Eyes on the Goal

Just before they’re due to start middle school, Diego, Gig, Jackson, and Isaac, four sports-loving friends, all attend the same weeklong soccer camp. Diego is an experienced soccer player, and Gig has a natural ability for the sport he never realized. But Jackson and Isaac are split into another group of players—a group with younger, smaller kids. For the first time, both boys aren’t the stars of their team. In fact, they can’t seem to get a handle on soccer. At the same time, Jackson is having a hard time getting a handle on his mom’s deepening relationship with her boyfriend, and her suggestion that they move in with him. And Gig is worried about his father’s deployment to Afghanistan.

Here is a story about how life, like sports, can be unpredictable, frustrating, and exhilarating. Eyes on the Goal by John Coy is part of the 4 for 4 series, an action-packed middle grade series for young readers about four boys from diverse backgrounds who deal with family, friendship, and school situations.