Goalkeeper in Charge (Matt Christopher Sports Bio Bookshelf) [Hardcover]

Matt Christopher (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2002 | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: Matt Christopher Sports Bio Bookshelf

Tina Esparza loves everything about soccer, but especially the fact that it is a team sport where no none player is in the spotlight. Imagine her surprise when the coach asks her to train as the team's goalkeeper! Will Tina be able to overcome her shyness and accept a position that puts her in the center of attention?

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Gr. 5-7. Painfully shy seventh-grader Tina Esparza loves soccer, especially because it's a team sport; she can play well and still blend in with the other players. That changes when she is singled out to be the goalkeeper for her new team. With all eyes on her, Tina struggles to maintain her game, especially as she must assert herself with the other players. The after-practice trips to the mall with her new team members pose another social challenge. Gradually, with the encouragement of her outgoing best friend and an empathetic new neighbor, Tina successfully confronts her shyness and soars on the field. Hirschfeld continues Matt Christopher's tradition of solid, issue-driven sports novels with this new title in the Christopher Sports Series. Some of the voices, including Tina's, seem far too mature and articulate. But soccer players will love the abundant field action, including techniques and team strategies, and most middle-schoolers will relate to Tina's social anxiety and find relief in the straightforward ways she confronts her fears. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

Matt Christopher is the number one sports series for kids.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers (September 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316075523
• ISBN-13: 978-0316075527
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,007,503 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good book! Relates to my life, February 7, 2007

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Goalkeeper in Charge (Matt Christopher Sports Bio Bookshelf) (Paperback)

This is a good book. In the story, shy Tina is a fan of soccer, especially the fact it's a team sport where she won't stand out to much, which is good, because Tina hates getting attention. When she joins a new soccer team, everything is great until her coach asks her to do something for the team...play keeper!!! That horrifies Tina. Everything about keeper, even the uniform, stands out! Can she overcome her shyness to play the best she can? This book appeals to me partly because I am rather shy, and play a lot of keeper on my team, so I stand out. However, playing keeper has helped me overcome most of my shyness and be a good player, on and off the field, just like Tina.