The Life of Riley – Unbreakable

LoveReading4Kids Says

Also available from Troubador.co.uk

Family, friendships and football are all needed to help 9-year old Riley in this thoughtful sporting story. Riley loves football and the friends he’s made on his team, Highfield Flyers FC. In training they learn to work together and in their games they find rivalries and learn to focus under pressure as they work to try and win the league.

But Riley’s life is turned upside down when he finds out his mum has a terminal illness and his once unwavering love of football is left shaken. It’ll take his friends, family and the game to help Riley cope with the devastating news. Filled with the highs and lows, wins, draws and defeats of a football season ‘The Life of Riley: Unbreakable’ offers an exciting, well written story of teamwork and never giving up.

However, alongside the football narrative there is also the poignant, heart breaking and thoughtful tale of Riley’s life off the pitch. We see Riley react to his mum’s life-changing news and experience the struggles of managing his emotions around it. It was heartwarming as his friends and teammates showed up to support him and how Riley’s passion for football gave him a focus and an outlet.

It’s sweet, it’s sad and it’s football focused, I think that ‘The Life of Riley: Unbreakable’ would be a good read for middle grade readers and football fans. It deftly handles a difficult topic while also delivering on an entertaining story and a relatable and engaging main character in Riley.

Charlotte Walker, A LoveReading4Kids Ambassador

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