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About The Book

Australian Matildas and World Cup superstar Sam Kerr teams up with Aki Fukuoka to bring young readers this fun and inspiring illustrated series about soccer, school, sport, friendship, dealing with bullies and following your dreams.

Sam Kerr has only been playing soccer for a few months and now her team is playing in the finals! She can’t believe it! But when her best friend, Dylan, is appointed team captain, Sam is worried that his shyness might get in the way. Together with her other bestie, Indi, they must find a way to help him overcome his nerves.

Meanwhile, Sam has become friends with her new neighbours Jake and Will. But strange things start happening: she loses her new water bottle, her soccer boots go missing, and her dog, Penny, disappears from the garden.

Sam has had enough! It’s time to get to the bottom of the mystery in the midst of preparing for her finals match. It’s not always easy being a soccer superstar!

‘A fun book packed with cool illustrations. It follows themes of family and perseverance that will totes leave you feeling inspired!’ Total Girl on The Flip Out

About The Authors

Photograph © Jonathan Ring

Sam Kerr is the captain of the Australian women’s national soccer team – the Matildas – and a leading goal scorer for Chelsea in the English FA Women’s Super League. She burst onto the W-League scene as a fifteen-year-old playing with Perth Glory. In 2016, she played for the Matildas at the Olympics in Brazil, and she was the top goal scorer in the 2017 Tournament of Nations. Since joining Chelsea in 2019, Sam has positioned herself as one of the best female strikers in the world. She was named 2018 Young Australian of the Year. In 2021, Sam became the Matildas all-time top goal scorer at the Tokyo Olympics, and in 2023, helped the Matildas achieve their best-ever result at a Women’s World Cup. IG: @samanthakerr20; @samkerrfootball

© Amy Gubana

Fiona Harris has written the children’s series The Super Moopers, Trolls and Miraculous. She was head scriptwriter on ABC3 TV’s Prank Patrol and wrote/co-starred in the TV comedy shows Flipside, Comedy Inc. and SkitHouse. Fiona co-wrote and starred in the international-award-winning web series The Drop Off, with husband Mike McLeish. Their adult fiction novel The Drop-off was released in 2020 and its sequel, The Pick-up, is due out in 2021. Fiona also co-authored Sharni Layton’s biography, No Apologies, and Marcus Bontempelli’s picture book, both released in 2021. For more information on Fiona Harris visit fionaharris.com.

About The Illustrator

Supplied by the illustrator

Aki Fukuoka was born in the valleys of the alps of central Japan and was raised in the rolling hills of the New Zealand countryside. After spending her childhood exploring nature with her four siblings, Aki moved out to the city of Auckland to learn how to cross roads, manoeuvre between pedestrians and gain her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. She is currently living in a little wooden cottage house with her husband, four children and animals and works full time as a freelance illustrator. Aki is most well known for her illustrations for the Billie B Brown series.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia (September 14, 2023)
  • Length: 192 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781761100949

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More books from this illustrator: Aki Fukuoka

More books in this series: Sam Kerr: Kicking Goals