Goal!

Picture Book Month

Day 24 theme: Sports

Author/Illustrator of the Day: Don Tate

In a dusty township in South Africa, Ajani and his friends have earned a brand-new, federation-size soccer ball.  They kick. They dribble. They run. They score. These clever boys are football champions! But when a crew of bullies tries to steal their ball, will Ajani and his friends be able to beat them at their own game?

Goal is one of my favorite sports books because it captures the joy that football, or soccer as we in America call it, brings to kids around the world and incorporates multicultural literature into the classroom. Goal also captures the ingenuity of children's thinking when it comes to dealing with bullies. For American children, it offers a glimpse into a world different than their own. The illustrations are bold and action pack and the energy of the story snatches you up having you look left, then right and aiming for your own goal. A wonderful read aloud for everyone who loves the joy of a game well played and for children triumphing bad things in the world.

GOAL Resources

Hear Mina Javaherbin tell why she wrote Goal and hear an excerpt from Goal.

Bluebonnet Book Club GOAL!

Map Activity: Ajani and his friends live in South Africa. Take a look at this interactive map of Africa. Once you locate South Africa, click on it to learn more.

Book Dads interview with Mina Javaherbin

Listen to internet radio with bookdads on Blog Talk Radio