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Kick
Budi's plan is simple...
He's going to be a star, instead of sweating over each football boot he makes, each stitch he sews, each box he packages. He's going to play for the greatest team on earth, rather than in the square behind the factory where he works.
But one unlucky kick brings Budi's world crashing down, because now he owes the Dragon, the most dangerous man in all Jakarta. Soon it isn't only Budi's dreams at stake, but his life.
A story about dreaming big, about hope and heroes, and never letting anything stand in your way...
He's going to be a star, instead of sweating over each football boot he makes, each stitch he sews, each box he packages. He's going to play for the greatest team on earth, rather than in the square behind the factory where he works.
But one unlucky kick brings Budi's world crashing down, because now he owes the Dragon, the most dangerous man in all Jakarta. Soon it isn't only Budi's dreams at stake, but his life.
A story about dreaming big, about hope and heroes, and never letting anything stand in your way...
304 pages, Paperback
Published September 1, 2017
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496 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
September 3, 2017
I am happy to say that I enjoyed this book far more than I thought I would! I gave it three out of five stars and I was very pleased about that because when I picked it up, I honestly thought it was going to get two stars so I'm glad I actually ended up enjoying it. This isn't a perfect book, by any means, but I enjoyed the process and it is an impressive shot for a debut.
This debut comes out this month in September; it is a book primarily for teenagers (though this is fairly compatible with a certain type of adult reader!) and it follows a boy named Budi in who lives in Indonesia with his parents and his paternal grandmother; the family are very poor and they cannot afford to send Budi to school so he works in a factory which makes football boots for professional players. It is focused on ambition; it's focused on following dreams; it's focused on the injustice of a legal system, among many other things. The main focus of the novel is Budi's strong ambition to become a professional footballer and there are disadvantages barring that dream: 1) because of his poverty and therefore that situation being, at first glance, next to impossible and 2) Budi also has a genetically passed down condition which prevents his blood from clotting properly so not only does a cut need to be tended to a lot so as to prevent constant bleeding but also, he could potentially start bleeding internally due to an injury and not be aware of that until he dies suddenly. On the front of the book, it has the quote: "The Only Thing Standing In His Way Is Everything" and that is really symbolised through the telling of this story.
The book begins and we also meet his friend Rochy who is, like Budi, a massive fan of football and there is a lot of focus in here on their mutual dreams and their connection of friendship through this shared love of football.
That's the plotline! So, in terms of reactions, they were mixed. Overall, I would absolutely give this book a thumbs up because I enjoyed it far more than I thought I would. As said, I thought that I was going to give it two stars and for me, two stars is bad and three stars is good. One thing I found interesting here is that on the back, it says this book is good for fans of Frank Cottrell Boyce. I have only read one Frank Cottrell Boyce and that was Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth which I read for the Carnegie reviewing (and it was one of the very few Carnegie books which I actually enjoyed!) and this book reminded me a lot of that but funnily enough, I had an issue with the Frank Cottrell Boyce which I ALSO have with this book:
I don't think the cover does it justice.
The real cover will be different to my proof cover (the proof is just yellow!) but it is the real cover I have a problem with. It's not a bad cover but it makes it look like a children's book. Apart from the quote, there are barely any hints there to do with the themes it discusses in terms of Indonesian poverty and the ridiculous justice system there (this book goes into really great detail on those points!), nor does the cover indicate the genuinely deep emotional story that this book has.
I understand why the publishers have done it because they want the book to appeal to the audience which the book is written for. The writing style in this is, most of the time, quite plain: it is very compatible with children between the ages of 12-15 maybe and there is something in the writing style which reminded me a lot of how YA books are written, in general. That cover would very easily appeal to teenagers, especially boys!
For that reason, part of me does understand why the cover has been done that way. However, forgetting about the target audience and doing my job as a book reviewer, I would certainly say that the merits of this book are so much higher than that cover.
One huge reason is that the story in this book is very emotional and really deep. Mitch Johnson really does know how to create a really poignant story. Whilst I wasn't blown away with what he could do with the writing, what he could do with the story was far more important to me and he nailed that on the head. A thread that constantly came back in this book was the lesson to follow your dreams and follow them no matter what difficulties lie ahead. Several elements to this novel show that!
For example, at one point in the book, we see Budi's favourite football player in quite a difficult situation in terms of scoring a penalty in unfortunate circumstances. There is a lot of focus on the situation seeming near to impossible at first sight and the people in the audience thinking he won't manage it, yet we still see the football player just concentrating so intently despite all the difficulties and he does eventually score the penalty. So the lesson to always spur on with your dreams translates really well into football in that example.
Another example of the follow-your-dreams thread comes back in Budi's grandmother. His grandmother often tells Budi stories in the evening and one of the stories features a boy who lives on an island with a very tall coconut tree. It is rumoured that the coconuts have this special milk which brings good fortune to those who drink it and everyone is scared of climbing the tree because it is far too tall and dangerous. However, the young boy tries it and the people set up a net for him to jump down into but he never finds the confidence until he drinks the coconut milk and then he feels confident enough to look past all the dangers and jump down. He then grows far more confident as a person and that story also teaches Budi to look past all his difficulties - in terms of being poor and having his blood condition - and follow his dreams if that is solely what he wants to do and it will pay off.
There are many elements in this book, therefore, that show that message and relate to Budi's story in the meantime. However, towards the end of the book, it really does become so much more than that. I won't be spoiling anything but it does get very intense and very deeply emotional (some very nasty stuff happens!) and then it becomes more a story of morals and making the right decisions in life as oppose to the easy decisions. Those themes, again, I thought were handled really well and just in general, it was a really strong novel.
Of course, this is not a perfect book, as symbolised by the 3/5 stars. I had two issues with this book, one of which I have already partially highlighted:
1) I have a feeling this will sound pretentious but I do think this could have been pulled off as an adult novel, as oppose to a teenage novel. To make the book better, I would keep all the plotline and keep all the themes but just make the STYLE of the book a bit more adult! In a way, I admire Mitch Johnson's decision to write a younger book about it but I think it would have been executed just as well, if not better, as an adult novel. Ways of doing that might have been to make the book a bit longer and to make the writing style a bit more literary and just to expand on the themes and story perspective. It worked as the way it came out but I think a more sophisticated genre would have suited it more.
2) Another problem I had was actually a specific plot point. I'll try not to give anything away but, in effect: there is something that happens towards the end of the book which COULD potentially have changed the course of a character's life and the way things turned out really annoyed me! (It will be at the bottom hidden behind a spoiler warning so you can read it if you want to!)
Overall, this was an enjoyable book with merit and once again, thank you to my wonderful librarian for sending me this book. If Mitch Johnson was to publish an adult novel in future, I would buy it! I am 100% sure he has the talent to channel all his great ideas into a more sophisticated genre. But the bottom line is: good, solid book and all the best to the debut novelist!
This debut comes out this month in September; it is a book primarily for teenagers (though this is fairly compatible with a certain type of adult reader!) and it follows a boy named Budi in who lives in Indonesia with his parents and his paternal grandmother; the family are very poor and they cannot afford to send Budi to school so he works in a factory which makes football boots for professional players. It is focused on ambition; it's focused on following dreams; it's focused on the injustice of a legal system, among many other things. The main focus of the novel is Budi's strong ambition to become a professional footballer and there are disadvantages barring that dream: 1) because of his poverty and therefore that situation being, at first glance, next to impossible and 2) Budi also has a genetically passed down condition which prevents his blood from clotting properly so not only does a cut need to be tended to a lot so as to prevent constant bleeding but also, he could potentially start bleeding internally due to an injury and not be aware of that until he dies suddenly. On the front of the book, it has the quote: "The Only Thing Standing In His Way Is Everything" and that is really symbolised through the telling of this story.
The book begins and we also meet his friend Rochy who is, like Budi, a massive fan of football and there is a lot of focus in here on their mutual dreams and their connection of friendship through this shared love of football.
That's the plotline! So, in terms of reactions, they were mixed. Overall, I would absolutely give this book a thumbs up because I enjoyed it far more than I thought I would. As said, I thought that I was going to give it two stars and for me, two stars is bad and three stars is good. One thing I found interesting here is that on the back, it says this book is good for fans of Frank Cottrell Boyce. I have only read one Frank Cottrell Boyce and that was Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth which I read for the Carnegie reviewing (and it was one of the very few Carnegie books which I actually enjoyed!) and this book reminded me a lot of that but funnily enough, I had an issue with the Frank Cottrell Boyce which I ALSO have with this book:
I don't think the cover does it justice.
The real cover will be different to my proof cover (the proof is just yellow!) but it is the real cover I have a problem with. It's not a bad cover but it makes it look like a children's book. Apart from the quote, there are barely any hints there to do with the themes it discusses in terms of Indonesian poverty and the ridiculous justice system there (this book goes into really great detail on those points!), nor does the cover indicate the genuinely deep emotional story that this book has.
I understand why the publishers have done it because they want the book to appeal to the audience which the book is written for. The writing style in this is, most of the time, quite plain: it is very compatible with children between the ages of 12-15 maybe and there is something in the writing style which reminded me a lot of how YA books are written, in general. That cover would very easily appeal to teenagers, especially boys!
For that reason, part of me does understand why the cover has been done that way. However, forgetting about the target audience and doing my job as a book reviewer, I would certainly say that the merits of this book are so much higher than that cover.
One huge reason is that the story in this book is very emotional and really deep. Mitch Johnson really does know how to create a really poignant story. Whilst I wasn't blown away with what he could do with the writing, what he could do with the story was far more important to me and he nailed that on the head. A thread that constantly came back in this book was the lesson to follow your dreams and follow them no matter what difficulties lie ahead. Several elements to this novel show that!
For example, at one point in the book, we see Budi's favourite football player in quite a difficult situation in terms of scoring a penalty in unfortunate circumstances. There is a lot of focus on the situation seeming near to impossible at first sight and the people in the audience thinking he won't manage it, yet we still see the football player just concentrating so intently despite all the difficulties and he does eventually score the penalty. So the lesson to always spur on with your dreams translates really well into football in that example.
Another example of the follow-your-dreams thread comes back in Budi's grandmother. His grandmother often tells Budi stories in the evening and one of the stories features a boy who lives on an island with a very tall coconut tree. It is rumoured that the coconuts have this special milk which brings good fortune to those who drink it and everyone is scared of climbing the tree because it is far too tall and dangerous. However, the young boy tries it and the people set up a net for him to jump down into but he never finds the confidence until he drinks the coconut milk and then he feels confident enough to look past all the dangers and jump down. He then grows far more confident as a person and that story also teaches Budi to look past all his difficulties - in terms of being poor and having his blood condition - and follow his dreams if that is solely what he wants to do and it will pay off.
There are many elements in this book, therefore, that show that message and relate to Budi's story in the meantime. However, towards the end of the book, it really does become so much more than that. I won't be spoiling anything but it does get very intense and very deeply emotional (some very nasty stuff happens!) and then it becomes more a story of morals and making the right decisions in life as oppose to the easy decisions. Those themes, again, I thought were handled really well and just in general, it was a really strong novel.
Of course, this is not a perfect book, as symbolised by the 3/5 stars. I had two issues with this book, one of which I have already partially highlighted:
1) I have a feeling this will sound pretentious but I do think this could have been pulled off as an adult novel, as oppose to a teenage novel. To make the book better, I would keep all the plotline and keep all the themes but just make the STYLE of the book a bit more adult! In a way, I admire Mitch Johnson's decision to write a younger book about it but I think it would have been executed just as well, if not better, as an adult novel. Ways of doing that might have been to make the book a bit longer and to make the writing style a bit more literary and just to expand on the themes and story perspective. It worked as the way it came out but I think a more sophisticated genre would have suited it more.
2) Another problem I had was actually a specific plot point. I'll try not to give anything away but, in effect: there is something that happens towards the end of the book which COULD potentially have changed the course of a character's life and the way things turned out really annoyed me! (It will be at the bottom hidden behind a spoiler warning so you can read it if you want to!)
Overall, this was an enjoyable book with merit and once again, thank you to my wonderful librarian for sending me this book. If Mitch Johnson was to publish an adult novel in future, I would buy it! I am 100% sure he has the talent to channel all his great ideas into a more sophisticated genre. But the bottom line is: good, solid book and all the best to the debut novelist!
November 27, 2018
Sesuai labelnya, novel ini memang bagus untuk usia 13+. Bicara tentang mimpi, perjuangan hidup, dan bagaimana pantang menyerah. Ini bagus sekali tentunya untuk anak usia segitu. Dimana mereka baru saja memulai hidupnya dan mulai mengalami masalah.
“Akan selalu ada sesuatu – atau seseorang – yang menvegahmu menyadari potensimu sendiri. Selalu ada penjaga lapangan yang memelihara pagar. Selalu ada kiper yang menjaga gawang. Kau cuma harus melihat melampaui itu.” (hlm. 159)
Selengkapnya di Delina Books
“Akan selalu ada sesuatu – atau seseorang – yang menvegahmu menyadari potensimu sendiri. Selalu ada penjaga lapangan yang memelihara pagar. Selalu ada kiper yang menjaga gawang. Kau cuma harus melihat melampaui itu.” (hlm. 159)
Selengkapnya di Delina Books
July 18, 2018
This has been a great success with our Y6 boys in particular, and I've finally, in a World Cup come-down, got round to reading it. It's wonderful, addressing exploitation of child labour and using football to drive home the stark inequality present in our world. As Alan Partridge might say, "Back of the net!"
November 12, 2017
Eye-opening, moving look at the world of a young sweatshop worker and dreamer
Budi is like any young boy - he plays football with his friends whenever he can, watches matches, dreams about going to the matches of his favourite teams. But Budi is also a boy who makes football boots. He works in a Jakartan sweatshop, working long hours and for little pay.
His family barely manages to feed itself, their whole community is poverty-stricken, and the book shows us the conditions families like Budi's live in. It's quite shocking, though never graphic enough to upset primary-aged readers.
There is a story about Budi's family - his uncle, grandma and father that shows the underbelly of crime that takes root in any society - but for me the scenes I remember will be those in the factory as Budi sweats over his work, with a supervisor watching his every stitch, the boy knowing he could never afford to buy and wear a pair of the very things he is making for westerners.
This book would make an excellent discussion topic for classes, looking at children in other cultures, poverty, exploitation, and even natural disasters. The link to football as a way out of poverty, both literally and in helping someone to dream themselves to a better place, is well-used in Budi, who knows how hard life can be.
It's a positive read, and while it may not be a 'happy ever after' ending, it does end with hope and the prospect of better tomorrows.
For readers aged 9 and over.
This will capture the attention of football-mad readers
Budi is like any young boy - he plays football with his friends whenever he can, watches matches, dreams about going to the matches of his favourite teams. But Budi is also a boy who makes football boots. He works in a Jakartan sweatshop, working long hours and for little pay.
His family barely manages to feed itself, their whole community is poverty-stricken, and the book shows us the conditions families like Budi's live in. It's quite shocking, though never graphic enough to upset primary-aged readers.
There is a story about Budi's family - his uncle, grandma and father that shows the underbelly of crime that takes root in any society - but for me the scenes I remember will be those in the factory as Budi sweats over his work, with a supervisor watching his every stitch, the boy knowing he could never afford to buy and wear a pair of the very things he is making for westerners.
This book would make an excellent discussion topic for classes, looking at children in other cultures, poverty, exploitation, and even natural disasters. The link to football as a way out of poverty, both literally and in helping someone to dream themselves to a better place, is well-used in Budi, who knows how hard life can be.
It's a positive read, and while it may not be a 'happy ever after' ending, it does end with hope and the prospect of better tomorrows.
For readers aged 9 and over.
This will capture the attention of football-mad readers
March 31, 2025
"It said it was going to be about football." - a review from several children in the class. That being said, they rated it their highest average book score this year. I think they liked it more than me, either that or they just really love a story where the grandma dies ...
7.5/10 (me)
4.27/5 (class average)
7.5/10 (me)
4.27/5 (class average)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 4, 2018
I think this is a powerful book and one that is incredibly important for children (9+) to read.
The subject matter is treated seriously and Budi’s perspective provides an unvarnished insight into the world of East Asian sweatshops, the lows and the (relative) highs. It’s a brilliant way of bringing such a delicate issue to the attention of young children.
Despite the weighty subject matter the story is not entirely downbeat. As a reader, you are carried through the book by a real compassion for Budi and also the author’s humour, which acts as light-hearted relief in the story and doesn’t distract from the matter in hand. The story also has many intriguing developments which make you want to keep reading.
For a debut novel the book is even more impressive. At the back of the book it says Mitch Johnson’s next novel will be about PTSD (I think) and if that subject matter is treated as sensitively and skillfully as it is in Kick, it will be another classic.
The subject matter is treated seriously and Budi’s perspective provides an unvarnished insight into the world of East Asian sweatshops, the lows and the (relative) highs. It’s a brilliant way of bringing such a delicate issue to the attention of young children.
Despite the weighty subject matter the story is not entirely downbeat. As a reader, you are carried through the book by a real compassion for Budi and also the author’s humour, which acts as light-hearted relief in the story and doesn’t distract from the matter in hand. The story also has many intriguing developments which make you want to keep reading.
For a debut novel the book is even more impressive. At the back of the book it says Mitch Johnson’s next novel will be about PTSD (I think) and if that subject matter is treated as sensitively and skillfully as it is in Kick, it will be another classic.
Read
January 9, 2019It is a football genre book and is not in a series. The book is a about a very poor 14 year old boy called Jamie who is crazy about football but comes from a very poor family in an island in Indonesia . He has no education and works full time+ over time for below minimum salary. His family can not afford food some days in the week and when they do eat it is just rice and vegetables. This is because his dad has not been paid for the last few months. Jamie comes across a local football team but can not afford to play for them. The book shows his struggles trying to earn some money to support his family and to make it is a professional footballer. The book has a sad ending when an earthquake strucks and kills someone close to him in his family. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes football as it is not only about football but also about how children working in a poorer country are treated.
Read
January 16, 2019This book was a football story but more about budi’s dreams than all about football. It is the first and only book in the series. I liked this book a lot. The story is about a boy who is to poor to go to school so he works in a factory making football boots for professional footballers. His dream is to a pro footballer but he has some condition which makes him bleed loads which could lead to death. He wants to play for Real Madrid and play with his favourite player Kieran Wakefield. I would recommend this book to anyone who like football.
July 25, 2020
I loved this book! Without spoiling, this inspirational book can be used to teach children that nothing is impossible even when it feels like it might be. Budi (the main character) continues to follow his dreams to be like his hero someday, even with a lot of trouble thrown in his path. This book encourages children to dream big and to never let things stand in their way!! I also learnt some Indonesian facts/words!!
October 15, 2025
Great eye opening story of the sweatshops in Indonesia and child labor. Budi’s story captivates readers and brings empathy and compassion for the children who work in the factories for 12 hours a day. Budi is full of hope and love of soccer. He and his buddy dream of being professional players as they deal with conflicts in their factory and the feared gang leader, Dragon. Great themes of not letting obstacles get in your way and having hope in the worst of times!
December 12, 2022
"KICK" by Mitch Johnson is an amazing, enchanting and breathtaking book, great for any football lover. The book follows the story of a young Budi who lives in the slums of Malaysia, but he has one dream, to play for Real Madrid. Even with his family in poverty, surrounded by crime lords and unsettling people, he plays in the streets of Malaysia until dark. However, one misplaced kick brings Budi's world crashing down. Now he owes a favour to "The Dragon", the most cruel and dangerous man in Jakarta. Soon enough, not only is Budi's football dreams in danger, but his life and his family's too. This is a story about big dreams, perseverance, tolerance and never letting anything bring you down. This book had a lot of great components that I liked. First off, I really liked Mitch Johnson's use of language, adjectives and other literary devices. The adjectives had me enthralled and at one point when the story was at it's peak, I felt as if I was really there. I also really like the characters that were in the book. Budi especially because he is just like a lot of young boys and girls out there, who's lifelong dream is to play pro football and nothing will stop them. Budi also is an inspiration to lots of young people reading this book around the world. Last but not least, the ending of the book is amazing. It sums up the entire book really well and leaves the reader with a sense of joy, as if the story had been complete. There was one thing I didn't particularly like however, and that was the fact that there was too much going on sometimes. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love this book, but at some points way too much was going once. Especially towards the end, it was an almost random sequence of events. Some of the events were quite random and I didn't really understand it. Overall I loved this book, the literary devices, characters and use of language were all great, but for me, there was just too much happening sometimes.
March 7, 2018
Fantastic little book which I thoroughly enjoyed reading. Budi is a football-mad eleven year old living in Jakarta, Indonesia. By day he works in a sweat shop, managed by a brutal foreman, making football boots that are sent abroad. By night he spends time with his parents and grandmother in their tiny apartment, plays football with his friends, role-playing his favourite Real Madrid player or watching matches on a damaged television set with his friend Rochy. Despite his vastly different circumstances, he is like any other child of his age and young readers will be able to identify with his passions. One day his life changes when he accidentally kicks the ball through the window of corrupt local money-lender The Dragon. The window smashes. Budi is told that in order to avoid trouble for his family (having to give up their apartment and move to the slums) he must steal a pair of boots from the factory for one of the Dragon's cronies. Budi believes his life is over. However, unbeknown to him, Rochy steals the boots on his behalf, but another girl in the factory gets the blame and is brutally ejected. It's a dog eat dog environment. From here on in the book becomes altogether darker, there are some violent and some upsetting scenes, and some younger readers may need reassurance and support from their parents. When an earthquake strikes, causing some buildings to crumble, killing Rochy's family and also leading to the death of Budi's grandmother, it is particularly challenging. Despite this, the book is ultimately about the triumph of hope and the importance of hanging onto your dreams. It will also raise an awareness of important issues such as child labour, lack of the human rights many of us take for granted in some parts of the world, and corrupt authorities. A great achievement and highly recommended.
August 15, 2025
There's something ugly about the beautiful game (3.5 stars)
The genesis of Kick came when its author Mitch Johnson was working as a sales assistant in a sport shop. He found himself confronted with the contrast between the shiny new football boots of superstar footballers earning millions, and the poor people in Asian sweatshops that make them. How long would it take the footballer to earn a sweatshop worker's monthly wage? 100 seconds.
To help raise awareness of the trampling of human rights by exploitation and child labour, and the "colossal disparity between rich and poor" that he considers to be a "desperate global issue", Johnson came up with the story of Budi, a young boy who works in a sweatshop in Jakarta, Indonesia. Despite his squalor, Budi dreams big and naively thinks he will one day play for Real Madrid, just like his idol Kieran Wakefield. But his optimism and dreams clash with the real world of poverty in which he lives, a world where pay increases don't happen but beatings do, a world of corruption and violence, and where Budi himself has a bleeding disorder like haemophilia.
The commencement of the book feels like so many sport stories: a child with big dreams, naively thinking he can become a hero on football's biggest stage. But unlike the feel-good narratives often produced by popular films, where we're told that nothing is impossible if you follow your dreams, the action and setting quickly turns gritty. As a reader you quickly start feeling uncomfortable about Budi's life - which is exactly how Johnson wants us to feel. Equally, we start feeling uncomfortable about the lives of luxury many of us live, often fueled by pernicious advertising and twisted forms of capitalism. The pace of the novel picks up as these themes emerge more and more clearly, and the final chapters picture some ugly scenes. It's gripping, but it doesn't always make for pleasant reading, and it wouldn't surprise me if this makes many modern teenagers uncomfortable.
Yet there's still a sense of optimism and hope, as exemplified by the book's title "Kick" and by the stories told by Budi's grandmother. Perhaps it is possible to keep on fighting and kicking even when the odds are against you. Budi's optimism contrasts with the pessimism of his friend, and I wonder if that's a reflection of the author's own perspective. Maybe this is also the point of the ambiguous ending, which I found somewhat slightly frustrating. Perhaps it's up to us to write the conclusion of stories like this one, and the outcome for the oppressed is dependent on the choices readers will make about the kinds of ethical issues this book forces us to think about.
I appreciated the author's use of language, especially his frequent and clever use of images from the game of football to capture the emotions of different moments and highlights of the narrative. He also does a good job of immersing us in Budi's culture and family life. While the football themes are the ones that first capture our attention, ultimately they play second fiddle to more important themes about family, loyalty, and justice.
Despite the positives, I couldn't help wondering whether the story feels a little too moralistic and preachy. Does Johnson get a bit too heavy handed with the themes he is working with, and with the agenda that prompted him to write the book in the first place? I suspect that many young adults, especially those brought up on Hollywood films, may feel betrayed after being enticed down a rabbit hole by the promise of a football story, only to find something much more dark and unpleasant inside. The fact that the book is endorsed and promoted by Amnesty International says much; in some ways this novel does feel more like a piece of propaganda than a good piece of literature.
To be fair, it has also received recognition in literary circles, because it won the 2018 Branford Boase Award for best debut children’s novel. I just have a sneaking suspicion that educators might enjoy and appreciate it more than the children it was intended for.
The genesis of Kick came when its author Mitch Johnson was working as a sales assistant in a sport shop. He found himself confronted with the contrast between the shiny new football boots of superstar footballers earning millions, and the poor people in Asian sweatshops that make them. How long would it take the footballer to earn a sweatshop worker's monthly wage? 100 seconds.
To help raise awareness of the trampling of human rights by exploitation and child labour, and the "colossal disparity between rich and poor" that he considers to be a "desperate global issue", Johnson came up with the story of Budi, a young boy who works in a sweatshop in Jakarta, Indonesia. Despite his squalor, Budi dreams big and naively thinks he will one day play for Real Madrid, just like his idol Kieran Wakefield. But his optimism and dreams clash with the real world of poverty in which he lives, a world where pay increases don't happen but beatings do, a world of corruption and violence, and where Budi himself has a bleeding disorder like haemophilia.
The commencement of the book feels like so many sport stories: a child with big dreams, naively thinking he can become a hero on football's biggest stage. But unlike the feel-good narratives often produced by popular films, where we're told that nothing is impossible if you follow your dreams, the action and setting quickly turns gritty. As a reader you quickly start feeling uncomfortable about Budi's life - which is exactly how Johnson wants us to feel. Equally, we start feeling uncomfortable about the lives of luxury many of us live, often fueled by pernicious advertising and twisted forms of capitalism. The pace of the novel picks up as these themes emerge more and more clearly, and the final chapters picture some ugly scenes. It's gripping, but it doesn't always make for pleasant reading, and it wouldn't surprise me if this makes many modern teenagers uncomfortable.
Yet there's still a sense of optimism and hope, as exemplified by the book's title "Kick" and by the stories told by Budi's grandmother. Perhaps it is possible to keep on fighting and kicking even when the odds are against you. Budi's optimism contrasts with the pessimism of his friend, and I wonder if that's a reflection of the author's own perspective. Maybe this is also the point of the ambiguous ending, which I found somewhat slightly frustrating. Perhaps it's up to us to write the conclusion of stories like this one, and the outcome for the oppressed is dependent on the choices readers will make about the kinds of ethical issues this book forces us to think about.
I appreciated the author's use of language, especially his frequent and clever use of images from the game of football to capture the emotions of different moments and highlights of the narrative. He also does a good job of immersing us in Budi's culture and family life. While the football themes are the ones that first capture our attention, ultimately they play second fiddle to more important themes about family, loyalty, and justice.
Despite the positives, I couldn't help wondering whether the story feels a little too moralistic and preachy. Does Johnson get a bit too heavy handed with the themes he is working with, and with the agenda that prompted him to write the book in the first place? I suspect that many young adults, especially those brought up on Hollywood films, may feel betrayed after being enticed down a rabbit hole by the promise of a football story, only to find something much more dark and unpleasant inside. The fact that the book is endorsed and promoted by Amnesty International says much; in some ways this novel does feel more like a piece of propaganda than a good piece of literature.
To be fair, it has also received recognition in literary circles, because it won the 2018 Branford Boase Award for best debut children’s novel. I just have a sneaking suspicion that educators might enjoy and appreciate it more than the children it was intended for.
June 2, 2020
Kick berkisah tentang seorang bocah 12 tahun bernama Budi yang gila bola. Keluguan dan kepolosannya membuat dirinya berani bermimpi bahwa suatu hari dia bisa bermain bersama pesepak bola idolanya di Madrid- Kieran Wakefield. Budi bukan anak dengan sejuta kesempatan. Ayahnya hanya seorang buruh pabrik, yang harus menafkahi Budi, Ibu, dan Neneknya. Budi sendiri sudah putus sekolah, karena dia harus membantu keluarganya mencari uang sebagai buruh jahit di pabrik sepatu. Dengan hasil keringatnya Budi berharap bisa memboyong keluarganya ke Spanyol. It's so great, isn't?
❝Akan selalu ada sesuatu— atau seseorang— yang mencegahmu menyadari potensimu. Selalu ada penjaga lapangan yang memelihara pagar. Selalu ada kiper yang menjaga gawang. Kau cuma harus melihat melampaui dirinya.❞ —Hlm. 159
Menariknya, Mitch Johnson sepertinya tahu banyak dengan seluk beluk Jakarta. Aku tidak tahu apakah beliau ini pernah ke ibukota Negara. Atau memang pernah menetap hitungan tahun. Walaupun tidak sepenuhnya pas menggambarkan kehidupan ibukota. Tapi untuk debut perdana yang berhasil kurampungkan, novel ini menarik.
Konfliknya mulai terasa pada suatu sore ketika Budi berlatih bola— itu hanya karena dia tidak suka menyebutnya bermain, lebih bangga menyebutnya berlatih— di sepetak tanah kosong bersama teman-temannya. Namun kesialan terjadi, belum dapat merasakan gurihnya rendang buatan ibunya, Budi malah harus berurusan dengan Naga karena satu tendangannya yang menyalang ke rumah 'Preman' Jakarta itu, mantan napi Nusa Kambangan yang menyeretnya pada komplotan mereka untuk melakukan aksi yang jelas berlawanan dengan kerjaannya— ya dia harus melakukan itu demi menyelamatkan dirinya 'hidup-hidup' dari si Naga sialan itu.
Meski begitu, Budi tidak serta merta kehabisan akal, dengan kepolosannya dia mulai melancarkan aksinya.
Apakah aksinya itu akan berhasil? Atau justru memerangkap Budi pada akhirnya?
❝Keputusan ada di tanganmu, Budi. Kau harus membuat pilihan.❞ —Hlm. 196 .... ❝Yang harus kau lakukan hanya terus menendang!❞
Awalnya aku mengira garapan Mitch Johnson ini akan lebih kurang dengan garapan penulis luar lainnya. Hanya menyisipkan sedikit isu keluguan Budi yang asli Indonesia. Tapi ternyata salah besar, aku mengakui kelihaian penulis memunculkan konflik-konflik baru dan menyelesaikannya satu persatu. Walaupun di puluhan halaman pembuka aku merasa bosan dan mulai memupuskan ekspaktasi besarku pada novel ini, tapi akhirnya terjawab dengan munculnya bagian kisah baru dari kehidupan Budi ini.
KICK membahas isu kemiskinan, buruh anak, dan hak asasi manusia. Kisah tentang cita-cita, keberanian, dan perjuangan hingga pengorbanan. Aku sangat menikmati lembar demi lembarnya. Kisahnya sederhana, tapi rasanya tak adil saja kalau kubilang 'sederhana' tanpa embel-embel lainnya, karena memang tidak sesederhana yang dibayangkan, ada banyak bagian menarik, kesannya biasa tapi memiliki filosofi yang luarbiasa— sederhana tapi bermakna, aku sangat menyukai itu.
Ketika membaca kisah Budi, aku sama sekali tidak merasa buku ini digarap penulis luar (baca : Mitch Johnson). Mengingat terjemahannya begitu mengalir, walaupun ada beberapa yang terkesan masih dipaksakan, terutama dalam dialog Budi dan teman-temannya. Di luar itu, it's really good!
Keputusan tepat MJ— lebih nyaman memanggilnya begitu HEHE— mengeksekusi konfliknya secara perlahan dan menyenangkan, tak ada kesan terburu-buru di bagian manapun, hanya saja karena di puluhan halaman pembuka seperti yang kupaparkan di review sebelumnya— tepatnya penghantar konfliknya bisa kubilang sangat membosankan, karena itu 3.7/5⭐dariku untuk karya terbaik MJ ini. Meski begitu, tetap kerja bagus brother!
❝Masalah seorang pemimpi adalah terkadang dia akan mengalami mimpi buruk— kau hanya harus memastikan mimpi-mimpi buruk itu tidak pernah cukup menakut-nakutimu sehingga kau ingin terbangun dari tidur.❞ —Hlm. 159
❝Akan selalu ada sesuatu— atau seseorang— yang mencegahmu menyadari potensimu. Selalu ada penjaga lapangan yang memelihara pagar. Selalu ada kiper yang menjaga gawang. Kau cuma harus melihat melampaui dirinya.❞ —Hlm. 159
Menariknya, Mitch Johnson sepertinya tahu banyak dengan seluk beluk Jakarta. Aku tidak tahu apakah beliau ini pernah ke ibukota Negara. Atau memang pernah menetap hitungan tahun. Walaupun tidak sepenuhnya pas menggambarkan kehidupan ibukota. Tapi untuk debut perdana yang berhasil kurampungkan, novel ini menarik.
Konfliknya mulai terasa pada suatu sore ketika Budi berlatih bola— itu hanya karena dia tidak suka menyebutnya bermain, lebih bangga menyebutnya berlatih— di sepetak tanah kosong bersama teman-temannya. Namun kesialan terjadi, belum dapat merasakan gurihnya rendang buatan ibunya, Budi malah harus berurusan dengan Naga karena satu tendangannya yang menyalang ke rumah 'Preman' Jakarta itu, mantan napi Nusa Kambangan yang menyeretnya pada komplotan mereka untuk melakukan aksi yang jelas berlawanan dengan kerjaannya— ya dia harus melakukan itu demi menyelamatkan dirinya 'hidup-hidup' dari si Naga sialan itu.
Meski begitu, Budi tidak serta merta kehabisan akal, dengan kepolosannya dia mulai melancarkan aksinya.
Apakah aksinya itu akan berhasil? Atau justru memerangkap Budi pada akhirnya?
❝Keputusan ada di tanganmu, Budi. Kau harus membuat pilihan.❞ —Hlm. 196 .... ❝Yang harus kau lakukan hanya terus menendang!❞
Awalnya aku mengira garapan Mitch Johnson ini akan lebih kurang dengan garapan penulis luar lainnya. Hanya menyisipkan sedikit isu keluguan Budi yang asli Indonesia. Tapi ternyata salah besar, aku mengakui kelihaian penulis memunculkan konflik-konflik baru dan menyelesaikannya satu persatu. Walaupun di puluhan halaman pembuka aku merasa bosan dan mulai memupuskan ekspaktasi besarku pada novel ini, tapi akhirnya terjawab dengan munculnya bagian kisah baru dari kehidupan Budi ini.
KICK membahas isu kemiskinan, buruh anak, dan hak asasi manusia. Kisah tentang cita-cita, keberanian, dan perjuangan hingga pengorbanan. Aku sangat menikmati lembar demi lembarnya. Kisahnya sederhana, tapi rasanya tak adil saja kalau kubilang 'sederhana' tanpa embel-embel lainnya, karena memang tidak sesederhana yang dibayangkan, ada banyak bagian menarik, kesannya biasa tapi memiliki filosofi yang luarbiasa— sederhana tapi bermakna, aku sangat menyukai itu.
Ketika membaca kisah Budi, aku sama sekali tidak merasa buku ini digarap penulis luar (baca : Mitch Johnson). Mengingat terjemahannya begitu mengalir, walaupun ada beberapa yang terkesan masih dipaksakan, terutama dalam dialog Budi dan teman-temannya. Di luar itu, it's really good!
Keputusan tepat MJ— lebih nyaman memanggilnya begitu HEHE— mengeksekusi konfliknya secara perlahan dan menyenangkan, tak ada kesan terburu-buru di bagian manapun, hanya saja karena di puluhan halaman pembuka seperti yang kupaparkan di review sebelumnya— tepatnya penghantar konfliknya bisa kubilang sangat membosankan, karena itu 3.7/5⭐dariku untuk karya terbaik MJ ini. Meski begitu, tetap kerja bagus brother!
❝Masalah seorang pemimpi adalah terkadang dia akan mengalami mimpi buruk— kau hanya harus memastikan mimpi-mimpi buruk itu tidak pernah cukup menakut-nakutimu sehingga kau ingin terbangun dari tidur.❞ —Hlm. 159
April 13, 2020
Kick is the debut novel from Mitch Johnson, who was inspired to write his book by a discovery he made whilst working in a sporting goods shop. I am a big football fan and so was thrilled to find a book that was all about a young boy and his dreams to be a global football star. What I wasn't expecting was for Mitch Johnson to take me on a journey far beyond footballing dreams.
The book highlights the issues in the real world of football boot manufacturing. The poorly paid labourers, the uncomfortable working conditions, the tyrannical foreman with his rotan, the punishments, the blood, the sweat, the tears. This book is endorsed by Amnesty International and the reasons for this are made explicitly clear throughout. It highlights the issues faced by those living in a society where most people are just about scraping enough money together to get by. A society where wealth is for a ruthless few and these are people that you do not want to cross. Johnson does not shy away from the difficult issues and even finds space to touch on people trafficking.
It is an essential read for any boy or girl who dreams of playing football. A necessary lesson for everyone about the realities of football kit manufacturing and the discrepancy between the heroes that make the products and the heroes that get to wear them on the biggest stages around the globe.
We all know a child that dreams of playing football for a Barcelona or a Manchester City. They live for football, they dream football, it is an obsession. Football is their world. They have the kit, and not just the shirt. They have the shorts, the socks, the training top, the third choice kit. They have the posters on the walls, they can name all the players, they worship their favourite player and they never miss a game. In Kick, Budi is that boy and this is his story.
This is a heart-warming story about Budi, who lives on the gritty streets of an island in Indonesia, and his dream of one day playing for Real Madrid and scoring at the Bernabeu. Budi’s life is tough - he sews football boots for little pay, there is no evening meal at home on a Friday and on Wednesday he imagines that the meagre serving of rice is actually spicy rendang. He shares his small home with his mum, dad and his grandma and has to go to his best friend’s home to watch football on an old television with a cracked screen.
Budi’s life is turned upside down on his birthday of all days. A deflected kick of the football that smashes through the local tyrant’s window and sends Budi’s life into a whole new direction and puts him firmly in the sights of the Dragon.
I’m conflicted as a reader. I rooted for Budi through the entire story, hoping that he would get his big break into the footballing world but the reality is that only a tiny percentage of dreamers get that opportunity. I was pleased with how Mitch Johnson reached a conclusion to the story.
This is a story about young boys trying to make a better life for themselves whilst the harsh realities of their situation are constantly trying to smother their dreams. A story of hope and friendship and ultimately doing what needs to be done to survive.
The book highlights the issues in the real world of football boot manufacturing. The poorly paid labourers, the uncomfortable working conditions, the tyrannical foreman with his rotan, the punishments, the blood, the sweat, the tears. This book is endorsed by Amnesty International and the reasons for this are made explicitly clear throughout. It highlights the issues faced by those living in a society where most people are just about scraping enough money together to get by. A society where wealth is for a ruthless few and these are people that you do not want to cross. Johnson does not shy away from the difficult issues and even finds space to touch on people trafficking.
It is an essential read for any boy or girl who dreams of playing football. A necessary lesson for everyone about the realities of football kit manufacturing and the discrepancy between the heroes that make the products and the heroes that get to wear them on the biggest stages around the globe.
We all know a child that dreams of playing football for a Barcelona or a Manchester City. They live for football, they dream football, it is an obsession. Football is their world. They have the kit, and not just the shirt. They have the shorts, the socks, the training top, the third choice kit. They have the posters on the walls, they can name all the players, they worship their favourite player and they never miss a game. In Kick, Budi is that boy and this is his story.
This is a heart-warming story about Budi, who lives on the gritty streets of an island in Indonesia, and his dream of one day playing for Real Madrid and scoring at the Bernabeu. Budi’s life is tough - he sews football boots for little pay, there is no evening meal at home on a Friday and on Wednesday he imagines that the meagre serving of rice is actually spicy rendang. He shares his small home with his mum, dad and his grandma and has to go to his best friend’s home to watch football on an old television with a cracked screen.
Budi’s life is turned upside down on his birthday of all days. A deflected kick of the football that smashes through the local tyrant’s window and sends Budi’s life into a whole new direction and puts him firmly in the sights of the Dragon.
I’m conflicted as a reader. I rooted for Budi through the entire story, hoping that he would get his big break into the footballing world but the reality is that only a tiny percentage of dreamers get that opportunity. I was pleased with how Mitch Johnson reached a conclusion to the story.
This is a story about young boys trying to make a better life for themselves whilst the harsh realities of their situation are constantly trying to smother their dreams. A story of hope and friendship and ultimately doing what needs to be done to survive.
January 29, 2018
Budi has a dream: to play for Real Madrid. Every day after work, he is out on the street kicking a ball, stone or bottle around with his friends. He knows that one day he will get the opportunity to go the watch his heroes play, and possibly play alongside them.
Unfortunately the reality of Budi’s life is very different. He lives in Jakarta in a cramped dwelling with his extended family. He works in a sweat shop producing football boots for a company of ‘white men’. His uncle is in prison and soon his father finds himself on the wrong side of the law. The last thing Budi needs is to inadvertently become involved with The Dragon – the most feared man in Jakarta.
This is so much more than a football book. It is endorsed by Amnesty International, which says a lot about its credentials. The reality of child labour will astonish many young readers, as will the existence that youngsters in other countries face. Both are issues that are, by and large, hidden in full view so to speak. We hear about them, but rarely take notice. As such, Kick forces you, as a reader, to question your own stance on certain issues.
As with so many books, this is a story about hopes, dreams and friendships and how these can shine through in difficult circumstances. The interplay between Budi and his best friend, Rochy, is exquisite. Rochy is everything to Budi: a brotherly figure, a font of knowledge, a role-model, a hero. Yet as the narrative progresses, so does their relationship. We see how external factors affect long-held bonds. We see how friendship brings out the best and worst in each other. Their relationship is an emotional rollercoaster.
Mitch Johnson has skilfully used football as a vehicle to present many deeper issues. By doing so, the theme of football will grab the attention of many readers and gives a tangible way into the more complex strands of narrative.
I had heard many positive things about this book before I picked it up at the library. Still, I was surprised by the power of the book. For children, it presents huge issues in an engaging way that doesn’t feel forced. It is a stunning debut novel, one that should be read by as many children as possible – not just football fans.
www.mrdaviesreads.co.uk
Unfortunately the reality of Budi’s life is very different. He lives in Jakarta in a cramped dwelling with his extended family. He works in a sweat shop producing football boots for a company of ‘white men’. His uncle is in prison and soon his father finds himself on the wrong side of the law. The last thing Budi needs is to inadvertently become involved with The Dragon – the most feared man in Jakarta.
This is so much more than a football book. It is endorsed by Amnesty International, which says a lot about its credentials. The reality of child labour will astonish many young readers, as will the existence that youngsters in other countries face. Both are issues that are, by and large, hidden in full view so to speak. We hear about them, but rarely take notice. As such, Kick forces you, as a reader, to question your own stance on certain issues.
As with so many books, this is a story about hopes, dreams and friendships and how these can shine through in difficult circumstances. The interplay between Budi and his best friend, Rochy, is exquisite. Rochy is everything to Budi: a brotherly figure, a font of knowledge, a role-model, a hero. Yet as the narrative progresses, so does their relationship. We see how external factors affect long-held bonds. We see how friendship brings out the best and worst in each other. Their relationship is an emotional rollercoaster.
Mitch Johnson has skilfully used football as a vehicle to present many deeper issues. By doing so, the theme of football will grab the attention of many readers and gives a tangible way into the more complex strands of narrative.
I had heard many positive things about this book before I picked it up at the library. Still, I was surprised by the power of the book. For children, it presents huge issues in an engaging way that doesn’t feel forced. It is a stunning debut novel, one that should be read by as many children as possible – not just football fans.
www.mrdaviesreads.co.uk
February 21, 2019
If you like soccer, then this is is the book for you. Budi lives in a poor part of Jakarta and dreams of being a star soccer player like his idol Kieran Wakefield. He and his friends work in a shoe factory where they are beaten if they fail to fill their daily quota. He accepts this, as his parents need money to eat and live. In fact, Budi knows that on Fridays he won't get anything to eat for dinner, until his father is paid next. Budi lives with his parents and his grandmother, who tells him stories of past events in her life and his. He makes sense of his life from these stories and creates his own reality from them. All is going well for him until he angers the Dragon, the most dangerous man in the area. Then, Budi is forced to make some difficult decisions that change him irrevocably.
I found this book a bit disjointed and felt that it took a long time to cover Budi's early life in Jakarta, leading up to the climax of the novel, where he meets the Dragon. This first part of the novel could have been tightened up and then the tension would have continued through to the gripping finale. I also do question though some of Budi's reasoning in this novel-why would he give his best friend money and not keep any for himself, particularly when he and his family are so poor? How can his grandmother afford to chain smoke, when the family don't eat dinner on Friday night because they don't have enough money? These were holes in the plot for me, but maybe I am looking as an adult at a child's decisions. This is a good book for soccer enthusiasts at the year 6-8 level.
I found this book a bit disjointed and felt that it took a long time to cover Budi's early life in Jakarta, leading up to the climax of the novel, where he meets the Dragon. This first part of the novel could have been tightened up and then the tension would have continued through to the gripping finale. I also do question though some of Budi's reasoning in this novel-why would he give his best friend money and not keep any for himself, particularly when he and his family are so poor? How can his grandmother afford to chain smoke, when the family don't eat dinner on Friday night because they don't have enough money? These were holes in the plot for me, but maybe I am looking as an adult at a child's decisions. This is a good book for soccer enthusiasts at the year 6-8 level.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 21, 2017
Budi is 11 and trains with his friends to be a professional football player like his hero Kieran Wakefield who plays for Real Madrid. Well, that is he trains when he isn't working in the factory making uppers for the shoes Kieran Wakefield wears.
Budi tries to work hard and fast to avoid the rotan the foreman swings. In his family is a strain of haemophilia that makes it hard to stop the blood flowing if he gets hurt.
Whilst 'training' with his friends, his football crashes through a window of The Dragon's house, in trouble and with nowhere to go he follows one of the Dragon's brothers into the house where he is tasked with theft or finding his family out on the street and struggling to survive.
Budi's best friend Rochy, went to school before his father died, now he works at the factory alongside Budi, his sisters seek out food and things to sell at the rubbish dump and his mother struggles to leave the room they manage to rent. Together they watch the matches on his cracked television late at night.
Fearing the faint tremor of an earthquake and the crack in his ceiling surely getting bigger, with time ticking will Budi be able to make things right?
There aren't many books for children aged 9+ about the Indonesian islands and I found the Grandmothers' stories that mixed the old time and now nostalgic and interesting. Makes for an insightful read and may be a little violent for the more sensitive child as has a reference to backstreet girls and has a gunfight towards the end.
Budi tries to work hard and fast to avoid the rotan the foreman swings. In his family is a strain of haemophilia that makes it hard to stop the blood flowing if he gets hurt.
Whilst 'training' with his friends, his football crashes through a window of The Dragon's house, in trouble and with nowhere to go he follows one of the Dragon's brothers into the house where he is tasked with theft or finding his family out on the street and struggling to survive.
Budi's best friend Rochy, went to school before his father died, now he works at the factory alongside Budi, his sisters seek out food and things to sell at the rubbish dump and his mother struggles to leave the room they manage to rent. Together they watch the matches on his cracked television late at night.
Fearing the faint tremor of an earthquake and the crack in his ceiling surely getting bigger, with time ticking will Budi be able to make things right?
There aren't many books for children aged 9+ about the Indonesian islands and I found the Grandmothers' stories that mixed the old time and now nostalgic and interesting. Makes for an insightful read and may be a little violent for the more sensitive child as has a reference to backstreet girls and has a gunfight towards the end.
September 26, 2019
When I first thought about what I will write for my review of this book, I wanted to say that it would be very stressful for a year 4 child to read. The book includes sweatshops, murder, thieving and blackmail among many other things. I then compared it to other books that I had read with stressful content, in which Michael Morpurgo’s books came to mind. Morpurgo almost gets away with writing tragedies as he is gentle yet straight to the point. Mitch Johnson (author of Kick), for the majority of the book, is gentle and quite subtle with the content as I only picked up on how problematic the events may be in the story about three-quarters of the way through. However, when I got the last couple of chapters I was very surprised with where it was going! I think Johnson tries to cover it up with comparisons to football but as an adult reading this, I can see past it. It would be interesting to see what a child thinks about it!
Kick starts full of information about football, which as somebody unfamiliar with certain terms, I had to take my time with taking in the story. I can see other children having the same problem, especially those who are not familiar with popular football teams and players. However, I would encourage those unfamiliar children (as well as the familiar children) to pick up this book to read. I would possibly choose this book for guided reading, but it would definitely need a lot of thought as it may be stressful for some children with particular backgrounds and situations.
Kick starts full of information about football, which as somebody unfamiliar with certain terms, I had to take my time with taking in the story. I can see other children having the same problem, especially those who are not familiar with popular football teams and players. However, I would encourage those unfamiliar children (as well as the familiar children) to pick up this book to read. I would possibly choose this book for guided reading, but it would definitely need a lot of thought as it may be stressful for some children with particular backgrounds and situations.
October 27, 2017
“Kick” s tells the story of Budi, 12, who lives in a poor area of Jakarta, Indonesia. He’s forced to work in a sweatshop, where he makes football boots. One of his jobs is sewing, hence the sewn writing on the cover for the word KICK and the sewn thread design through the book at the opening of chapters.
Also Budi is a budding (excuse the pun) footballer and plays football whenever he can, commentating on his play in his head. “One day I’m going to be a world-famous footballer like Kieran Wakefield” – Wakefield, the Real Madrid player who cost the highest ever transfer fee, being his hero.
Life is hard for him and his family, Mum, Dad and Grandma, and isn’t made any easier by the Dragon, “the most dangerous man in Jakarta”, who can do what he likes as his brother is chief of police and under his control. The Dragon forces Budi to help him in some evilness otherwise his family will suffer.
The first-half of the story sets the scene whilst the second-half picks up the pace with the Dragon getting more involved and the story comes to a thrilling end making the story a good read. There is even a Q and A after the story for those who want more.
Can you kick it? Yes you can.
Also Budi is a budding (excuse the pun) footballer and plays football whenever he can, commentating on his play in his head. “One day I’m going to be a world-famous footballer like Kieran Wakefield” – Wakefield, the Real Madrid player who cost the highest ever transfer fee, being his hero.
Life is hard for him and his family, Mum, Dad and Grandma, and isn’t made any easier by the Dragon, “the most dangerous man in Jakarta”, who can do what he likes as his brother is chief of police and under his control. The Dragon forces Budi to help him in some evilness otherwise his family will suffer.
The first-half of the story sets the scene whilst the second-half picks up the pace with the Dragon getting more involved and the story comes to a thrilling end making the story a good read. There is even a Q and A after the story for those who want more.
Can you kick it? Yes you can.
October 21, 2018
So my brother just started working at the same Waterstones where Mitch Johnson works and, because he loves football nearly as much as Budi, was immediately interested in buying and reading this. He handed it to me to read first though because I'm a faster reader than him and love football just as much, haha.
Anyways, this was absolutely brilliant! Budi is an extraordinary protagonist who you are rooting for from the outset. He lives a hard life generally, which is laid out with no holds barred (whilst still being appropriate for older primary school children), and throughout the book he faces a lot of hard, sometimes heartbreaking challenges, but his love for football and his dream to one day play for Real Madrid spur him on and keep him 'kicking'.
I can honestly say this is one of the best books I've read this year (and I have read a lot of good ones so far). I think everyone should read this whether you like football or not, because it is such an important story, tackling real issues, but so full of heart and hope. Aimed at 9-12 year olds, I believe, but suitable for all dreamers willing to keep kicking.
Anyways, this was absolutely brilliant! Budi is an extraordinary protagonist who you are rooting for from the outset. He lives a hard life generally, which is laid out with no holds barred (whilst still being appropriate for older primary school children), and throughout the book he faces a lot of hard, sometimes heartbreaking challenges, but his love for football and his dream to one day play for Real Madrid spur him on and keep him 'kicking'.
I can honestly say this is one of the best books I've read this year (and I have read a lot of good ones so far). I think everyone should read this whether you like football or not, because it is such an important story, tackling real issues, but so full of heart and hope. Aimed at 9-12 year olds, I believe, but suitable for all dreamers willing to keep kicking.
July 3, 2020
This middle-grade story is about a boy in Indonesian working in a sweatshop factory producing sports trainers. He is football-mad and follows the Spanish League.
The child-labour described in this story remind us that there are parts of the world where education is a luxury; children have bring in money to support the family. Other stories in similar vein is Boys Without Names set in India and Spilled Water set in China. I would recommend this book in reading lists like Diverse Books or Global Citizenship.
The author has incorporated some Indonesian words and food. I am from Singapore, one of Indonesia's neighbours. Growing up in this multi-cultural society, I know a few Malay words and am familiar with some foods. I've only been to Indonesia a couple of times and cannot vouch if those words are truly used in Indonesia but some of the words are not what we use in Singapore. Nevertheless, they give a flavour of the place.
Our protagonist is discusses matches and players with his best friend. He is crazy about a particular football player and talks about him quite a bit. If you are a football-lover, this book will be perfect. However, if football isn't your thing, then you might skim though quite a bit of that.
The child-labour described in this story remind us that there are parts of the world where education is a luxury; children have bring in money to support the family. Other stories in similar vein is Boys Without Names set in India and Spilled Water set in China. I would recommend this book in reading lists like Diverse Books or Global Citizenship.
The author has incorporated some Indonesian words and food. I am from Singapore, one of Indonesia's neighbours. Growing up in this multi-cultural society, I know a few Malay words and am familiar with some foods. I've only been to Indonesia a couple of times and cannot vouch if those words are truly used in Indonesia but some of the words are not what we use in Singapore. Nevertheless, they give a flavour of the place.
Our protagonist is discusses matches and players with his best friend. He is crazy about a particular football player and talks about him quite a bit. If you are a football-lover, this book will be perfect. However, if football isn't your thing, then you might skim though quite a bit of that.
November 23, 2022
Giving young children a glimpse into the life of someone with so little (in both material and opportunity) is important - it can encourage a sense of perspective and gratitude. This story gives us Budi, who, rather than attend school, works in a factory stitching football boots (the term "sweat shop" is not used but descriptions paint an evocative picture of long hours and terrible conditions). Budi is younger than the friends he plays football with, and this helps highlight is naivety. He believes he will save enough to fly to Madrid to watch his favourite team, and he believes the very boots he stitches are worn by his favourite player. The book shows the wider aspects of life in Indonesia: the oppressive dry season giving way to the tropical monsoons, the impact of earthquakes, and the under-the-surface corruption. I particularly enjoyed the scenes with Budi and his grandmother - a chain-smoking, housebound character - who provides wonderful stories to teach her grandson some important lessons in life.
October 26, 2024
I read this book at ages 8, 10 and 14, it was, in fact, one of the first books I read by myself on a Kindle. Through it, I can see how I have grown through my understanding of the different cultures as someone who has grown up in a European environment as well as the fact that even at 11 years old, Budi is still naïve about his situation, all he wants is to play football and become a professional. It was fascinating and I think it was a good book to read at a young age. It's something that makes you look through the eyes of an innocent 11-year-old who hasn't fully realised his situation. I think it was good for me as a young person to see what life is like for others, at such a young age and in a modern environment where my parents could put food on the table and afford to live in a decent house the thought of people having to share a communal toilet, it didn't compute and I thought it quite strange, whereas now I can appreciate this book and my living circumstances better and with more appreciation.
March 5, 2018
This book was a wonderful surprise and one of my favourite books of the year so far.
Honestly, at first I was reluctant to read this as I am not a football fan, but this book is so much more than a 'football' book. It is a story of friendship, of family and of hope and it was amazing.
I loved reading about Budi and Johnson creates his world brilliantly- you truly come to inhabit his life, feel his hopes and anxieties and care for him and his family. You want good things for Budi!
Moreover, it was emotional, compelling and brilliantly portrayed the life of someone who has a life less fortunate than most of us, but without othering him, and while offering the reader an easy way to relate to him (particularly for younger readers- it is a fantastic book that will teach them about another culture while offering an easy way into the narrative).
I cannot praise this enough and will be recommending it widely.
Honestly, at first I was reluctant to read this as I am not a football fan, but this book is so much more than a 'football' book. It is a story of friendship, of family and of hope and it was amazing.
I loved reading about Budi and Johnson creates his world brilliantly- you truly come to inhabit his life, feel his hopes and anxieties and care for him and his family. You want good things for Budi!
Moreover, it was emotional, compelling and brilliantly portrayed the life of someone who has a life less fortunate than most of us, but without othering him, and while offering the reader an easy way to relate to him (particularly for younger readers- it is a fantastic book that will teach them about another culture while offering an easy way into the narrative).
I cannot praise this enough and will be recommending it widely.
September 14, 2018
12 year-old Budi works in a sweatshop in Indonesia making football boots, but dreams of playing football for Atletico Madrid. When he accidentally breaks something belonging to the Dragon, the local gang boss, he gets pulled into a chain of evens that see him making increasingly tough decisions about his family, his long lost uncle, his best friend and his footballing dreams.
The first few chapters of this story focus on Budi's life as a factory worker living in a poor district of Jakarta. It's written in an upbeat and simple way and you'll never look at a pair of high-brand football boots in the same way again.
Then the exciting adventure story gets going, and you'll be rooting for Budi and his friend, Rochy, to pull through.
A great story set in living conditions that are true of many cities in the world today. It reminded me of Trash by Andy Mulligan. Read that next if you haven't already!
The first few chapters of this story focus on Budi's life as a factory worker living in a poor district of Jakarta. It's written in an upbeat and simple way and you'll never look at a pair of high-brand football boots in the same way again.
Then the exciting adventure story gets going, and you'll be rooting for Budi and his friend, Rochy, to pull through.
A great story set in living conditions that are true of many cities in the world today. It reminded me of Trash by Andy Mulligan. Read that next if you haven't already!
May 9, 2020
This book followed the life of a 12-year-old boy called Buddi who lives in Indonesia. He is obsessed with football, with the dream of playing for Real Madrid. However, the closest that he has come to reaching this dream is working in a factory that makes the football boots worn by his favourite player. This book began with a really enticing hook and I think that it would definitely appeal to children who are interested in football. I found this book to be really eye-opening and could provide children with insight into what life might be like for children in other parts of the world. Buddi is a really optimistic character, so despite the hardships that he has in his day-to-day life and the emotional journey that this story follows, the general tone of this book is light-hearted and uplifting. I feel that the themes of this book are really important and that it would be a worthwhile class read! I would recommend this book for KS2 students.
February 1, 2024
I came across this book in the course of working with one of my English students. It is a children's book, aimed for 9-12 year olds, but it has many adult themes and is very thought provoking. It tells the story of a young boy, Budi, who lives in poverty in Indonesia making football boots in a factory sweatshop. The conditions and cruelty of Budi's life and his family are harsh, but the author tells it through the eyes of an innocent child who dreams about the rich world of football. There is a lot to take away from this read, not least a reflection and a gratitude for the opportunities we have in our own lives in the UK. Credit is due to Mitch Johnson for bringing this understanding into his books for children, and even though they may not feel empowered to help at the moment there is information about Amnesty International at the end, for readers to learn more and get involved if they want to.
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October 13, 2019Kick by Mitch Johnson
Outline of the Book: Budi is going to play for the biggest team in the world, instead of making shoes every day but one unlucky kick brings his whole world crashing down. But now he owes the most dangerous man in Jakarta. But now it's not just his dreams at risk it is also his life.
Two things that I really enjoyed about this book is that it is very beautifully written and that it has a good understanding of how poor people can't just be bad at all things just because they don't have enough money.
Two negative things that I disliked was that it was kind of gruesome because there was a lot of murder, thieving and blackmailing and my second is that it does have explanation of some religions
Overall I think this book is top-notch and I recommend anyone who is trying to find a good book to read then you should try to find this book
Outline of the Book: Budi is going to play for the biggest team in the world, instead of making shoes every day but one unlucky kick brings his whole world crashing down. But now he owes the most dangerous man in Jakarta. But now it's not just his dreams at risk it is also his life.
Two things that I really enjoyed about this book is that it is very beautifully written and that it has a good understanding of how poor people can't just be bad at all things just because they don't have enough money.
Two negative things that I disliked was that it was kind of gruesome because there was a lot of murder, thieving and blackmailing and my second is that it does have explanation of some religions
Overall I think this book is top-notch and I recommend anyone who is trying to find a good book to read then you should try to find this book
August 24, 2021
Overall I really enjoyed reading this book alongside a year 5 class in the pervious year.
The book was chosen during the time that the Euro2020 competition was occurring, meaning the children's excitement for the book was heightened due to its link to football.
The read focuses on showcasing the life of Budi who works in a football show factory and dreams of playing football professionally professionally. However, Budi lives within poverty, and him and his family and friends face hardships throughout which highlight the differing lives of Budi and the football players he adores.
To conclude this book provides opportunity for discussions into topics such as; poverty, privilege, imbalances compared to westernised culture and child labour, whilst also providing an enjoyable story for young readers.
The book was chosen during the time that the Euro2020 competition was occurring, meaning the children's excitement for the book was heightened due to its link to football.
The read focuses on showcasing the life of Budi who works in a football show factory and dreams of playing football professionally professionally. However, Budi lives within poverty, and him and his family and friends face hardships throughout which highlight the differing lives of Budi and the football players he adores.
To conclude this book provides opportunity for discussions into topics such as; poverty, privilege, imbalances compared to westernised culture and child labour, whilst also providing an enjoyable story for young readers.
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