T.J. and the Hat-trick

Description

The first in an unmissable new series about a football-mad group of friends, by the brilliant Arsenal and England star, Theo Walcott. TJ is a new boy at Parkview School and he's never played in a proper football match before, but he soon makes friends with a bunch of football-mad kids.The trouble is, none of the teachers at Parkview are interested in football and the kids have nowhere to play - until Mr Wood arrives. With Mr Wood's help - and with the assistance of Mr Wood's old friend, Marshall Jones, a Premier League footballer - the kids and their parents mend their pitch, begin to put together a brilliant football team, and start to turn the school into a place to be proud of.

Theo Walcott was born on 16 March 1989 and grew up near Newbury. After joining the youth scheme at Southampton, he became the Saints' youngest ever player, before joining Arsenal in January 2006. Following his surprise selection in Sven-G ran Eriksson's World Cup squad, Theo set another record in making his England debut at the age of just 17 years and 75 days, and was named the BBC's Young Sports Personality of the Year in 2006. He has now played more than 300 times for Arsenal and is fast approaching 100 goals for the Gunners, including the goal that set them on the way to victory in the 2015 FA Cup Final. In September 2008 he also became the youngest player to score a hat-trick for England, for whom he now has nearly 50 caps.

Theo's own story of developing his exceptional speed and striking skill that in the book causes him to fell the irate head teacher but in reality made him the fleet-footed darling of the Emirates at only 17 is threaded through the story. Good on detail, nicely written with a light humorous touch, Theo shows as sure a foot in print as on the pitch. -- Julia Eccleshare * The Guardian * Now his range (Theo Walcott's) of kid's books look set to be a huge success too. * The Sun * the first two books are actually pretty good... thoroughly enjoyable. Their climaxes, little more than made-up match reports, are particularly well done. Like their creator, this series could run and run. -- Simon Burnton * The Observer * Both stories... deal with the hard graft of training... Entertaining reads for soccer fans aged seven and upwards. * Irish Examiner * a great idea to get football-mad boys and girls reading and enjoyable enough to welcome others into the world of the beautiful game * Junior Magazine *