are embarrassed to be slotted with players a year younger. Jackson is frustrated that he seems to have little talent for the sport it’s so hard not to use his hands. He’s also interested in Diego’s cousin another soccer star and must cope with his first crush as well as an unsettling nighttime encounter with a possible ghost. As the week passes, Jackson is challenged to improve his game and remain good friends with his buddies, despite flaring tempers and bruised egos. The four boys introduced in Top of the Order (Feiwel and Friends, 2009) emerge from soccer camp with their friendship intact, ready for middle school and, presumably, a fall sport, as the “4 for 4” series continues. CCBC Category: Fiction for Children. 2010, Feiwel and Friends, Ages 9-12, $16.99. ISBN: 9780312373306 |
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For the Love of Soccer Pelé In a spare narrative enlivened by typography of various sizes and colors, soccer legend Pelé underscores his lifelong passion for soccer, starting in childhood when “I would play with anyone, anytime, anywhere!” As the book moves forward in time, he describes the excitement of playing on a professional team: “The second the starting whistle blasted, every player exploded into action.” Following two time lines simultaneously, Morrison’s (The Hat That Wore Clara B.) energetic, fluid paintings spotlight Pelé’s soccer moves beside those of a young player today, always appearing on the right side of each spread, whose speed and resolve similarly spring from the page. In the scenes featuring Pelé, the athlete is the sole focus, painted in bright colors against a sepia backdrop. The present-day scenarios are played out against a vibrant urban setting that reveals family members cheering on the players. Though the narrative links the two players throughout, a warmhearted ending ties their stories together visually, as Pelé signs a ball for the boy on the field of a packed stadium. A biographical sketch of Pelé provides a final kick. 2010, Disney Hyperion, Ages 3-7, $16.99. REVIEWER: Publishers Weekly (Publishers Weekly). ISBN: 9781423115380 |
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Goal! Mina Javaherbin Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children’s Literature) We are on a street in South Africa where it is “soccer time,” but “the streets are not always safe.” Our young narrator has called his friends to play with his prize possession, “a new, federation-size football” declaring “No more old plastic ones.” Setting a guard to watch for bullies, they begin the game. Suddenly, a gang on bicycles appears. Hiding the new ball in a bucket, the boys set the old ball on top. If one of the guys knocks it over, they fear their new ball will be taken. Luckily, the taunting gang takes only the old one. The players feel as if they have won the World Cup. Although the streets are not safe, they feel unbeatable when playing together. Their joy in the game shines clearly through the fear. The large size of the book gives Ford’s oil paintings room to create portraits of the boys while demonstrating the action of their playing. We also sense the atmosphere, the ramshackle buildings and spare vegetation. The naturalism is modified to emphasize the drama, the intensity of the game, and the danger sensed during their encounter with the gang. The terse text, set in short phrases, gives the words a poetic quality. A note adds factual information. 2010, Candlewick Press, $16.99. Ages 6 to 9. ISBN: 9780763645717 |
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Goal! Science Projects with Soccer Madeline P. Boodstein This is one in a series of books that investigates physics concepts through sports. The book’s five chapters present experiments students can do on school grounds or at home with soccer balls and everyday equipment. The book presents nine activities for middle school students to try. In Chapter 1, students measure the bounce of a soccer ball; they study transfer of energy, Newton’s laws of motion, and the derivation of a ball’s rebound rating. Other chapters provide activities to investigate conservation of momentum, the Bernoulli principle, and the Magnus effect. Students experiment with controlling spin, changing kicking angle, air flow, and drag. The text is entertaining and interesting. It quickly reviews the physics behind the activity, then moves to the experiment itself. If using the book for a class activity, teachers may want to go into a little more detail about the physics concepts. It would be possible for students to do all of the experiments and come away with no knowledge of the formal concepts unless they were overtly named. However, given the level of student interest that is bound to be present, motivation will be high for students to use appropriate vocabulary to communicate their hypotheses. The drawings and photos in the book present a diverse group of students enjoying the activities, and both boys and girls are shown in the diagrams. The book is perfect for a school library or for a teacher to use in class. Students will be busy measuring, hypothesizing, critically thinking and experimenting, using soccer as a context for learning physics, and polishing their game. 2009, Enslow Publishers, Inc., Ages 10 to 14, $31.93. REVIEWER: Rebecca Bell (National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)). ISBN: 9780766031067 |
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Goal: The Fire and the Fury of Soccer’s Greatest Moment Mark Stewart and Mike Kennedy Goal! is a passable, if not overly thrilling, look at soccer and some of its greatest goal-scoring moments. The authors stay true to their mission by providing information on amazing goals, as well as weird and wild goals. The book begins with a short introduction and then moves on to a rather mundane chapter concerning the origins of soccer. Other chapters include “History in the Making–Ten Great Goals” and “Finishers–The Art of the Goal.” The quality of this book lies in the photographs and illustrations. A nice feature is “Collector’s Corner,” where a player card or other piece of memorabilia is shown next to each player’s brief biography. It is unfortunate that the book’s writing style is so bland. The authors fail to convey the excitement of each important goal. The section on the beginnings of soccer will be familiar to many fans, but these same fans will enjoy browsing other chapters, such as “History in the Making–Ten Great Goals.” This is certainly a browsing book; it is unlikely that many teens would read it from beginning to end. The appeal is strengthened by the fact that it is current and mentions some of the stars of today, both male and female. Bolster your soccer section with books that have a wider scope, such as Soccer: The Ultimate Guide (DK Publishing, 2008). VOYA CODES: 3Q 3P M J S (Readable without serious defects; Will appeal with pushing). 2010, Lerner, 64p.; Illus. Photos. Source Notes., $27.93. Ages 11 to 8. Reviewer: David Goodale (VOYA). ISBN: 9780822587545 |
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Happy Like Soccer Maribeth Boelts Illustrated by Lauren Castillo Sierra loves soccer and is thrilled to be on a team. But her aunt with whom she lives can never come to the games. Not only does she work at a restaurant on Saturdays, but the games are played at a suburban field far from the city apartment where they live. Everyone on the team but Sierra has someone to cheer for them. Yet when the coach asks if there’s anything she needs, Sierra says no. Finally, Sierra’s aunt is able to shift her work schedule to see Sierra’s last game of the season. The two travel by bus through the city, “then walk the rest of the way to the fields.” But when they arrive, it starts to rain and the game is cancelled. Sierra knows her aunt can’t ask off work again, so that night, without her aunt knowing, she sneaks out of the room they share, working up the courage to call her coach and ask if the rescheduled game can possibly be played on a Monday, in the empty lot near her apartment. The coach makes no promises, but is able to make it work in this picture book that offers a matter-of-fact look at class and economic issues in the context of an emotionally genuine story with a welcome but not unbelievable happy ending. CCBC Category: Picture Books for School-Age Children. 2012, Candlewick Press, 32 pages, $15.99. Ages 5-8. REVIEWER: CCBC (Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choices). ISBN: 9780763646165 |
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Kick Walter Dean Myers and Ross Workman Award winning young adult author Walter Dean Myers teamed up with a teenaged fan to write this action packed novel. Sports fans will enjoy the soccer plays that are described in detail. Thirteen year old Kevin Johnson’s soccer team is competing for the State Championship. Luckily, Kevin will still be able to play, despite the fact that he was recently arrested and is facing charges that include auto theft and kidnapping. Kevin has never before been in trouble but he is suspiciously silent about the circumstances involving the night of his arrest. Sergeant Brown befriends Kevin in an attempt to learn what really happened and what Kevin may be hiding. Kevin is facing tough competition on the soccer field and even tougher personal turmoil as he tries to protect himself and keep a dark secret. This book is both exciting and emotional. Readers will be anxious to learn Kevin’s secret and they will eagerly anticipate every detail as he slowly opens up to Sergeant Brown. 2011, HarperTeen/HarperCollins, Ages 10 to 16, $16.99. REVIEWER: Denise Daley (Children’s Literature). ISBN: 9780062004895 |
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Now is the Time for Running Michael Williams Fifteen-year-old Deo and his older, developmentally disabled brother Innocent barely survive a massacre by government soldiers in their Zimbabwe village. In the aftermath, they head for South Africa, making the dangerous crossing into that nation with a guide and a handful of other refugees. They eventually end up in Johannesburg, where they are taken in by a small group of refugees living inside a bridge. Deo’s world is shattered a second time when anger and xenophobia explode in a series of violent attacks against refugees. Jump ahead two years, and Deo is living on the streets of Cape Town, getting high as often as he can to keep memories at bay, when he’s spotted by a coach of the South African Street Soccer Team. Soccer had been one of the joys of Deo’s life in Zimbabwe. Now he is given a chance to train with and try out for the team that will represent South Africa in the Homeless World Cup. But in order for this group of young men and women comprising native South Africans and refugees from other African nations to become a South African team, they must revisit their painful pasts together, sharing their stories as a means of understanding how much they have in common. Told in Deo’s compelling voice, author Michael Williams’s gripping and ultimately uplifting story illuminates the strength and vulnerability of the human spirit while skillfully navigating and ultimately challenging xenophobia in South Africa. Williams provides additional information about xenophobia in South Africa and the Homeless World Cup in author’s notes. CCBC Category: Fiction for Young Adults. 2011, Little, Brown, Ages 12-15, $17.99. REVIEWER: CCBC (Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choices). ISBN: 9780316077903 |
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Out of Nowhere Maria Padian In a conservative Maine high school, Tom Bouchard is captain of the soccer team, a straight A student, and boyfriend of a popular cheerleader. He finds his straightforward life turned upside down when Somali refugees, resettling from larger U.S. cities, invade the community. The school is suddenly overrun with African Muslims, many of whom cannot speak a word of English. Four of them join the soccer team and–to Tom’s delight–are very good, particularly Saeed, who makes impossible kicks and saves. Though the town does not embrace the new arrivals, suddenly the soccer team is winning, even challenging their bitter rivals in a nearby, richer community. Tom is caught up in the town’s divisive reaction to the immigrants and also gets involved in a school prank that gets him in trouble. The resultant community service changes his life in many ways. When Saeed’s eligibility is questioned and Tom accidentally insults a Somali girl, how he reacts will determine his future. The emphasis of the book, happily, is not just about winning the big game. This poignant story is written with an exciting pace and tackles some important issues about cultural acceptance. The characters are well developed, modern, and realistic. The author is well known for other young adult books, including Brett Mccarthy:Work In Progress (Knopf 2008) and Jersey Tomatoes Are The Best (Knopf, 2011/Voya April 2011), both recognized as notable books for teens. This is an exciting and important novel about multiculturalism. VOYA CODES: 4Q 2P J S (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; For the YA with a special interest in the subject). 2013, Knopf/Random House, Ages 12 to 18, $16.99. REVIEWER: Kevin S. Beach (VOYA). ISBN: 9780375865800 |
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Outcasts United: The Story of a Refugee Soccer Team That Changed a Town Warren St. John Clarkston, Georgia, has had an influx of refugees since the late 1980s. Luma Mufleh, a Jordanian woman who came to the United States for college and decided to remain, was living in nearby Atlanta when she drove through Clarkston and caught sight of boys playing pick-up soccer. She soon had organized a team, the Fugees, which grew into several teams for different age groups. Luma had experience coaching but no background in teaching or social work. But she quickly realized these kids from war-torn countries like Afghanistan, Kosovo, Somalia, and Liberia needed more help than soccer alone could provide. She set up tutoring sessions and required her players to go if they wanted to stay on the team and they did want to stay on the team. She bought food for families when food stamps ran out. She attended parent/teacher conferences. She also had to battle city leaders as she looked for a safe place for her teams to practice. Demanding of the kids both on and off the field, Luma’s innate sense of what to do, and how to adjust when things weren’t working, is remarkable. Journalist Warren St. John tells this inspiring story in an adaptation of his adult book of the same name (Spiegel & Grau, 2009). An afterword details what has happened since the 2006 soccer season, when this account ends, including the fact that Luma’s program has now expanded to include a school. CCBC Category: Contemporary People, Places, and Events. 2012, Delacorte Press, Age 11 and older. $16.99. REVIEWER: CCBC (Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choices). ISBN: 9780385741941 |
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Sergio Saves the Game! Edel Rodriguez The sporty penguin of Sergio Makes a Splash is obsessed with soccer, but he’s only “a true star” in his dreams. In real life, he “trips, falls, crashes, slips, slides, flips, sets, shoots … and scores! For the other team.” But Sergio is determined to play and jumps at the chance to “try being the goalie!” The bold, graphic four-color spreads evoke vintage sports posters, and Sergio finally gets to shine during the championship game against a team of overconfident seagulls. Sergio and this smart sequel both deliver. 2009, Little Brown and Company/Hachette Book Group, Ages 3-6, $15.99. REVIEWER: Publishers Weekly (Publishers Weekly). ISBN: 9780316066174 |
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Soccer Wil Mara Score! Emergent readers are introduced to one of the most popular sports in the world, in this entry in the “Rookie Read-About Sports” series. The content provides a very basic introduction to the sport, relating ball movement, scoring and the role of the goalie. The text, written primarily in the second person, will actively involve the reader: “You get closer to the goal. You take the shot.” Each page of text, which contains one to three sentences, is paired with a full-page photo. White space and a large font are used to good effect in making the text very approachable. The race and gender inclusive photographs are not only well-matched to the content, but very engaging, actively capturing the action being described. Useful to teach beginning readers the parts of a nonfiction book, the title contains a table of contents and chapter headings. The closing matter includes soccer fun facts, a photo glossary and index. Readers seeking additional information on the subject are directed to Scholastic’s Facts for Now web site which provides links to articles from the New Book of Knowledge and related websites. A two-page spread, cleverly entitled “Score points for ” highlights good sportsmanship and staying fit. A winning introduction, suitable for school and public libraries. 2012, Children’s Press/Scholastic, Ages 3 to 6, $22.00. REVIEWER: Mary Clemens (Children’s Literature). ISBN: 9780531208588 |
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The Soccer Fence: A Story of Friendship, Hope, and Apartheid in South Africa Phil Bildner Illustrated by Jesse Joshua Watson Living at the height of apartheid in South Africa, a young black boy, Hector, tries to get in on the soccer games that a group of white boys plays in a nearby park, but he’s rebuffed for his race, even as watershed events like Nelson Mandela’s release from prison and the first open election in 1994 occur around him. As the African Cup of Nations galvanizes the country to support the racially integrated football team, Hector and one of the white boys get caught up in the sporting frenzy, becoming friends and playing together at the Cup’s conclusion. Though the book initially focuses on the emotions of the excluded boy, it expands into an effective and informative historical work as it documents the progression of the matches in the Cup, the Cup’s key players, and the social context. Watson’s boldly outlined acrylics are striking and warm in their depiction of the story, dramatically setting its characters against backdrops that wash a single color, such as sunset orange or rich ochre, over pencil details that often convey historical information through newspaper clippings and depictions of political events. This is, then, a remarkably effective tale of sportsmanship and overcoming prejudice in an accessible and high-interest format. The book includes an extensive author’s note, a bibliography of sources, and a historical timeline of South African history. Review Code: R 2014, Putnam, Ages 5-9 yrs, $16.99. REVIEWER: Thaddeus Andracki (The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books). ISBN: 9780399247903 |
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Soccer Sabotage: A Graphic Guide Adventure Liam O’Donnell illustrated by Michael Deas Soccer Sabotage: A Graphic Guide Adventure is an innovative book about soccer. It is a graphic novel, like a comic, yet has chapters. The book teaches readers soccer tips with step by step instructions and diagrams. There is also an interesting plot to go along with the lessons. Mike Deas did an excellent job in illustrating the work. The pages are very colorful and attractive as they stand out. The characters look extraordinary which will be appealing to young readers. The plot is splendid. The author planned out the plot very well with lots of twists and turns throughout the storyline. The story is told from Devin’s perspective. His sister, Nadia, is Captain of the London Lions soccer team. The team is playing in the under-18 Canadian Championships in Toronto. There is plenty of mystery in the book as Devin and his sidekick, Stewart, figure out whether someone is trying to sabotage the Lions’ attempt to win the championships. Stewart’s dad, who is the girls’ coach, mysteriously falls down the stairs. Was he pushed down, or did he simply lose his balance and fall? The answer to those questions is something the two boys investigate, and that’s not all that falls either. There is lots of action and mystery, too, in the book. Soccer fans and just about anyone will overall enjoy reading this book whether they want to learn tips or read some mystery. It’s definitely worth the read. Highly Recommended. Rating: **** /4. 2009, Orca, Ages 9 to 14, $9.95. REVIEWER: Dana L. Coates (CM Magazine). ISBN: 9781554691630 |
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Soccer’s Superstars: The Best of the Best Amanda Bishop Soccer is probably the most popular amateur and professional sport in the world. Accessible to anyone with any sort of ball, it provides entertainment for players and spectators, young and old, poor or rich. It’s quite a sight to watch talented players dance and manoeuver a round orb on their feet for minutes without dropping it. ‘The Beautiful Game’ was slow to catch on in North America, but with immigration and expanded television coverage, it’s now growing in popularity among boys and girls alike, displacing baseball as the largest organized summer activity. Children want to know how to improve their skills, and increasingly they are curious about soccer stars, just as they enjoy learning about their NHL or football heroes. “Soccer Source”, a series published by Crabtree, can satisfy their desire to polish their skills or learn about the marquee events and players. Each book has full colour photographs of players in action. Admirably, they show both girls and women as often as boys and men, a reflection that females are quickly breaking down the boundaries in what was a traditionally male-dominated sport. Each page in the 32-page books contains useful, clearly written information, organized through a table of contents that is cleverly represented by a dreaded yellow warning card. The second last page of each volume directs readers to more books and websites to further advance their learning, and the final page contains a glossary of definitions of terms bolded throughout the text, as well as a short index. Soccer’s Superstars: The Best of the Best features the U.S. Women’s Professional Soccer champions on the cover, again acknowledging the growing participation of women in soccer. Great teams, outstanding goalies and great players from all over the world and their particular accomplishments are highlighted, as well as though who have made a contribution to the game off the field. This series will find welcoming borrowers in a library collection. Recommended. Rating: *** /4. Grades 3-6. (Soccer Source) 2013, Crabtree, 32 pp., pbk., hc., pdf & html, $10.95 (pbk.) and $21.56 (RLB.). Ages 8 to 11. REVIEWER: Harriet Zaidman (CM Magazine). ISBN: 9780778702436 and 9780778702528 |
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Soccer’s World Cup is on! Millions will be watching as teams play to make the Finals on July 13. Feed patrons’ soccer fever with these exciting books.
Web links to additional information and activities about soccer follow these reviews. Contributor: Peg Glisson |
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