That’s Not How You Play Soccer, Daddy by Sherry Shahan (Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss)
Reviewed by: Chris Singer
About the author:
Sherry Shahan is a photojournalist and the author of numerous books for young readers, including Death Mountain, a young adult survival novel based on a real-life experience. Her bilingual picture books include Spicy Hot Colors and Cool Cats Counting. When not writing in her California beach bungalow, Sherry sits in the bleachers cheering on her grandsons’ soccer and baseball teams.
About the illustrator:
Tatjana Mai-Wyss was born in Switzerland. She grew up with her nose in a book and always wanted to be the one to draw the pictures. Today, she is a freelance illustrator in sunny South Carolina, where she can draw out on the screen porch all year long and listen to the birds. She has illustrated a number of picture books, including A Tree for Emmy and That’s Not How You Play Soccer, Daddy!
About the book:
Mikey takes his duties as captain of the Hot Diggity Diner soccer team very seriously. After a tough practice, his dad takes him to play in the park, but Mikey only wants to practice for the Big Game. Daddy offers to help, but to Mikey’s dismay he doesn’t put in much of an athletic effort. He keeps bending the rules and telling his impatient son to “just have fun.” After an irresistible ticklefest, however, Mikey comes around to Daddy’s way of thinking — and joins him and his dog Socks in the best soccer game ever!
My take on the book:
If you’ve been visiting Book Dads for awhile, you’ve probably noticed I have a tendency to review a lot of children’s books about soccer. Soccer is a beautiful game for so many reasons and while I can’t wait to share my love for soccer with my daughter (I already have, but there’s still more to share!!), I’m a little nervous about those soccer nazi parents who treat every game like it’s the World Cup.
One of the ways I plan on easing some of my nerves is by getting involved and coaching. Part two of my plan is to give everyone on the team a copy of this book. The beauty of Shahan’s book is that it is the complete opposite of so many sports books written for children which usually portray a young hero or heroine winning the game with a crucial play or having their team win the championship. Instead it focuses on the joy and good times when participati