NO. 9 by Jack Scorer

I wanted to sneak in one more book to give a nod at the World Cup before heading into all the other reads lined up this month. This one was released already in 2024 and is one of a four book series. I believe it is the first in the series, which is a great place to start. So, let's do just that!

NO. 9

by Jack Scorer

KickBooks Publishing

Middle Grade Sports Fiction

196 pages

 ages 8 to 12

FROM TEXAS DREAMER TO LONDON LEGEND, Jack has never played for a real team—until now.

When a surprise trial lands him at England’s top soccer academy, Jack swaps his small Texas town for the cutthroat world of elite football in London. But it’s nothing like he imagined.

Every mistake is punished. Every pass is judged. Rival players want him gone. Alone, out of his depth, and way behind the others, Jack starts to question everything.

Then he finds The Bandits—an underground crew of street soccer legends. No whistles. No coaches. No limits. Just pure, electric soccer that rewrites every rule he's ever known.

As Jack sneaks between two worlds—the rigid academy and the wild freedom of street ball—he learns that becoming a star isn’t about being perfect... it’s about playing with heart.

Can a total outsider rise to the top before he's kicked out for good?

🔥 Why Kids Love
✔ Fast-paced matches, epic rivalries, and jaw-dropping street skills
✔ Jack’s a relatable underdog you can’t help but root for
✔ Bursting with energy, emotion, and soccer action from start to finish

💡 Why Parents Love
✔ Teaches resilience, teamwork, and confidence
✔ Inspires kids to dream big and never give up
✔ Perfect for 8–12 year olds—especially reluctant readers

⚽ Ideal book series for fans of soccer, sports, and fast-paced underdog stories.

🎯 Join Jack’s thrilling soccer journey today!

GOODREADS    /     AMAZON

MY TIDBITS

Hard training is only the first step in a fast-paced read, which will keep more than just sport fans gripped until the last page.

Jack can't believe that he was accepted to the academy in London. It's the first step in having his soccer dreams come true...or rather, football. He already knows that the training at the academy will be harsh, but he hasn't even considered the language differences and soon feels like he's learning a new language: field to pitch, practice to training, cleats to boots, and so much more. Plus, the competition is fierce and some of the other students are ready to do anything to make sure they keep themselves in the limelight. When it almost becomes too much, he runs into a street team outside of the school walls, and this team isn't one to be scoffed at. Soon, he finds himself caught between the two worlds, and extra stress might not be exactly what he needs.

From the very first moments, this read propels forward to keep the reader engaged the entire way through. There's always something happening, whether soccer, grades, coaches, friendship, or dealing with living abroad. The author uses short, clipped sentences to keep up this atmosphere and only feeds in enough descriptions to make the scenes clear. Even the inner-depth is kept very concise, giving characters enough to be interesting but never dwelling on anything. There is drama on the friendship end, but this weaves right into the soccer world so as not to distract from the main plot line. Instead, plenty of training and game scenes keep the tension high...and even stay clipped to short scenes on this end. The vocabulary is also relatively simple to create an easy, quick-flowing read. So, this is one reluctant readers will want to take a look at. I'd also recommend this one for the lower end of the middle grade audience. Older readers will buzz right through, though, and enjoy the excitement as well.

It's a great start to the series, keeps the reader in the pages, and will be fun to see what happens to Jack next.