Toby's always had a weight issues, thanks in part to the free food his team gets from his friend Maddie's dad's restaurant and their soccer team's sponsor, Vinnie's. But Vinnie's sponsorship also provides the kids with team shirts, equipment, even cleats for some of the players. So when a city-wide ban is placed on sponsorship of teams by companies that promote unhealthy eating, many of the kids might not be able to play. Can the kids of Brunswick Valley come up with a way to keep their team going and still stay on the right side of the ban?
ROBERT RAYNER is a former elementary school principal in St. George, New Brunswick. He is the author of a set of award-winning soccer Sports Stories about a gang of soccer-mad kids from fictional Brunswick Valley.
"This timely theme [weight control will surely be hotly debated among readers. No less interesting and controversial is the issue of cutting team members based on talent versus encouraging everyone to play and get healthy.
Middle school students, especially those struggling to read, will enjoy this short novel written at grade 3.5 level."
Larger libraries looking for more soccer stories may want this.