Soccer Goals - (Jake Maddox Sports Stories) by Jake Maddox (Hardcover)

About the Book

Jacob dreams of playing real soccer and scoring goals, but his team only has four players, so when they are challenged by a bullying street team, they have to use teamwork and strategy to win and convince the street players to join their team.

Book Synopsis

Jacob dreams of scoring goals in front of a crowd of cheering soccer fans. Unfortunately for him, he's stuck playing defense on a team with only four regular players. At this rate, his team will never be the best, and Jacob's dream of being the star player won't come true. When the local street soccer team challenges him to a match, Jacob must learn what it means to be a team player. Will he realize there's more to playing soccer than scoring goals?

Review Quotes

In these latest additions to the popular sports-themed chapter books for kids, readers will meet a girl who joins a boys' football team at her new middle school, a soccer player who must to learn to play with his teammates in mind, a softball player who struggles mightily with her temper and impulsive decisions, and a Cherokee boy who deals with some bullies on his new lacrosse team. These first chapter books dig a little deeper into the subject of sports, focusing on players' relationships with each other and themselves, exploring the why and not just the what of the game. Black-and-white illustrations are frequent, and while multiple paragraphs appear on each spread, the text is spaced just enough for newly independent chapter book readers. A glossary, discussion questions, writing prompts, and more information about each sport is ­appended. VERDICT Purchase where the Jake Maddox sports books are popular or collections where books about lesser-known sports like lacrosse need representation.-- "School Library Journal"