Overview
A Thai soccer team creates their own place to play -- a floating field -- in this unforgettable tale of persistence and problem-solving. Based on a true story. In Thailand's Phang Nga Bay, atop a network of stilts, floats the village of Koh Panyee--where a group of boys loved soccer but had nowhere to practice. Where could they find space to dribble, juggle, shoot, and score? The boys looked out at the water and started gathering tools. Even while their neighbors laughed, they sawed wood, hammered nails, and tied barrels together. The team worked for weeks to build Koh Panyee's first floating field--a place to practice, and a place to transform their community. With engaging soccer scenes and atmospheric images of southern Thailand, this inspiring book from author Darshana Khiani and illustrator Dow Phumiruk follows a group of boys who became a team long before they had jerseys or even a field. Plank by plank, they built their dream. Author's and illustrator's notes offer additional background. Part of Eerdmans' Spectacular STEAM for Curious Readers series. Awards The Missouri Association of School Librarians (MASL) Show Me Award Final Nominee (2025-2026) Diamond State Reading Association (DSRA) Delaware Diamonds Award Grades K-2 (2024-2025) Children's Book Committee of Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year List - Family/School/Community & Outstanding Merit Children's Book Council (CBC) Children's Favorites List 3rd-5th Grade Children's Book Council (CBC) Teacher Favorites List National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and the Children's Book Council (CBC) Best STEM Books Award List Colorado Humanities Colorado Book Award in Children's Literature Finalist Missouri Association of School Librarians Dogwood Readers Award in Kindergarten - 2nd Grade Finalist
Full Product Details
Author: Darshana Khiani ,
Dow Phumiruk
Publisher: Bound to Stay Bound Books
Imprint: Bound to Stay Bound Books
ISBN: 9798855067873
Pages: 34
Publication Date: 12 September 2023
Recommended Age: From 5 to 9 years
Audience:
Children/juvenile
,
Children / Juvenile
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Available To Order
We have confirmation that this item is in stock with the supplier. It will be ordered in for you and dispatched immediately.
Reviews
""Told in quick-moving prose that evokes movement and sound, this story is coupled with crisp illustrations that match the spirit and the straightforward action of the text...the heart of the story is sure to capture the imagination of the reader."" -- Booklist ""This nonfiction pick reads like a sports underdog story and will empower young readers to overcome challenges and take a leap of faith in their dreams with teamwork and perseverance."" -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books ""A stirring story of perseverance."" -- Kirkus Reviews
Author Information
Darshana Khiani is a computer engineer, children's book author, and South Asian kidlit advocate based in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. Her books include How to Wear a Sari (Versify) and I'm an American (Viking). Visit Darshana's website at darshanakhiani.com and follow her on Twitter @darshanakhiani. Dow Phumiruk is the award-winning illustrator of over a dozen books for young readers, including One Girl (Abrams), Titan and the Wild Boars: The True Cave Rescue of the Thai Soccer Team (HarperCollins), and Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13 (Henry Holt). She lives in Colorado, where she also works as a general pediatrician. Follow Dow on Instagram @dowphumiruk.
