Literary Merit: Fair/Good
Characterization: Fair/Good
Recommended: For ELL students and reluctant readers in gr. 6-12, or for middle grade soccer fans.
Level: Middle/High School

Victor, a Syrian refugee now living in Canada, is asked to be captain of a soccer team that is playing in a "Thank You, Canada" tournament that will bring together teams of refugees from across the country. This is a huge honor for Victor, but proves to be very challenging as he has to work with boys that he doesn't know. Victor is also struggling to deal with his past (guilt over his grandfather dying during their escape from Syria) and his present (his brother becomes very sick and Victor feels guilty leaving him to play in the tournament), but ultimately the experience teaches him how to be a leader, both on and off the field.

I was hoping that this would be a good book for my soccer-loving ELL students. The sentences are short and not too complex, and the detailed soccer action is a huge selling point. However, while I enjoyed learning about Victor's experience escaping from Syria and the drama surrounding his grandfather's death, I think that many ELL students and reluctant readers will want to skip those parts and focus solely on the soccer action. ( )