Additional information
by Ben Lerwill (Author), Marina Ruiz (Illustrator)
This lyrical non-fiction picture book celebrates the simple joys of soccer, whatever your background or ability.
"Lerwill and Ruiz's ode to the Beautiful Game offers a portrait of the sport as one that unites....The picture that emerges of soccer's universality sings as it inspires."--Publishers WeeklyRather than focusing on rules, skills, superstars, big clubs and record-breaking feats, this uplifting book for young children celebrates the planet's best-loved sport and shows how the world's most accessible game - where the only equipment needed is something that rolls - has evolved into a force for unity, and a sport for absolutely everyone. Spreads cover how soccer can be played by all ages, genders, and abilities, whatever your racial, cultural or economic background, and whether you're in a state-of-the-art stadium or just a simple patch of scrubland.
Author Biography
Ben Lerwill (Author)
Ben Lerwill lives in Oxfordshire and has two young children, whose vivid imaginations sparked his interest in writing children's books. He is also an award-winning freelance travel writer, an enthusiastic chef and a very bad guitarist.
Ben's non-fiction for children is often inspired by his love of the natural world. Recent and include: Wild Family (Puffin), Let's Play Football (Welbeck) and Stone Age Beasts (Walker). His book Around the World in 80 Trees (Welbeck) was shortlisted for the 2022 Wainwright Prize for Children's Writing on Nature and Conservation.
After studying Fine Arts in Madrid and working as a freelance illustrator for some time, Marina moved to the UK. She studied at the Cambridge School of Art and graduated with a Distinction in an MA in Children's Book Illustration. Marina takes inspiration from the little moments that happen in everyday life and loves creating small narratives around them. She enjoys working with lyrical, more abstract narratives, combining images and text to express personal thoughts and emotions.
