New boy Smithy can't understand why everyone is so excited about a player on the football team called Bengo. He's been absent for the first few games of the season and starts the next game on the bench, so surely he can't be that special? But when their coach pulls Smithy off and sends Bengo on in his place, Smithy gets a chance to see him in action. Bengo is easily the best player Smithy's ever seen, putting in perfect crosses and generally running the opposition ragged. So why is Bengo left on the bench so often, and why does he seem to bottle it when any strong tackles come his way? An engaging football story accompanied by fascinating facts about famous substitutes, from reluctant-reader favourite Alan Gibbons.
Alan Gibbons is a full time writer and a visiting speaker and lecturer at schools, colleges and literary events nationwide, including the major Book Festivals: Edinburgh, Northern Children's Book Festival, Swansea, Cheltenham, Sheffield and Salford. Alan is also a key contributor at the QCA/National Literary Strategy 'Writing Together' conferences. As well as being a writer, Alan is a high profile library campaigner. He lives in Liverpool with his wife and four children.
He has written over 60 books and won many prestigious awards such as the Blue Peter Award for ‘The Book I Couldn’t Put Down’, the Angus Book Award and the Stockport Book Award. He has also been shortlisted twice for the Carnegie Medal and his books have been published into dozens of languages.
