Eleven of the Best football reads for children


With the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia fast approaching, there’s no better time to tap into the excitement around the beautiful game to help boost children’s love of reading. Jim Sells, Sport and Literacy Programme Manager at the National Literacy Trust, shares his favourite football books for children of all ages.


11


I’ve got over 20 years’ experience at the National Literacy Trust, using football to improve children’s and young people’s literacy. I know the power that football has to grab children’s attention and get them into reading because I’ve seen it first-hand! Our Premier League Reading Stars programme has turned kids who would refuse to even consider picking up a book into avid readers who’ll devour any reading material about football they can get their hands on.


There are so many amazing books about football out there, it was very hard to narrow it down – but I’ve chosen my starting 11 for this year’s World Cup:


The Match


Russell Ayto, Bloomsbury Publishing, 9781408893456, £7.99, 5-7 years


This is a beautifully illustrated


comic book


which lays out the ritual of every fan who follows a team: dealing with the highs of victory and the lows of defeat – but this time it’s alongside your best friend who happens to be a dog! This book has


lots of discussion opportunities for parent and a child, which is what I really love about it.


Willy the Wizard


Anthony Browne, Penguin Books, 9780552549356, £6.99, 5-7 years


A heart-warming finding


book about a young chimp


picture his


footballing confidence. It has great themes of resilience, standing up for yourself and growth. The illustrations


are amazing


and this book is made to be shared. You’ll find something new to talk


about in each reading. Look out for Willy in other Anthony Browne books too!


10 Books for Keeps No.230 May 2018


Gus the Famous Football Cat


Tom Palmer, Egmont, 9781405290944, £4.99, 5-8 years


Remember Paul the game-predicting octopus? This is a take on that story for emerging readers, following a young refugee and her mysterious cat who seems to always know the score. It’s a terrific little story which shows - rather than tells - this girl and her dad fitting into their community through a love of football. Great stuff.


Football School: Where Football Explains the World


Alex Bellos & Ben Lyttleton, illus Spike Gerrell, Walker Books, 9781406367249, £8.99, 7-11


Imagine a school where everything is taught and explained through football examples. This book (and its sequel) is funny, compelling and informative. A touch of the Horrible Histories humour doesn’t hurt - you’ll learn about footballers’ poo in biology, blowing up a pig’s bladder to use as a football in history...


it’s


loads of fun, making school hardly feel like learning at all!


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32