Teamwork in Soccer

School Library Journal

Gr 3–6—While standard soccer books treat each topic as a short chapter within one longer book, Gifford has divided the topic to allow for a more detailed discussion. Business of Soccer covers the management of teams and professional players. In Players and Skills, the author not only describes the various positions, but also devotes a spread to "set-piece skills," or how to plan to restart the match after a ball goes off the field. Rules and Regulations explains the rare "penalty shoot-out" that occurs whenever a match ends in a draw, as well as the often occurring "offside" rule that is difficult to judge. Teamwork discusses substitutions and tactics for both offense and defense. It also provides some additional tips on set-piece skills. Each volume includes special highlights of notable games located in the "On the Ball" section. Colorful photographs, mainly of adult men and women players, enhance the texts. While it could be argued that one book encompassing these four subjects would suffice, individual titles can be selected as interest merits or to supplement collections for intermediate players.—Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA