By Bali Rai (author) , Daniel Duncan (illustrator) Part of the Bobby Bains series
"Solidarity, making a stand against sexism, equitable Sikh values, and the positive power of football."
Paperback In Stock £7.99 £7.19
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Interest Age 9+ Reading Age 8
Pitched for 9+-year-olds with a reading age of eight, Bali Rai’s Bobby Bains Ain't Playing tackles big themes through the lens of a thrilling football-themed story that’s filled with friendship, comradeship and a strong sense of community as it also shares detail on Bandi Chhor Divas, the Sikh term for Diwali, which has a story that turns out to play a very important role in this story.
Football fanatic Bobby (“Football is my life. I’d rather play football than do anything else”) and his mate Maisie are over the moon when they hear about new five-a-side tournament. In even better news, it will take place on Bandi Chhor Divas (Day of Liberation), which Sikhs celebrate as the day their sixth guru was freed from prison.
Fresh from reading about the importance of equality to Sikhs, Bobby is outraged when it turns out that Maisie’s girls football team isn’t allowed to enter the tournament. So, he makes a stand and comes up with an amazing plan to protest this unfair state of affairs.
Slickly-paced and written in a clear, engaging style, Bobby Bains Ain't Playing is especially notable for the way it shows an endearing boy character bravely do the right thing for his female friends, and for its seamless integration of Sikh culture, history and values into the story.
When the girls are banned from the five-a-side tournament, young Sikh footballer Bobby Bains rallies his teammates to make a stand in this uplifting tale of solidarity from Bali Rai.
Read the full description
Football-mad Bobby and his friend Maisie are excited to hear about a new five-a-side tournament - especially as it's happening on Diwali, or Bandi Chhor Divas as Sikhs call it!
After getting their teams together, however, Maisie is told she's not allowed to take part. Hers is the only girls' side to have entered and they're not allowed to play against the boys. How unfair is that?
Bobby can't believe it, and he comes up with a plan to make a stand. But will he be able to convince anyone to join him?
Particularly suitable for readers aged 9+ with a reading age of 8.
SHORTLISTED FOR THE CHILDREN’S SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 2025
Praise for the series:
'Positive and rarely seen representation ... this book is all about intergenerational friendship, community activism and the power of football to bring not only individuals but communities together' - CLPE
Bali Rai has written over forty novels about teenagers and children. Born in Leicester, his writing is inspired by his working-class, multicultural background.
He was born in Leicester where he grew up in a multicultural community dreaming of playing football for Liverpool FC, being Bob Marley or becoming a writer.
A leading voice in UK teen fiction, Bali is a passionate advocate of libraries, reading for pleasure and promoting literacy. He has nearly twenty years of experience in working with young people across the UK and further afield and is extremely popular with schools. He has been nominated for and won numerous awards since 2001.
Bali has worked closely with The Reading Agency, Booktrust, The National Literacy Trust, Empathy Lab UK and many other organisations, and was awarded an honorary doctorate by De Montfort University in 2014. He also featured on BBC1’s Rebel Writers show and is an ambassador/patron for several high-profile literacy and arts projects.
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Bobby Bains Plays a Blinder
When the girls are banned from the five-a-side tournament, young Sikh footballer Bobby Bains rallies his teammates to make a stand in this uplifting tale of solidarity from Bali Rai. Football-mad Bobby and his friend Maisie are excited to hear about a new five-a-side tournament - especially as it's happening on Diwali, or Bandi Chhor Divas as Sikhs call it!
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Bobby Bains Ain't Playing and determined it is suitable for children aged 9-10 years old
Bobby Bains Ain't Playing features in the following genres: Featured Books for 9+ readers, Recommendations, Romance / Relationship Stories, School Stories, Sporting Stories, Football , World Religions, PSHE: Multiculturalism, Diversity and Inclusion, Personal Social Health Economic (PSHE), Dyslexia Friendly Books for Interest age 9+, Dyslexia Friendly Books for Interest age 11+, Books to Motivate Reluctant Readers age 9+, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Friendship stories, Children’s / Teenage fiction: General, modern and contemporary fiction, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Religious and spiritual stories, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Children’s / Teenage general interest: Ball games and sports, Sports, Children’s / Teenage: General interest
Paperback. £7.19, down from the £7.99 cover price. In Stock.
Bobby Bains Ain't Playing was written by Bali Rai and published by Barrington Stoke an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
Bobby Bains Ain't Playing has 85 pages
Yes it is part of Bobby Bains series
£7.19, reduced from £7.99. In Stock.
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