The Dream Team: Jaz Santos vs. the World (The Dream Team, 1)

Product Information

Nothing I planned ever turned out the way it was supposed to. As usual, it was me, Jaz Santos vs. the World.” We see this capacity of the game to unite people and develop understanding played out in tournaments such as the World Cup and the UEFA Euros – joyous displays of national pride balanced with inter-cultural exchange.

The chapters are short with minimal illustrations. Do Goalkeepers Wear Tiaras? is the first in the Girls FC series, readers can follow the team through their wins and losses. The Football Boy Wonder by Martin Smith After going viral for his goal, Javier Moreno is getting too big for his football boots. He’s become a ball hogger and a show-off. With his team so close to the championships, will Javier be the teammate they all need or the reason they fail? Ten year old Jaz has two great loves: her family and football. Her greatest goal in life is to play for England but for now she has to get through Year 6, while everything in her life is going wrong.

This was a cute middle grade, but I really struggled with the author's writing style, which seemed a bit amateurish and immature. Not only was the main character's voice hardly that of a 10 years old, but it read like the author had forgotten what it is like to be a child. I have read my fair share of middle grades and I can now tell when the authors know how to talk like, about and to children and when they do not. I believe this was a debut, so maybe in the future this aspect will get better; I don't think I will be reading the other books in this companion series, but I really believe there's room for improvement. Choose from exciting chapter books, real football stories, and advice on how to become a better player in this range of children's football books. Fiction Girls FC: Do Goalkeepers Wear Tiaras? By Helena Pielichaty

A scene that stands out in the book is when Jaz and her teammates strategise and set goals for what they hope their team will eventually become. They rattle off the numerous names of female footballers they find inspirational. This scene highlights the importance of representation in helping young girls dream big and change the ingrained limitations we unconsciously place on ourselves. Not Just a Story About Beating the OddsAs far as the characters are concerned, they were nice. Not my all times favourites, as I didn't really vibe with the MC and she was narrating everything, but nice nonetheless. The Dream Team: Jaz Santos vs. The World is witty, filled with wisdom, and inspirational. While the book was written for children ages eight and up, there are many gems or quotes that I, an adult woman, needed to be reminded of. I related to many of Jaz’s worries, like the nagging feeling we’re not good enough or that we are responsible for other peoples’ emotions. Ultimately, Jaz’s story is about structural injustices and written for girls who worry that they will be judged not for their talent and hard work but for who they are. It is an important message for all of us: to believe in our excellence and undeniable talent even when the systems in which we work to be accepted continuously attempt to deny and refuse us. Author Priscilla Mante shares some fantastic books for children that just happen to be about football (among other things) – perfect for every child, whether soccer-mad or not!

Jaz is a wonderful character, she is a passionate, determined, brave kid with a huge heart. The football team she forms is also full of amazing characters and I cannot wait to read more from The Dream Team series. During the week it’s usually early mornings. I often wake up hours before I start work, plus I’m more of a morning person anyway so it’s a good time to write. I do most of my writing over the weekends.

A heart-warming, inclusive and funny new story about three big F's: friends, following your dreams and football! By presenting complex concepts like mutual aid and self-organisation in much simpler terms that are relatable to children, Mante highlights the importance of community in a world that attempts to deny women and girls opportunities. What didn't work so well for me (but these are minor): some clumsy similes, not going into enough detail earlier on to explain why the other girls get into football or how they become any good at it, an ending that was a little too neat and sweet, the rather obvious underdog sports plot, some other MG tropes.