The Academy

The Academy #1

by T.Z. Layton

FROM THE PLAYGROUND TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE

#4 Bestseller in New Youth Soccer Books!

Born and raised in a small town, Leo K. Doyle has never seen the ocean or stepped foot on a plane. But Leo is a star soccer player with big dreams in life.

Rock-star, Olympic gold, dragon-slaying dreams.

While Leo longs to make the pros one day, he has no idea how to achieve this goal—
until a professional scout pays a chance visit to one of Leo’s games and extends an invitation to try out for the London Dragons youth squad, known as The Academy.

Leo is stunned. The London Dragons isn’t just any old soccer team. It’s a world-famous English Premier League team.
Soon Leo is off to a whole new country, embarking on the greatest adventure of his life. The downside? Only eleven players can make the team.

Eleven out of two hundred of the very best youth players on the planet.

Along with the grueling competition, Leo must also face a bully intent on torpedoing his summer, a roomie who doesn’t know how to have fun, a terrifying camp director, and, most of all, Leo’s own lack of formal training and the fear he’ll never succeed.
By the end of the summer, Leo will become a much better player and forever changed by his experience.

But will he be good enough to make the Academy?

Genres: Sports, Childrens, Soccer, Middle Grade, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Chapter Books

306 pages, Hardcover

Published July 1, 2024

About the author

T.Z. Layton is the award-winning author of the bestselling Academy series, which has been translated into multiple languages and optioned for film. The author is also a soccer dad, youth coach, referee, former collegiate player, and lifelong fan of the beautiful game.

To stay up to date on the Academy series and other stories by T.Z. Layton, it’s best to visit his website (tzlaytonbooks.com) and join his newsletter.

Reviews

[Gordon Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s been quite a few years since I read a YA Sports novel, and many more than that since I read one as well-crafted and enjoyable as “The Academy.”

Besides being incredibly knowledgeable about football, (or soccer, for us North Americans) Layton sculptures the conflict and characters to create a beautiful flow of suspense. This entices us into the world of these young players as we empathize with their joys and disappointments.

Characters are varied and realistic, especially the hero, a young American boy out of his depth in an English professional soccer setting.

The story is filled out by a perfectly orchestrated secondary plot that gives us a love interest at enough distance that a twelve-year-old boy (the main audience for this kind of book) can enjoy it.

In fact, the author is too involved in his sport and allows his enthusiasm to overwhelm his sense of how much his readers will understand. While we are able to follow a lot of the on-field action, there are simply too many technical terms and fancy moves for us to keep track.

Likewise, there are too many secondary characters. The setting is a summer football academy where an MLS team vets possible up-and-coming players scouted from around the world. There are 200 players there, and it seems we are introduced to most of them, including their country of origin and their main playing strengths and weaknesses.

As the story moves along and Leo’s group forms, we get to know some of them. However, the play in the climactic games is described in play-by-play fashion. This gives us great detail, but there are too many unfamiliar names, and we sometimes can’t distinguish friend from foe. Fortunately, when we get to the final game, the focus is tightened, the cast list is pared down and the final action is completely clear.

An excellent story for YA sports fans of both genders, especially soccer players. Coaches might find it an interesting read from a developmental point of view. Well-written enough for adult enjoyment as well. Read it with your kid.

[bookandachai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome middle grade my 13 yo and I listened to on a long car trip. The main character Leo gets randomly recruited to go to a prestigious soccer camp after only playing ymca soccer and learning tricks on YouTube. My 13 yo doesn’t even play soccer and yet we were all in for this story about friendship, teamwork and believing in yourself.

[Paddy Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book: The Academy was one of best books I have read for a while. The main character in the story: Leo, shows great personality, passion, kindness, and gratitude to be at the academy. When the book starts he gets a phone call from Phillip Niles, which is the enroller for the academy. He says yes and goes to the UK. When he gets there he meets his teammates and his coach for the summer. Everyday he practices he gets better but when he does scrimmages he feels out of place. When it comes for the big finale they compete against other teams to be in the professional league. Will Leo faces his fate by being eliminated or win the tournament and get into the professional league?

PS:This book I had mixed feelings about and in some parts it nearly made me cry or feel some kind of emotion.

[Hannah Weise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this to my oldest for his school book report. What a super cute, good book! So descriptive and relatable. My soccer loving son loved all of the mentions of the Premier League teams and players!
This is the first book that he was actually interested in and wanted to actually have me read to him all the way through!
Major win!

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Previously self-published, Layton’s The Academy is being re-released by Sourcebooks and will hopefully be discovered by those who buy sports books, specifically soccer, for those in grades 4-7.

Leo, age 12, has played and loved soccer for much of his life and even without private instruction and only playing in recreational leagues, currently with a former basketball-playing dad of one of his teammates, his skills are noticed by a scout for Britain’s premier leagues youth training academy. He is sent to a summer program where only 11 out of 200 hopefuls will receive an invitation to attend The Academy, but upon arrival, discovers that while his instinctive form of play is impressive, he lacks important basic skills, is nowhere close to the top 11 and is surrounded by the best players from all over the world, all of them fighting for those few slots that may equal a professional soccer career.

Layton’s book is filled with play by play soccer action, training drills and an intensive program to guarantee that the most talented are selected for The Academy. Along with all that sports action are strong characters in Leo, coach Samantha, a U-21 player named Tig, roommate Robbie and several players who become Leo’s friends but at the same time, his rivals. There is a bully and his sidekick and a host of other named players who display wicked soccer skills. At first, all those names seemed to be too much, but it soon became clear this was a strategy to help readers feel the pressure of so many talented players and the feeling of being overwhelmed that threatens to derail Leo’s efforts to succeed. The play by play that is present during many of the practice matches is filled with authentic soccer jargon and it could be a distraction for those who are more armchair watchers of the game rather than active participants but context is rich and skipping a few terms will in no way hurt the understanding of the outcome of each match nor how well or how poorly Leo, his friends or the bullies performed. (I am one of those non-participants in the game!) There is a bit of romance and romance derailed between the older Coach Samantha and player Tig but no physical content included outside of hand-holding, hugs and one small kiss.

Sports themed fiction is in big demand by library patrons in the target age group and this one is sure to please many in that target age range of grades 4-7. At the time of this review, there are copies of self-published books 1 & 2 available from a variety of sources but Sourcebooks will be releasing their editions late summer/fall of 2025 and the books will have likely gone through some more professional revising and editing so I would advise checking on which version is being ordered. Text in the Sourcebooks version was free of all profanity and sexual content and the violence was limited to intense and physical play on the pitch/field and a few instances perpetrated by Brock the bully.

Thanks, Sourcebooks and Edelweiss for the eARC for this exciting new sports series!

[Jasi · Rating 5 out of 5]

My husband bought this book, read it, and loved it. So I started reading it to my son at bedtime. Well, we finished it tonight and loved it too!

It was a fun read following Leo around on his soccer adventures with some twists thrown in. Such a great group of characters and I’m curious to see if any of them will return in the next books.

The writing is so well done and we could see the story playing out in our heads.

I’m happy there are more in this series because we can’t wait to see what Leo is up to next!!

Wonderful book for any kiddo interested in soccer, but we (the parents) enjoyed it just as much!

[Rachel Combs Walding · Rating 5 out of 5]

My seven year old son absolutely loves these books! His review: "Very good. I love the twists and turns!" Awesome book for a sports-living kid. Also, 1the adults in our family love these books too. Great family read-aloud material.

[Curtis Trueblood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did not think I would like it. The main character was just so generic. The plot tho? Interesting. Whitman chose a good book for me to read.

[Boyce Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was great knew everything

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Middle grade sports novels tend to fall into one of two camps, either formulaic or written by someone who has never played sports, so imagine my surprise when I opened this book to find both excellent play-by-play and a nuanced character that is worth rooting for. This will be my go-to recommendation for kids looking for solid sports stories. I may even read the whole series!

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son and I really loved this book. Great read aloud book, easy to read, the vocab was engaging it was really well written and exciting! My son felt all of the emotions, laughing, shouting in excitement and even crying! There was a lot of soccer terminology that I didn’t know or understand- but my son did.
Looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

[Molly McKeogh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book. My soccer loving ten year old nephew got this book at the Scholastic book fair this year and I’ve been waiting patiently to borrow it from him. This story follows a youngster named Leo who loves soccer and almost by accident gets scouted for a Premier League youth team.

SPOILERS: (for the book and my life!)

I’ve been on a bit of a career journey the last few years. Doing really well in lots of parts of work. Getting recognized for some of it. But a promotion seems to keep being just out of reach. Leo was behind all his peers because he didn’t have a wealthy family and did YMCA leagues. He got some extra help. And while things did (or didn’t) work out for him for the specific part of the dream he had… something else worked out. As a character at the end says, “there’s no accounting for taste.” I’ve gotta be like Leo and be inspired by him…work hard, keep the goal in mind, be the best (even if and when they keep moving his position around!), and be flexible and hopeful for opportunities to knock.

[Sully Fraser · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is an amazing book for your kid who enjoys soccer ⚽️

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss

Leo Doyle and his younger sister Ginny are being raised in Ohio by their father after their mother's death. The mother had been a teacher and had benefits, but the father is a carpenter who does not always get enough work, so the family is struggling. Leo plays for a YMCA soccer team, and when his coach has the team play the Columbus Tigers, a scout approaches Mr. Doyle about Leo's prospects. He's from the London Dragons, and offers Leo a spot at their summer training camp. There will be about ten players out of 200 who will be chosen to attend the regular academy and be groomed to be Dragon players. Hearing that $50,000 is involved if he can get into the academy, Leo wants to go in order to help his family. His aunt agrees to pay for his airline ticket, but he must go alone. Leaving behind his friends and video games, Leo heads for London, meeting an older player, Tig, on the plane. Tig has some good advice on avoiding jet lag that Leo ignores. He takes a huge nap, then eats a lot of junk food and stays up until 4 a.m. playing video games before the initial skill assessments! His roommate, Robbie, is very intense, and is surprised that Leo hasn't been on a premier or travel team or had private coaching. Other players make fun of Leo's Cincinnati FC jersey, and he runs a foul of a bully, Brock. The coach, Zepeda, is not only looking for skill, but also character, dedication, and teamwork. Leo struggles with many aspects of camp; he's uncomfortable when they switch his positions, he'd rather play video games than do extra practice, and he maintains that he plays better after a coke and a candy bar! His coach at the camp, Samantha, thinks that he has some raw talent, but needs help. Since she is dating Tig, the two set up extra practices for Leo and another player, Garika, who is from Zimbabwe. Leo tries half heartedly to practice, but is frequently late, and even gets into fights with Brock, which Coach Zapeda and the camp director do NOT like. When Samantha and Tig break up, the extra sessions stop. Leo manages to make it through various cuts to play on the "World Cup" team, but even though his team wins the game and he has several spectacular plays, he is not accepted to the full time training program. When he returns home, however, there is a surprise that leads to book two.
Strengths: Attending a soccer camp in London? Where there is all the pizza you can eat? Meeting famous coaches and players? Getting a duffle of London Dragons clothing? This is wish fulfillment at its finest for young soccer players who really think that they will beat the odds and be able to make a career out of playing soccer. Leo is a lackadaisical Every Kid who would rather play video games than see London, has no clue about nutrition, and doesn't practice all that hard, yet still gets a lot of amazing breaks. There are lots of diverse characters, descriptions of plays and games, and plenty of hanging out during the special activities the school plans, eating pizza. Since I could paste a soccer ball on an old fashioned phone book, and some of my students would probably check it out, I will buy a copy of the first book.
Weaknesses: This was over 300 pages long, and I'm not sure how this will go over with my students who struggle to work their way through Jake Maddox or Fred Bowen books. It's great to see that this is a series, but if all the books are this long, it will be a hard sell. This needed a lot more editing. I'd be curious to see how this edition compares with the self published one. I would have preferred to see Leo mature as a character (and perhaps learn a little about nutrition!) than seeing him fighting with Brock or texting his friends back home.
What I really think: While I will buy the first book, I'm going to hold off on the second until I see how the first is received. I wish this were more like Fabbri's Back of the Net series, which my students devour. That series of six books has illustrations, and the books are just over 100 pages.

[Amanda Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leo is the best soccer player on his local team. He lives in small-town Ohio but has always dreamed of playing somewhere else, somewhere bigger. He has a legend’s name for goodness sake. During one of his games, a professional scout catches some of his moves and extends an invitation to try out for The Academy, a feeder to one of the best youth squads the London Dragons. As he travels across the ocean for the first time, he is faced with other kids who are also the best on their team. Many have more training. Most have more confidence. But Leo may have the most heart. Will heart, new friendships, and a fast-speed approach to learning everything he can about professional soccer be enough to land him a spot on the Academy?

As a soccer fan, I picked this book up a few times and then put it back down. I really wanted to read it with one or both of my boys who recently started playing club soccer, and when I couldn’t convince either of them, I went ahead on my own. I am so glad I did. I loved reading about Leo and his journey to London. While making the team was his goal, I loved all of the other things that happened while he grew as a soccer player. As a reader, I enjoyed the character development, especially reading as Leo learns more about himself every step of the way. The only reason I did not give the book five stars was due to the technical aspect of the book. Personally, I loved all of the soccer theory and verbiage, but I fear it could turn off some readers who may not know enough to understand it. Regardless, it is an excellent middle grade book, especially for soccer players and reluctant readers.

[Read_with_Beans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Kids for providing an eARC of T.Z. Layton’s middle-grade soccer novel, The Academy.

This book centers around Leo, a 12-year-old soccer star on his Ohio YMCA team. He dreams of making it to the big leagues someday, specifically the European Premier League, but that feels far off since he’s never even been on an airplane. Things change when a European soccer talent scout visiting his family in the US notices Leo playing. Leo is invited to try out for the summer academy, but his father has reservations about sending his son across the pond alone, especially since he’s recently become a widower and can barely afford his house, let alone a family trip to Europe.

Leo makes the trip and quickly learns that London and the academy are much bigger and better than his competition at home. The contest will be fierce, to say the least.

Along with tough competition, Leo must also face a bully who wants to ruin his summer, a roommate who doesn’t know how to have fun, a strict camp director, and most of all, his own lack of training and fear that he’ll never succeed.
By summer’s end, Leo will become a much better player and will be forever changed by his experience. But will he be good enough to make the Academy?

This book was so well written and touches on relatable and important topics for the target audience, including loss of a parent, bullying, self-confidence, friendship, overcoming fears, and more. I highly recommend this book for any young soccer fans in your family.

This is book 1 in the series, with book 6 scheduled for release in May 2026.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t care for this book at all. About 90% of the book is a play-by-play of each and every soccer exercise and scrimmage, (and even a chapter with a play-by-play of the kids playing FIFA.). It came across as very monotonous and for me the boredom set in quickly and I really just could not wait for this to be over. At no point did I feel there was any connection to any of the players (and there were so many of them; difficult for a child reader to keep track of.). Just when there would be a slightest glimmer of some heart and soul to the book—the topic of the mother’s death was brought up; the kids do volunteer work; the coach gets injured—those scenes happened so briefly that there was never any depth there. In addition, there was only one female character in the book and the majority of her scenes had to do with how she looked in shorts or how long her legs were. I read this with some of my sports fans and they were reasonably interested in this but we just felt like the play-by-play aspect just droned on and on and it quickly became tiresome. Personally, I’ll pass on reading the next books in the series, but there may be a some sports fans out there who would enjoy this.

[Yusuf B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing read! It was engaging and makes the reader want to keep going. Almost never a dull moment. A lot of character development, adapting to new lifestyles, and unexpected friendships. This book is great for the teenage sports loving category of readers. I liked how it uses detail to describe and visualize every scene in the book and making the reader feel as if they are in the story. The pacing of the story was interesting because a lot of the time it would be going day by day in the story and then at other points in the book it would be summarizing what happens in days at a time in a short paragraph. I like how we see the character change from his old unhealthy habits into a more organized lifestyle. I also loved that it gave us some of his history and how it affects him now. It tells us some of the hard points in life he went through. Something else that stuck out to me was the way that the writing was formatted. It would have the story shaped as a regular book but at multiple moments in the book it showed the story as a page of texts going through between the protagonist and his closest friend. This book had me itching to read the next and I think a lot of other people would also enjoy it.

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

12-year-old Leo has never really left his little town where he is the local soccer star. But when a chance encounter brings a recruiter to one of his games he is extended an offer to a youth soccer camp and tryout for the London Dragons youth development team. Leo is so excited that his dreams are starting to come true, but they are soon slowed down when Leo gets a rude awakening that he is one of the few players there that hasn’t had formal training and that makes his dreams even harder to reach. Can Leo’s creative playing work out for him in the end?
Oh my gosh I totally loved it all. I was a soccer player in my younger (and much better knees) years, and after watching some shows that also feature some of what is going on here, it made it even more interesting. I devoured this book and it’s second part The Academy II the Journey Continues and cannot wait for more. The characters are awesome and relatable even Messi was there cheering Leo on and helping him make good choices from afar. This book is action packed and has its very suspenseful moments. This is a book that will keep any soccer player engaged. It is a really good book and I cannot wait for more.

This review copy was supplied by Edelweiss

[William Jimenez · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book, the author does a great job of mixing football with an amazing and interesting plot. The suspense keeps building as we follow the main character (Leo), an American kid who isn't at all used to a professional soccer setting. His emotions and struggles feel so real, so it's easy to connect with him and understand what's happening. It also has a side plot with a love interest without completely distracting the reader from the main story. This side plot is perfect for young readers who enjoy action with a little romance. That said, Layton's love for the sport is sometimes hard to follow. There are a ton of football moves and advanced moves that can be confusing for those who don't know that much about the game. Plus, the story takes place at a summer academy with over 200 players from all over the world, and it's hard to keep track of them all. As the story moves on, it focuses more on Leo and his teammates, which makes the final game easier to understand. So, even though there are a lot of characters and complicated details, the ending is clear and very exciting. Overall the book includes very fun and interesting twists and turns that make the book extremely engaging.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Closer to a 3.5, this fiction series puts football in the spotlight as Leo, an American kid whose mom died and is living with his dad and younger sister, gets the opportunity to spend the summer in England playing in a youth league to train and play with the best in the hopes of being visible for a potential career or at least opportunities in the sport he loves.

There's plenty of play-by-play action, in addition to the frenemies, friends, and foes that are a part of the competitive spirit of play. In addition to Leo hanging his hopes on performing well to get opportunities since it was already a bit of a sacrifice for his dad to get him to England for the summer.

For being a series, each book seems a bit long but it's a coming of age story wrapped in a sports story featuring a boy with some talent. I'll read the second just to get the overall vibe but likely won't continue after that. I like that it's for an average reader.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

My family and I loved this book! My 14 yo boy, 12 yo girl, and 8 yo girl all really enjoyed this fish out of water story (and I love a good fish out of water story). While I am pretty familiar with youth soccer (football for the rest of the world), I knew nothing about the Premier League youth development system and it was so cool to learn about the process. TZ Layton does an amazing job of bringing Leo and his youthfulness to life. From Leo's homesickness to his love of junk food and video games, it is easy for both kids and adults to relate to Leo and his experiences. Layton also makes Leo such a relatable character that it was fun to root for him. This book also has great messages about teamwork and perseverance when both individuals and circumstances are working against you. I look forward to sharing this book with friends and reading it again.

[Kelsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ I enjoyed reading this and developed a much greater appreciation for soccer from this book. I found Leo to be a likable character. I also loved Samantha and Tig. It was cool to learn how the camp worked and how dedicated the kids needed to be.
I don’t think that the journal format worked for this book. Chapters were titled by journal entries and Leo referred to the book as a journal once, but the writing itself was very much not journal writing. I found that many of the characters were kind of blended and confusing for me. I also thought that Robbie was a confusing character. There was some false foreshadowing about why Brock never bothered him, and why Robbie always looked worried, but that went nowhere.
Overall, an enjoyable read and will definitely recommend to my student soccer players.

[Magenta · Rating 4 out of 5]

(I read this book so I could share it with my 10 year old son who loves soccer and was not disappointed.) Although the writing in the journal was way more polished that one might expect from a 12 year old, I appreciated the first person narrative and the candid and unrestricted look into Leo’s thoughts, feelings and experiences as he takes on challenges and evolves with his goals. The characters and their relationships were relatable and the descriptions, explanations and recounting of the soccer was informative and in depth, including the experience of soccer in the US versus other countries. I appreciate the author’s development of different motivations and habits among the athletes. Definitely a great book for a soccer enthusiast and their family. I am excited for the next in the series.

[Lexi Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Academy by T.Z. Layton was a huge hit in our house!

From Bentley (age 10):
It was amazing. The best soccer book of all time. Actually, the best sports book of all time! Total GOAT status.

From Mom:
I have never seen my 10-year-old devour a book so quickly and completely, and then ask to read it again. He’s usually a reluctant reader, but The Academy pulled him in from the very first chapter, and he’s already asking for book two. I read it too and was genuinely impressed. The story kept my attention the whole way through, and I loved that the main character experienced both success and setbacks. He had to work hard, be brave, show good sportsmanship, and learn what it really means to be part of a team.

Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Kids for the eARC! We can’t wait for the next one.

[Deepti · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing! I didn't expect such a technical, heart warming YA on football.

Serious must read for football lovers. From 12 year old Leo traveling from US to an Academy in London.. learning the ropes and getting better. His journey and the journey of his friends who play different positions.. and the entire drills and match day play.

Only two cribs.. liverpool didn't get the love it deserved.. neither did manu to be fair.. and please.... its football not soccer...I wish Leo in his one month at the Academy had learnt to call it football like all the world does instead of soccer like only the Americans do. He didn't seem to realize that that is why people don't like US footballers...

[Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a 13 year old kid, and I think this is the best book for kids that have a passion for soccer. As you read this book you get to know most of the kids, and they teach Leo, the main character, things that he didn’t know how to do and when to do it. While the advice was meant for players in the book, the reader can gain knowledge for his or her own game. It has many words that you may have to look up if you are not familiar with soccer terminology, but if you are a fan of the game, you will have no problems!
I read this book multiple times because I could not put this amazing book down. I would definitely read this book for a fourth time.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

My children & I loved this book and have shared it with other family members. We will work our way through the other titles over the holidays. For readers who enjoyed this one i would highly recomend both Sam Kerr's Kicking Goals Journal and Messi's Football Superstars Messi Rules

[Cat Chiappa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our family absolutely loved this book. I have a soccer crazy super active eight year old son who doesn't sit still very well and he would sit for an hour at a time listening to me read this and still beg for more. We fell in love with the characters and were rooting for Leo to succeed. The action is fast paced and fun and explains technical terms, seamlessly blending them into the action. There are a lot of characters, but we didn't have trouble keeping track of them overall. We had trouble putting this book down and I found myself sneaking a read ahead in-between reading to my kids. Even my 11 year old daughter loved it and she is not a soccer fan. So glad this a series! We just started book 2 yesterday and are already almost 100 pages in!

[Christopher Ketelaars · Rating 5 out of 5]

I needed a new book to read. My son had just received this book for Christmas (but had a few other books in his own queue), so I decided to give it a read. I figured I'd like it enough, it being about football, but I enjoyed it way more than I expected to enjoy any young-readers novel.

The author does a brilliant job penning this as a 12 year-old's academy-experience journal and clearly knows the game. I'll have to let nana and papa know "my son" is looking forward to the next one in the series.