Goal!

Goal! was written by Mina Javaherbin and illustrated by A.G. Ford and is a Bluebonnet Nominee for 2011-2012.

Exposition:  The story takes place in a township of South Arfrica in a street lined with shanty style housing.  The characters are Ajani, Jamal, Hassan, Magubani, Keto, and Badu; a group of young boys whose heroes are their country's futbol team.

Conflict:  The group of boys wants so badly to be able to relax and play soccer, which brings them extreme joy, but must be on the lookout for bullies and other distractions who want to take their joy from them.

Rising Action:  Ajani must retreive water for his family in the evening, but he wants to take some time out to celebrate his reading success with his friends by playing soccer with the federation quality ball he has earned.  The streets are not always a safe place for them due to bullies, so they must be on constant watch for them by taking turns standing on rooftops as a guard.

Climax:  At the height of the game when a goal is being protested, the guard misses the bullies approach, and the boys are scared they will steal their new treasure, the ball, from them.

Falling Action:  One of the boys is able to hide the ball in Ajani's upside-down water pail just in time for the bullies to not see it.  The bullies make fun of the boys and steal their old, plastic ball so the boys pretend to cry out of saddness for the act.  The bullies think they have successfully crippled the boys game and leave.

Resolution:  The six boys are able to resume their game without fear of the bullies immediate attack, but ever on the lookout for them to return in the future.  While they play, they feel happy and as strong as their heroes.

The illustrations in the book are done in oil and play with the light in such a way that draws your eyes to the brightness of the characters in such a dull atmosphere.  The setting's feeling is echoed not only in the detailed pictures, but also in the use of repetition to get the feeling of just how unsettling the streets and alleys of the town are.

Javaherbin, M., & Ford, A. G. (2010). Goal! . Somerville, Mass.: Candlewick Press.