Specky Magee & The Boots of Glory

Specky Magee #4

by Felice Arena, Garry Lyon

When Specky leaves his beloved Booyong High, he's torn between his old friends and his new team-mates. And his loyalty will be tested – on the field and off – because when he crosses that white line, Booyong becomes his enemy . . . And Gosmore Grammar expects nothing less than absolute loyalty from their new star student. Specky prepares to play a vital part in the school's most revered sporting event – the Boots of Glory football match. But will his need to solve a mystery at the school put his footy future in jeopardy? Could the Boots of Glory be the most important footy match he has ever played?

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Popular and prolific Australian children’s author Felice Arena is the creator of many best-selling and award-winning children's books for all ages. Some of these include the acclaimed middle-grade historical novels The Boy and the Spy, Fearless Frederic, A Great Escape, and The Unstoppable Flying Flanagan – the bestselling Specky Magee series, the junior series' Sporty Kids and The Besties, and the joyous read-aloud picture books Pasta!, Cheese! and most recently My Big Secret - also illustrated by Arena.
www.felicearena.com Instagram.com/felicearenabooks

Reviews

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Specky starts his school year at Gosmore Grammar, a prestigious sporting school. In the last book, he earned a scholarship. As well as being selected to play for the Boots of Glory match against Salisbury, a once in 25 year match, he also needs to fit in with his new school mates and also play against his old school, Booyong High.

There are themes of peer pressure, being true to yourself, honesty, and playing fair.

Another great book in the Specky Magee series.

[Lleyton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I though Specky Magee & The Boots of Glory was an astonishingly good book. The plot had twists and turns that were unexpected, the way Specky had saved his friend from getting expelled was out of the ordinary and the footy games themselves were awesome.

[OutSideTheBoxox · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a sort of experiment for me. I read the earlier books in this series when I first started to learn to read at age 11. I wanted to see if they were as good as I remember, I am now 27 so am no longer the target audience, even so, I found this book lacking.

The book is meant to promote "Australian culture" but it only promotes white Australia, which I think can have a negative impact on young readers. This is set in Victoria but we never met any characters that are Italian, Greek, Indian or Chinese. The only Indigenous Australian we met is Jonny Kockatoo, the name itself says a lot, he is also only in two or so scenes.

The setting of a rich private school is wasted because we never see any criticism of private schools or the sexism and racism that occurre at schools like the one in the book.

Simon Magee is meant to be a role model but fails to do he one thing he should have at the beginning when some tried to blackmail him, ask for help from a teacher. This would have changed the book yes but it isn't a good thing to tell young people to hid things and try and deal with them on their own.

This book isn't for me obviously but it's message is not necessary good for its ordinance. I don't recommend this for young readers.

[Sean Harding · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book four of the Specky Magee series sees him go to a posh off private school and then play in a special grudge match type game that is played once every twenty five years, That was the bit the pushed the book into unreality - once every four or five years you could buy once every twenty five years not so much. There were good elements of fitting in and pop per pressure to do what is wrong, but overall it was pretty average, and the big game was a big unrealistic sell, and the end ho hum.

[Oliver Burnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great follow on from the other speck magee books,
specky gets accepted into a great sporting school on a scolorship.
But specky has a fewe problems to face before him and his new teammates take on their biggest rival in the most important game in 25years

[Adidas]

its a very good book and very interesting and a good edition to the speckymagee
series.
it drew me in from the start, talking about how specky is fitting in at his new school and of course football.
i think everyone should read this book i highly recomend it.

[Luke · Rating 5 out of 5]

SPECKY MAGEE MOVES TO GOSMORE GRAMMOR, BUT GETS EXPELLED AND GETS SENT BACK TO BOOYONG HIGH WITH HIS OLD FRIENDS. BUT THEY DONT WANT HIM IN THE BOOYONG LIONS TEAM ANY LONGER!

HOW WILL SPECKY LIVE WITH THIS?
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[Jack Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intesting book I reackon its good you should read it.

[Nat Frankli · Rating 4 out of 5]

the boots of glory is about specky and his life at gosmore grammer a footy schhol and he gets into a bit of trouble by stealing the prestiges boots of glory form the principles office

[Lewis Stephens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Specky Magee and the boots of glory was an exciting book especialy when he got kicked out of goosmore grammar

[Ben Reid · Rating 2 out of 5]

Can't remember much
So 2/5

[Max_ J#24 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was one of the best specky books. I loved all the twists of friends and the blackmailing.