Author and publisher: Phil Bildner, G. P. Putnam’s Sons
Summary: This book is about a young boy, Hector, in Johannesburg who loves playing soccer. His mother works in a different part of the town and sometimes Hector goes with her to explore this part of town. He sees a group of white boys playing soccer on a nice, green field, but they pay no attention to him. Years pass, and in 1994, Nelson Mandela is elected president. Two years later, the South African Soccer team wins the African Cup of Nations. This leads to a friendship between Hector and one of the white boys, Chris. South Africa’s history is the backdrop of this story. At the back of the book, there is an “Apartheid timeline”.
Suitable for students in years: 8-10