The Dream Team: Jaz Santos vs. the World (The Dream Team, 1)

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Paulo dreams of becoming a football star and escaping his life of poverty. His all-boys neighbourhood team don’t think that girls can play football, but when one of his teammates is injured, the only chance they have of succeeding is if his sister Maria steps in to save the day. This beautifully illustrated picture book provides an insight into life within a Brazilian favela and will inspire young girls to be the hero of their stories. 5. Booked by Kwame Alexander Jaz Santos vs. the World by Priscilla Mante is a short, middle-grade book about eleven-year-old Jaz who is obsessed with football (soccer). Jaz is finding school difficult and is being labeled a troublemaker, but things are also difficult for her at home because her parents are fighting a lot. When her mum decides to move in with her sister half an hour away, Jaz is left reeling. Sophie failed to engage much with this book, although she struggles to tell you exactly why. The story itself is pleasant enough, and there are some great, age-appropriate explorations of sexism—such as Jaz’s school giving all their sports budget to the boys’ team with nothing for the girls, the boys’ coach refusing to help train the girls, and the boys themselves not wanting to share training spaces. However, the story didn’t feel especially memorable, the levels of serendipity are overwhelming even for a middle-grade, and the majority of the characters (excluding Jaz herself) were two-dimensional at best. This is the first in a series with other books set to explore different members of the team, so Sophie hopes these future installments will help fix that particular issue. Nothing I planned ever turned out the way it was supposed to. As usual, it was me, Jaz Santos vs. the World.”

It still feels slightly surreal to be honest! I’m not sure when it will fully sink in, but it’s been such a delight to see people talking about these characters and scenes that have lived inside my head for so long. Recently, I was tagged in an Australian bookshop where copies of Jaz Santos had just arrived. It’s always incredible to see my book in places which I’ve not yet travelled to. Equally, it’s been so heartwarming knowing my debut is in places like my hometown library, where I found most of my books as a child.A scene that stands out in the book is when Jaz and her teammates strategise and set goals for what they hope their team will eventually become. They rattle off the numerous names of female footballers they find inspirational. This scene highlights the importance of representation in helping young girls dream big and change the ingrained limitations we unconsciously place on ourselves. Not Just a Story About Beating the Odds

Football is so topical and relevant at the moment. Why it is important for girls to play as well as boys? The stories can be read independently so it is a great choice for people who want a book that doesn't need to be read cover to cover. Want more stories? Try Unlimited Football 2! Play Like Your Football Heroes: Pro tips for becoming a top player by Matt Oldfield, Seth Burkett, Illustrated by Tom Jennings

Choose from exciting chapter books, real football stories, and advice on how to become a better player in this range of children's football books. Fiction Girls FC: Do Goalkeepers Wear Tiaras? By Helena Pielichaty Jaz is a wonderful character, she is a passionate, determined, brave kid with a huge heart. The football team she forms is also full of amazing characters and I cannot wait to read more from The Dream Team series. We see this capacity of the game to unite people and develop understanding played out in tournaments such as the World Cup and the UEFA Euros – joyous displays of national pride balanced with inter-cultural exchange. The chapters are short with minimal illustrations. Do Goalkeepers Wear Tiaras? is the first in the Girls FC series, readers can follow the team through their wins and losses. The Football Boy Wonder by Martin Smith This timely and heart-warming story about teamwork, self-belief and following your passions in the face of life’s up and downs is likely to score big with readers aged 8-11.

Although I haven’t played much football since my teen years, I still believe there’s something so special about how the world’s most popular sport brings people together from different corners of society and the world, and fosters a sense of community. A heart-warming, inclusive and funny new story about three big F's: friends, following your dreams and football! The Dream Team: Jaz Santos vs. The World is witty, filled with wisdom, and inspirational. While the book was written for children ages eight and up, there are many gems or quotes that I, an adult woman, needed to be reminded of. I related to many of Jaz’s worries, like the nagging feeling we’re not good enough or that we are responsible for other peoples’ emotions. Ultimately, Jaz’s story is about structural injustices and written for girls who worry that they will be judged not for their talent and hard work but for who they are. It is an important message for all of us: to believe in our excellence and undeniable talent even when the systems in which we work to be accepted continuously attempt to deny and refuse us. This was a cute middle grade, but I really struggled with the author's writing style, which seemed a bit amateurish and immature. Not only was the main character's voice hardly that of a 10 years old, but it read like the author had forgotten what it is like to be a child. I have read my fair share of middle grades and I can now tell when the authors know how to talk like, about and to children and when they do not. I believe this was a debut, so maybe in the future this aspect will get better; I don't think I will be reading the other books in this companion series, but I really believe there's room for improvement.Titles include popular classics, exciting contemporary fiction, and thought-provoking non-fiction, introducing language learners to bestselling authors and compelling content. Ten year old Jaz has two great loves: her family and football. Her greatest goal in life is to play for England but for now she has to get through Year 6, while everything in her life is going wrong.