By Eve Ainsworth (author) , Kirsti Beautyman (illustrator)
"A stirring novella about following your dreams and finding hope."
Paperback In Stock £7.99 £7.19
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Interest Age 8+ Reading Age 8 | Shortlisted for the UKLA Book Award 2023 ages 7-10
Navigating family tragedy and finding the freedom to follow your dreams, Eve Ainsworth’s All to Play For is a perfectly-pitched, top of the league triumph for readers who enjoy the thrilling possibilities of dreaming big through stories rooted in real-life.
Lewis’ “happy place” is the narrow strip of grass at the back of his estate. Here he can “pretend to be somebody else”, like his football hero scoring a winner for England at Wembley. Lewis needs this escape because real life is tough. His family don’t have much money and, “even if she could afford it, Mum would never let him play football.
Not after what happened to his dad”. Tragically, Lewis’ father died when his weak heart failed during a match, and his mum blames the beautiful game for taking her beautiful husband.
After being spotted by Ash, a scout for his dad’s former team, Lewis is faced with a dilemma - training with the club would mean disobeying Mum, so he tries to convince her to let him join.
Tackling grief and social inequalities with sensitivity, All to Play For is a rewarding read, with all the heart-in-your-mouth tension of a penalty shoot-out. Readers will be on the edge of their seats willing Lewis to succeed, willing his mum to support his dream. Published by Barrington Stoke, this is especially ideal for reluctant readers, with satisfying short chapters and dyslexia-friendly paper.
Lewis loves football more than anything else in the world, so he's thrilled when his talent is spotted by a local coach. But there are some big obstacles in his way. His mum doesn't want him to have anything to do with the game because of what happened to his dad on the pitch. And even if Lewis can persuade her to let him give it a go, there's no way they can afford the kit.
Read the full description
Can Lewis beat the odds to have a chance of following his dream?
Eve Ainsworth is a public speaker, creative workshop coordinator and award-winning author who draws from her extensive work with teenagers managing emotional and behavioural issues to write authentic, honest and real novels for young people.
Eve lives in West Sussex with her husband and two children.
Click here to read more about why Eve wrote Lost.
Photo credit Laura Woodard
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Lewis loves football more than anything else in the world, so he's thrilled when his talent is spotted by a local coach. But there are some big obstacles in his way.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed All to Play For and determined it is suitable for children aged 7-10 years old
All to Play For features in the following genres: Featured Books for 7+ readers, Featured Books for 9+ readers, Recommendations, Stories about Family and Friends, Sporting Stories, PSHE: Bereavement and Grief, Personal Social Health Economic (PSHE), Dyslexia Friendly Books for Interest age 7+, Dyslexia Friendly Books for Interest age 9+, Dyslexia Friendly Books for Interest age 11+, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Children's and Young Adult Fiction
Paperback, Ebook. £7.19, down from the £7.99 cover price. In Stock.
All to Play For was written by Eve Ainsworth and published by Barrington Stoke Ltd
All to Play For has 92 pages
£7.19, reduced from £7.99. In Stock.
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