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All to Play For
Lewis loves football more than anything else in the world, so he’s thrilled when his talent is spotted by a local coach.
But there are some big obstacles in his way. His mum doesn’t want him to have anything to do with the game because of what happened to his dad on the pitch. And even if Lewis can persuade her to let him give it a go, there’s no way they can afford the kit.
Can Lewis beat the odds to have a chance of following his dream?
But there are some big obstacles in his way. His mum doesn’t want him to have anything to do with the game because of what happened to his dad on the pitch. And even if Lewis can persuade her to let him give it a go, there’s no way they can afford the kit.
Can Lewis beat the odds to have a chance of following his dream?
- GenresContemporary
88 pages, Paperback
Published April 7, 2022
19 people want to read
About the author
Eve Ainsworth
31 books182 followersAuthor of Seven Days & Crush
Scholastic
www.eveainsworth.com
http://www.curtisbrown.co.uk/eve-ains...
I have also self published an adult comedy - The Blog of Maisy Malone.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blog-Maisy-Ma...
I love reading, long walks, hot baths, eighties music and tea.
Please follow me on Twitter
https://twitter.com/EveAinsworth
Or find me on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/eveainsworthn...
Scholastic
www.eveainsworth.com
http://www.curtisbrown.co.uk/eve-ains...
I have also self published an adult comedy - The Blog of Maisy Malone.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blog-Maisy-Ma...
I love reading, long walks, hot baths, eighties music and tea.
Please follow me on Twitter
https://twitter.com/EveAinsworth
Or find me on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/eveainsworthn...
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 17, 2022
Thank you, Barrington Stoke, for the advance reading copy.
This is such a good book which is so easy to read, short and perfect for the target audience.
I love the illustrations and the basic artstyle. It blends well with the characters and the plot.
The story is about a young boy who lives with his mom. He's trying to know his dad who he doesn't remember much or know about.
The writing is so easy to get into and fit for the young readers. It's about acceptance and working towards one's dreams despite difficulties. It talks about grief. It also talks about one's insecurities while growing up. The story ends on a very hopeful note. Such an uplifting one I say.
If you love sports and games, go for this book!
This is such a good book which is so easy to read, short and perfect for the target audience.
I love the illustrations and the basic artstyle. It blends well with the characters and the plot.
The story is about a young boy who lives with his mom. He's trying to know his dad who he doesn't remember much or know about.
The writing is so easy to get into and fit for the young readers. It's about acceptance and working towards one's dreams despite difficulties. It talks about grief. It also talks about one's insecurities while growing up. The story ends on a very hopeful note. Such an uplifting one I say.
If you love sports and games, go for this book!
April 20, 2022
What happens when you are torn between parental expectations and following your dreams? This heartwarming novella explores a very relatable issue as well as themes of loss and grief. I loved the illustrations as it helped me to visualise what the characters looked like. Overall, it's an enjoyable and well-rounded read.
Thank you to Barrington Stoke and Netgalley for an ARC of this book.
Thank you to Barrington Stoke and Netgalley for an ARC of this book.
January 14, 2025
This was such a heart warming book, it made me get angry, start smiling laughing and crying I am so sad that I finished it though LOVED IT!
May 3, 2022
Given that football is one of the most popular and played sports across the globe, there are a distinct lack of quality fiction reads for young children. Once again, Barrington Stoke step-up to fill that void with Eve Ainsworth’s All to Play For, a stirring and emotive read about following your dreams when the odds are stacked against you.
Lewis loves being in his happy place - a strip of grass between the bins and the carpark on the estate where he lives. Honing his skills in the shadow of the tower blocks, he imagines being somebody else and scoring a goal at Wembley. He is delighted when his talent is spotted by Ash, the head of Ace Academy, but there’s a problem, well two in fact. Mum doesn’t have enough money to buy the kit he needs and even if she did there’s no way she would let him play, she has been anti-football ever since the beautiful game tragically took the life of her beautiful husband.
This could be Lewis’ chance to fulfil his dreams but to do so he may have to break mum’s heart…
Against the backdrop of family tragedy and rooted in real-life and relatable experiences, Ainsworth finds the back of the net with a powerful story of footballing dreams that tackles the hard-hitting issues of poverty, social inequalities and grief. Like many boys, Lewis wants to be a footballer. And that comes at a price, both financially and emotionally.
Lots of parents can struggle with the costs of funding the hobbies that their children pursue. Whilst football may claim to be the ‘working man’s’ game the cost of kits, boots, summer camps, football clubs and academy fees can certainly place strain on parents as they try to support their children in achieving their dreams.
Lewis’ mum works hard for the little money that they have and there isn’t enough to be spent on football. Lewis is the kid with the tatty boots, the hand-me-down ball and wears the plain white t-shirt whilst the other kids proudly show off the colours of their favourite team. What Lewis does have though is great mates who not only share his passion for football but do everything they can to help him out and an understanding coach and positive male role model that knows talent when he sees it. For all of his footballing dreams, Lewis is an incredibly thoughtful boy; he hides the truth about his secret kick-abouts from his mum for fear of bringing more heartache into the family home.
With the action on the pitch as tense and as nail-biting as the action off it, football mad kids are going to love this story. It has all the thrills and spills of a top-of-the-table Premier League clash and readers will be with Lewis every kick, tackle and goal-scoring step of the way as he edges closer to the impossible dream, willing him to achieve and hoping that his mum can become his biggest supporter.
Ainsworth’s brilliant storytelling and Kirsti Beautyman’s awesome illustrations are a match-winning combination and because this is Barrington Stoke it is printed in dyslexia friendly font and on tinted paper ensuring the book can be accessed by every child.
With huge thanks to the lovely peeps at Barrington Stoke for the copy I received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Recommended for 8+.
Lewis loves being in his happy place - a strip of grass between the bins and the carpark on the estate where he lives. Honing his skills in the shadow of the tower blocks, he imagines being somebody else and scoring a goal at Wembley. He is delighted when his talent is spotted by Ash, the head of Ace Academy, but there’s a problem, well two in fact. Mum doesn’t have enough money to buy the kit he needs and even if she did there’s no way she would let him play, she has been anti-football ever since the beautiful game tragically took the life of her beautiful husband.
This could be Lewis’ chance to fulfil his dreams but to do so he may have to break mum’s heart…
Against the backdrop of family tragedy and rooted in real-life and relatable experiences, Ainsworth finds the back of the net with a powerful story of footballing dreams that tackles the hard-hitting issues of poverty, social inequalities and grief. Like many boys, Lewis wants to be a footballer. And that comes at a price, both financially and emotionally.
Lots of parents can struggle with the costs of funding the hobbies that their children pursue. Whilst football may claim to be the ‘working man’s’ game the cost of kits, boots, summer camps, football clubs and academy fees can certainly place strain on parents as they try to support their children in achieving their dreams.
Lewis’ mum works hard for the little money that they have and there isn’t enough to be spent on football. Lewis is the kid with the tatty boots, the hand-me-down ball and wears the plain white t-shirt whilst the other kids proudly show off the colours of their favourite team. What Lewis does have though is great mates who not only share his passion for football but do everything they can to help him out and an understanding coach and positive male role model that knows talent when he sees it. For all of his footballing dreams, Lewis is an incredibly thoughtful boy; he hides the truth about his secret kick-abouts from his mum for fear of bringing more heartache into the family home.
With the action on the pitch as tense and as nail-biting as the action off it, football mad kids are going to love this story. It has all the thrills and spills of a top-of-the-table Premier League clash and readers will be with Lewis every kick, tackle and goal-scoring step of the way as he edges closer to the impossible dream, willing him to achieve and hoping that his mum can become his biggest supporter.
Ainsworth’s brilliant storytelling and Kirsti Beautyman’s awesome illustrations are a match-winning combination and because this is Barrington Stoke it is printed in dyslexia friendly font and on tinted paper ensuring the book can be accessed by every child.
With huge thanks to the lovely peeps at Barrington Stoke for the copy I received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Recommended for 8+.
August 12, 2022
This is such a brilliant story! Lewis loves to practice his football skills on a small patch of grass on the estate where he lives. But he hides the fact he practices from his mum who would be upset if she ever found out that he loves to play. Football is everything to Lewis and one day he is give a very special opportunity. He really wants to take it, but his mum can’t afford all the right kit, and even if she could, she doesn’t want Lewis to have anything to do with football after his father died.
This is a great and compelling read which made me smile when I finished it. Lewis’s mum isn’t keen on Lewis playing football, ever since his father died while on the pitch. But Lewis desperately wants to play and he doesn’t know what to do when he’s given an exciting offer to attend an academy for the summer. The story is simple but very relatable. There are so many kids out there who come from poorer backgrounds and I like how this story shows us a main character who comes from such a background. Despite their finances though, Lewis is still given an opportunity to attend, but his mum doesn’t want him to have anything to do with football after it killed his father.
The story feels so relatable and I love how Lewis’s love of football shines through the story and keeps him determined to play despite what his mum says. I love what happens when Ash appears and sees Lewis playing and what happens later when Lewis gets the chance to play football with some other boys. Lewis struggles a little with being the poor kid without a proper kit, but I do love how his skills in football are recognised despite this and how some of the other boys treat him when they see him. The story has some themes of friendship, poverty and bullying but I like how things resolve and turn out for Lewis and his mum in the end.
There are some lovely illustrations throughout the book, some on a whole page or half a page. I love how simple but fun these illustrations look, with the character’s faces and expressions seen easily, and I love what Lewis’s dog Trevor looks like too! The illustrations really help make the book easier to read and I love how easy this book is to read in general thanks to the way it has been made. The book itself is less than 90 pages which makes it easy to read for reluctant readers who struggle with bigger books, it also has a special font used for the text, making it easier for dyslexics to read and also spaced paragraphs. The whole book is printed on thick yellowish pages too which makes it easier to read. The illustrations are all in black, white and grey.
Overall this is such a lovely book and with an ending I just loved! The last pages are so heart-warming and I love what happens with Lewis and his mum. It’s the perfect ending and one which can also encourage kids reading it to not give up on their dreams and believe in themselves. It’s such a brilliant story, and although I’ve never been into football myself, I know I’ll love reading this book again, and again!
-Thanks to Barrington Stoke for a free copy.
This is a great and compelling read which made me smile when I finished it. Lewis’s mum isn’t keen on Lewis playing football, ever since his father died while on the pitch. But Lewis desperately wants to play and he doesn’t know what to do when he’s given an exciting offer to attend an academy for the summer. The story is simple but very relatable. There are so many kids out there who come from poorer backgrounds and I like how this story shows us a main character who comes from such a background. Despite their finances though, Lewis is still given an opportunity to attend, but his mum doesn’t want him to have anything to do with football after it killed his father.
The story feels so relatable and I love how Lewis’s love of football shines through the story and keeps him determined to play despite what his mum says. I love what happens when Ash appears and sees Lewis playing and what happens later when Lewis gets the chance to play football with some other boys. Lewis struggles a little with being the poor kid without a proper kit, but I do love how his skills in football are recognised despite this and how some of the other boys treat him when they see him. The story has some themes of friendship, poverty and bullying but I like how things resolve and turn out for Lewis and his mum in the end.
There are some lovely illustrations throughout the book, some on a whole page or half a page. I love how simple but fun these illustrations look, with the character’s faces and expressions seen easily, and I love what Lewis’s dog Trevor looks like too! The illustrations really help make the book easier to read and I love how easy this book is to read in general thanks to the way it has been made. The book itself is less than 90 pages which makes it easy to read for reluctant readers who struggle with bigger books, it also has a special font used for the text, making it easier for dyslexics to read and also spaced paragraphs. The whole book is printed on thick yellowish pages too which makes it easier to read. The illustrations are all in black, white and grey.
Overall this is such a lovely book and with an ending I just loved! The last pages are so heart-warming and I love what happens with Lewis and his mum. It’s the perfect ending and one which can also encourage kids reading it to not give up on their dreams and believe in themselves. It’s such a brilliant story, and although I’ve never been into football myself, I know I’ll love reading this book again, and again!
-Thanks to Barrington Stoke for a free copy.
April 1, 2022
This is the first heartwarming story I have read in a long while . A young man, whose father was a well known soccer star. He died on the field when Lewis was a baby. His mother from that moment always blamed soccer for the death of her husband a discouraged her so from playing. Always saying it cost to much and she didn’t have time to drive him everywhere to play. So Lewis watched you tube to learn exercises and fundamentals. He would practice behind their estate where he lived on the eighth floor. He and his mom actually lived on the eight floor so Lewis always took the stairs to build up stamina. He practiced to hit a certain brick with his left foot continuously one day catching the eye of a former professional player who saw true talent in him and eventually wanted Lewis to join the traveling youth club which he coached. His mother les the coach know she wanted no part of it and the reason. Lewis didn’t have the clothes or shoes to wear. His friends and the coach put together something for him to wear. When he showed up on the pitch he ran to join his friends. Coach and his assistant told the boys to start their drills and Lewis could keep up from already practicing the You Tube drills, then they started working by running fundamentals on the field. Assistant coach was impressed with what he saw in the newbie, one of the boys on the pitch was taunting Lewis.. for his hand me down wardrobe. Coach saw it was just a case of Lewis outshining the bully who felt threatened. to losing his spot on the team. The coaches pulled Lewis aside and said don’t listen to him. I was given fan advance copy for an honest review. I would definitely be recommending this book to kids who are about ten or eleven. I think maybe they could see themselves in it. Sometimes it is good to get lost in another person’ life experiences. Thanks to #NetGalley, #BarringtonStokeLtd publisher, and #EveAinsworth, author for the opportunity to review early.
April 4, 2022
Lewis lives for football, so spends a lot of time on his own on the estate, practising his skills and accuracy with an old hand-me-down ball. The big problem, however much Lewis wants to carry on with the sport, and train at special summer academies and so on, is that his father – well, his father died for football, leaving just Lewis and his mother and nothing like the income needed to afford sports schools.
This, then, is a two-pronged narrative, looking at both Lewis desperate to get into the soccer academy, and his mother being asked to shrug off her grievance at losing her husband to the sport, mid-match. It doesn't overplay the poverty angle, however much a brattish kid gets to take the mickey out of Lewis' lack of posh kit, and manages in its short duration to give a fully-rounded story arc to both those prongs. Tom Palmer provided many football stories for Barrington Stoke – the go-to house for books for audiences with reading disabilities, difficulties and reluctance – but this is a nice new variant on the theme. People for whom it matters will like the family (in the illustrations at least) being mixed-race, and if someone with a younger reading age than they "should have" is to pick this up, they will enjoy it greatly, and nobody will know the story within the covers has been simplified and made an easier read than the norm. It is still just as entertaining as it ought to be – and with a certain Danishman in mind, quite contemporary. A strong four stars.
This, then, is a two-pronged narrative, looking at both Lewis desperate to get into the soccer academy, and his mother being asked to shrug off her grievance at losing her husband to the sport, mid-match. It doesn't overplay the poverty angle, however much a brattish kid gets to take the mickey out of Lewis' lack of posh kit, and manages in its short duration to give a fully-rounded story arc to both those prongs. Tom Palmer provided many football stories for Barrington Stoke – the go-to house for books for audiences with reading disabilities, difficulties and reluctance – but this is a nice new variant on the theme. People for whom it matters will like the family (in the illustrations at least) being mixed-race, and if someone with a younger reading age than they "should have" is to pick this up, they will enjoy it greatly, and nobody will know the story within the covers has been simplified and made an easier read than the norm. It is still just as entertaining as it ought to be – and with a certain Danishman in mind, quite contemporary. A strong four stars.
May 30, 2023
Perfect for it's intended audience. Made me think of multiple students who would've been able to build their confidence and enjoyment of reading through this book. Provides lots of opportunities for the reader to engage with the characters with empathy, and lessons about good sportsmanship (keeping calm, working hard towards your dreams) woven in.
November 25, 2022
This is a great book for either younger children (8-12 years) or for anyone who is reading reluctantly. Taking approximately an hour to read, the language is simple and clear. The text is dyslexia friendly and the story is sweet with some mild drama at the center of the novel.
February 20, 2024
This is a brilliant little book, perfect for football-loving lower level readers age 10+ or from age 8, plenty of football talk without too much detail, and wonderful empathy considerations for the main character who’s Mum can’t afford all the extras.
October 6, 2023
Really sweet and emotive read, with lots of heart and lovely lively illustrations.
Book #33 of my project to read more children's books.
Book #33 of my project to read more children's books.
May 16, 2024
I thought this was an excellent read for UKS2 (or anyone who like a good story!). Not too football orientated to alienate someone who doesn’t know about football, a very human story.
April 17, 2023
Lewis can’t remember his dad, who died when Lewis was just a baby. But he passed on to Lewis, his talent and love of football. The problem is his mum’s grief is still raw and she won’t let him play. Only he just can’t seem to stop himself. Themes: grief, single parent, chasing your passion.
Dyslexia friendly.
Dyslexia friendly.
August 14, 2023
Tropey, but in a way that kids wouldn’t notice, and that’s still satisfying for parents reading along. Can't fault it
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews