After a rough start, Sam Kerr settles into playing soccer for the Knights. But there’s so much to learn – new rules and positions and strategies. Lately, it seems like soccer is the only thing she can think about.
When she finds out she’ll have to wear a dress (gross) and dance in front of a hundred people (terrifying) at her cousin’s upcoming wedding, Sam feels like she’s all but had enough. So why isn’t her best friend Indi supporting her? And why is the school bully Chelsea suddenly a bit… nice?
Will Sam be able to mend her friendships – and score a few goals in the meantime – before it’s too late?
Goal-kicking Sam Kerr, captain of the Australian Matildas and striker for Chelsea in the English FA Women’s Super League, is back in the second instalment in her autobiographical series Kicking Goals. In book one, The Flip Out, talented young Sam started playing soccer because there was no Aussie Rules team for girls. Now, in A New Knight, she has well and truly fallen in love with soccer and loves playing with her team… until the school bully, Chelsea, finds her way onto the team.
A New Knight covers important and relatable themes for readers aged 7+. Sam has to deal with her anxieties about facing the school bully, and also learns that you should never make assumptions about people without knowing the full picture. Teamwork is critical here, as Sam wants the Knights to win, and the whole team has to come together as one for that to happen!
Sam is an empathetic, kind and strong-willed protagonist, who demonstrates great ways to manage conflicts with friends and family. She also has to face her fears off the soccer field – this time at her cousin’s wedding! For anyone who doesn’t like being the centre of attention – or wearing pink frilly dresses – this is such a relatable scenario, which Sam handles with grace. And at the end of the day, she manages to have lots of fun!
Fans of Kerr’s fun new series will be thrilled to know that book three, Sports Day, is coming in April 2022! I, for one, can’t wait to see what she’ll get up to in the next book. A New Knight is a great read from a superstar soccer player (and now author!) Sam Kerr. Whether you’re a big soccer fan or not, this book has something for everyone.
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