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Description
Two years after her mother's death of cancer, fourteen-year-old Flora leaves the family's Maine farm for Colorado's International Sports Academy, where fierce competition could end her and her mother's dream of Flora playing for the U.S. Soccer Team.
Quick Summary
If you've got a kid who's into soccer or just loves a good story about chasing your dreams, "Soccerland" by Beth Choat is worth picking up. The story follows Flora, a 14-year-old who leaves her family's Maine farm to attend a sports academy in Colorado, two years after losing her mother to cancer with the goal of making it to the U.S. Soccer Team in mind. What makes this one memorable is how it balances the high-pressure world of elite youth sports with the quiet, heart-wrenching reality of trying to honor someone's memory while still figuring out who you are. The book tackles some heavier stuff (grief, the pressure of living up to a parent's expectations), but it's not a sad, wallowing read there's plenty of drive and determination that keeps things moving. It's a great pick for soccer fans, obviously, but also for kids who like stories about perseverance and identity, or anyone who enjoyed something like "The Revenge of the Girl Who Fixed the World Cup." Parents should know it deals with loss and competition stress, though the tone stays hopeful and determined overall.