For Ages
6 to 9

Kickers #3: Benched is a part of the Kickers collection.

KICKERS: a young middle grade soccer series
Book 3
 
It’s a race to the Kickers soccer league play-offs. Nine-year-old Ben is pretty sure that if the Bobcats win two of their last three games, they’ll earn a tournament spot. But in their game against the Tigers, the Bobcats are a mess on the field—they’re not passing well at all—and Ben decides to take control. Someone has to win this thing, and his teammates just aren’t measuring up.

Then the whistle blasts, the red card waves, and Ben is out—benched for dangerous moves. Not only that, he’s barred from the next game, too—a key bout against the Rabbits. How can he possibly help his team to the play-offs from the sidelines?
The Kickers series, from award-winning sports novelist Rich Wallace, features nonstop soccer action, black-and-white art, and league statistics and soccer tips throughout.

Also available:
KICKERS #1: THE BALL HOGS
KICKERS #2: FAKE OUT
KICKERS #4: GAME-DAY JITTERS

An Excerpt fromKickers #3: Benched

Ben stared at his quiz paper, trying to remember the capital of Pennsylvania. He knew that it wasn't Pittsburgh. Was it Scranton?

He glanced across the aisle at his best friend Erin's paper, but she hadn't reached that question yet. So he tried to see all the way across the next aisle to Loop's.

"Ben!" his teacher said sharply. "Keep your eyes on your own paper."

Ben looked down. He didn't want to cheat. He just wondered if anyone else was struggling the way he was.

The last state on the list was New York. He wrote Albany in the space. He was sure he had eight of the ten capitals right, but he'd left Maine blank. Was it Portland? Or was that the capital of Oregon? He just couldn't concentrate this morning.

At recess, Ben kept to himself instead of joining his usual game of four square. He hadn't had enough sleep last night. His parents had been arguing about something until nearly midnight.

Mom and Dad had been very quiet at breakfast this morning. Ben could tell that something…

Under the Cover