The focus of the book is soccer, but it pulls the experiences and uncertainties of new arrivals to the US and the connections of a common goal. The characters are a bit young but may resonate with 1st year. The themes of discipline, compassion and enculturation may make for interesting discussions.
The author does a good job of providing background on several of the soccer players involved in a youth soccer team. All of the players are new immigrants fleeing persecution in their home countries. Their coach, who is a recent immigrant herself, encourages them to work together as a team. She also requires that they attend tutoring sessions and follow a strict regimen for improving their soccer skills. Her object is to not only make them part of a winning team, but to help them succeed academically and in their lives. I enjoyed the book and found the story inspirational. However, I’m not sure it would work for the CRP.
I love this book and plan on reading it to its end. But it’s clear to me that it asks too much of first-year students in a campus reading program. I think this would be a great book for a reading group of faculty and/or staff.
This book reads more like journalistic reporting than literature. The amount of detail provided to describe historical events surrounding refugees’ experience can feel overwhelming, and the book is focused too much on sports for my taste. Although the protagonist is inspirational and the conflicts discussed are important, I would prefer something more literary and engaging for the CRP.
The focus of the book is soccer, but it pulls the experiences and uncertainties of new arrivals to the US and the connections of a common goal. The characters are a bit young but may resonate with 1st year. The themes of discipline, compassion and enculturation may make for interesting discussions.
The author does a good job of providing background on several of the soccer players involved in a youth soccer team. All of the players are new immigrants fleeing persecution in their home countries. Their coach, who is a recent immigrant herself, encourages them to work together as a team. She also requires that they attend tutoring sessions and follow a strict regimen for improving their soccer skills. Her object is to not only make them part of a winning team, but to help them succeed academically and in their lives. I enjoyed the book and found the story inspirational. However, I’m not sure it would work for the CRP.
I love this book and plan on reading it to its end. But it’s clear to me that it asks too much of first-year students in a campus reading program. I think this would be a great book for a reading group of faculty and/or staff.
This book reads more like journalistic reporting than literature. The amount of detail provided to describe historical events surrounding refugees’ experience can feel overwhelming, and the book is focused too much on sports for my taste. Although the protagonist is inspirational and the conflicts discussed are important, I would prefer something more literary and engaging for the CRP.