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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
"It said it was going to be about football." - a review from several children in the class. That being said, they rated it their highest average book score this year. I think they liked it more than me, either that or they just really love a story where the grandma dies ...
7.5/10 (me)
4.27/5 (class average)
7.5/10 (me)
4.27/5 (class average)
Giving young children a glimpse into the life of someone with so little (in both material and opportunity) is important - it can encourage a sense of perspective and gratitude. This story gives us Budi, who, rather than attend school, works in a factory stitching football boots (the term "sweat shop" is not used but descriptions paint an evocative picture of long hours and terrible conditions). Budi is younger than the friends he plays football with, and this helps highlight is naivety. He believes he will save enough to fly to Madrid to watch his favourite team, and he believes the very boots he stitches are worn by his favourite player. The book shows the wider aspects of life in Indonesia: the oppressive dry season giving way to the tropical monsoons, the impact of earthquakes, and the under-the-surface corruption. I particularly enjoyed the scenes with Budi and his grandmother - a chain-smoking, housebound character - who provides wonderful stories to teach her grandson some important lessons in life.
I really liked Kick but felt it was way too repetitive and the action didn't really start until nearly page 100. My teen reading group were underwhelmed. I'll try it with my younger group next. Everyone admired the insight into third world sweat shop practices.
I really enjoyed this book and it's so important. I just hope that Amnesty can continue to work with authors to put out children's fiction covering such important themes as there really aren't many stories out there like this one!
We've been considering whether to put this into our Year 6 spine to support a topic on "Global Trade" and have made the decision that it's too good a book to miss. Although some teachers seem to have suggested it's more KS3, we think that it's age-appropriate and sensitive in how it handles many difficult and troubling issues, from child labour to human trafficking. I would definitely recommend this story as an eye-opener as well as a heart-wrenching and heart-warming tale.
We've been considering whether to put this into our Year 6 spine to support a topic on "Global Trade" and have made the decision that it's too good a book to miss. Although some teachers seem to have suggested it's more KS3, we think that it's age-appropriate and sensitive in how it handles many difficult and troubling issues, from child labour to human trafficking. I would definitely recommend this story as an eye-opener as well as a heart-wrenching and heart-warming tale.
Set in Indonesia, this story is about a twelve year old boy called Budi. He works in a factory sewing together football boots and he dreams of one day meeting his hero, a football player for Real Madrid.
When playing football, he accidentally smashes a window belonging to the local gangster and finds himself involved in a murky underworld.
Endorsed by Amnesty International, this story shines a light on sweatshops, human rights and people-trafficking. A great read.
When playing football, he accidentally smashes a window belonging to the local gangster and finds himself involved in a murky underworld.
Endorsed by Amnesty International, this story shines a light on sweatshops, human rights and people-trafficking. A great read.
Proves that football is important and yet unimportant. This book is a necessary reminder to Western kids that their boots are made by kids like them in a world far from their own.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Eye-opening, moving look at the world of a young sweatshop worker and dreamer
Budi is like any young boy - he plays football with his friends whenever he can, watches matches, dreams about going to the matches of his favourite teams. But Budi is also a boy who makes football boots. He works in a Jakartan sweatshop, working long hours and for little pay.
His family barely manages to feed itself, their whole community is poverty-stricken, and the book shows us the conditions families like Budi's live in. It's quite shocking, though never graphic enough to upset primary-aged readers.
There is a story about Budi's family - his uncle, grandma and father that shows the underbelly of crime that takes root in any society - but for me the scenes I remember will be those in the factory as Budi sweats over his work, with a supervisor watching his every stitch, the boy knowing he could never afford to buy and wear a pair of the very things he is making for westerners.
This book would make an excellent discussion topic for classes, looking at children in other cultures, poverty, exploitation, and even natural disasters. The link to football as a way out of poverty, both literally and in helping someone to dream themselves to a better place, is well-used in Budi, who knows how hard life can be.
It's a positive read, and while it may not be a 'happy ever after' ending, it does end with hope and the prospect of better tomorrows.
For readers aged 9 and over.
This will capture the attention of football-mad readers
Budi is like any young boy - he plays football with his friends whenever he can, watches matches, dreams about going to the matches of his favourite teams. But Budi is also a boy who makes football boots. He works in a Jakartan sweatshop, working long hours and for little pay.
His family barely manages to feed itself, their whole community is poverty-stricken, and the book shows us the conditions families like Budi's live in. It's quite shocking, though never graphic enough to upset primary-aged readers.
There is a story about Budi's family - his uncle, grandma and father that shows the underbelly of crime that takes root in any society - but for me the scenes I remember will be those in the factory as Budi sweats over his work, with a supervisor watching his every stitch, the boy knowing he could never afford to buy and wear a pair of the very things he is making for westerners.
This book would make an excellent discussion topic for classes, looking at children in other cultures, poverty, exploitation, and even natural disasters. The link to football as a way out of poverty, both literally and in helping someone to dream themselves to a better place, is well-used in Budi, who knows how hard life can be.
It's a positive read, and while it may not be a 'happy ever after' ending, it does end with hope and the prospect of better tomorrows.
For readers aged 9 and over.
This will capture the attention of football-mad readers