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Finding Her Feet

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Book Synopsis

A shy but talented footballer navigates challenging friendships and anxiety at school in this touching tale from acclaimed author Eve Ainsworth.

Lily always feels a little bit left out. Shy and anxious, she finds school really hard, particularly as most of the other girls all seem so confident. Most of the time, Lily wishes that she could just disappear. But during a game of football in PE, Lily’s teacher spots her natural talent and invites Lily to join the local girls’ team, where she starts to make friends with some of the other players. Finally, she thinks she’s found a place where she fits in, but will a vicious argument with one of her teammates put all her progress in jeopardy?

Our Review Panel says...

Lily has always felt she’s on the edge. On the edge of friendship groups and the edge of her own life, looking in. Until one day a teacher inspires her to join the local girls’ football team. Lily usually finds school difficult because she’s shy and anxious, but now begins to find her feet, quite literally, playing football. Her confidence soars, and finally she feels she’s part of a team. Despite a teammate and her inner demons putting her progress in jeopardy, she overcomes the mental challenges and succeeds.

This is a fantastic and well-crafted book. I especially enjoyed the history of women’s football, which was referred to after each chapter. Each chapter had a subchapter on icons of women’s football as well as the journey women have had to go through to be taken more seriously, but not yet as seriously as men, on the pitch.

This inspiring book is accessible from age 7 upwards, written in a dyslexia-friendly format with easy vocabulary for all to comprehend. This is a book to be read independently or with their families and one that will inspire future footballers, whether girls or boys, for a long time to come.