Thursday, June 9, 2011

Goal! by Mina Javaherbin (A Bluebonnet Nominee)


       In a South African town, a young boy and his friends have to check to see if the left is clear and if the right is clear before they go out to play. If the streets are safe, they can play football, or soccer as it's known in the US. Even when the streets are clear, one boy has to act as the watchman, looking for bullies or anything else that may disrupt their game. Despite the poor circumstances, the boys enjoy a game of football, trash talking and imagining themselves as the hero of the game, just like kids all over the world do. When bullies threaten their fun, the boys work together to stand up to the bullies.

     This beautiful tale is told in simple free-verse poetry. Its simple words deliver a heavy punch of themes: working together, standing up to bullies, and the playful innocence of kids.
     The beautiful artwork is a great addition to this encouraging story.

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