Benched
Author: Rich Wallace
Illustrator: Jimmy Holder
Book 3 in the Kickers series
Pages: 128
Published: 2010
Age: 6+
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?
Like the other books in the Kickers series, 'Benched' features nonstop soccer action, black-and-white art, and league statistics and soccer tips throughout.
About the Kickers Series
Books in series order
- 1.The Ball Hogs(2010)
- 2.Fake Out(2010)
- 3.Benched(2010)
- 4.Game-Day Jitters(2010)
Reading age: 6+ years
This series should be read in order.
This series from sports novelist Rich Wallace is written for a younger audience and is filled with lively black-and-white art, friendship, teamwork, and most of all - fast-paced soccer! These books follow nine-year-old Ben as he joins the Bobcats, a team of fourth-graders in the local Kickers soccer league. Ben is new to soccer, but though his experiences with his team, he learns a lot about sports and life. A great series for readers new to chapter books.