The Academy: A Middle Grade Soccer Adventure

Description

Price: [price_with_discount]
(as of [price_update_date] – Details)

[ad_1]

FROM THE PLAYGROUND TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE.

Now a New York Times bestselling series! The inspiring, action-packed first book, perfect for young readers 7-13 and sports fans of all ages.

Born and raised in a small town, twelve-year-old Leo K. Doyle has never seen the ocean or stepped foot on a plane. But Leo is a star soccer player with big dreams in life.

Rock star, Olympic gold, dragon-slaying dreams.

While Leo longs to make the pros one day, he has no idea how to achieve this goal―until a professional scout pays a chance visit to one of Leo’s games and extends an invitation to try out for the London Dragons youth squad, known as the Academy.

Leo is stunned. The London Dragons isn’t just any old soccer team. It’s a world-famous English Premier League team. Soon Leo is off to a whole new country, embarking on the greatest adventure of his life. The downside? Only eleven players can make the team.

Eleven out of two hundred of the very best twelve-year-old players on the planet.

Along with the grueling competition, Leo must also face a bully intent on torpedoing his summer, a roomie who doesn’t know how to have fun, a terrifying camp director, and, most of all, Leo’s own lack of formal training and the fear he’ll never succeed.

By the end of the summer, Leo will become a much better player and forever changed by his experience. But will he be good enough to make the Academy?

Keep score with the other books in The Academy series:

The Academy II: The Journey ContinuesThe Academy III: Tournament of ChampionsThe Academy IV: Title FightThe Academy V: Cup of Nations

From the Publisher

Add to Cart

Add to Cart

Add to Cart

Add to Cart

Add to Cart

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars 2,064

4.8 out of 5 stars 1,405

4.8 out of 5 stars 1,040

4.8 out of 5 stars 1,088

4.9 out of 5 stars 708

Price

$10.80$10.80 $12.55$12.55 $7.40$7.40 $6.94$6.94 $14.99$14.99

Read more of Leo’s soccer journey in the award-winning Middle Grade series from T.Z. Layton!
Meet Leo, who loves soccer, pizza, and FIFA. When he gets an opportunity to try out for the Youth Premier League, will the grueling trainings, player competition, and high stakes soccer prove too much for Leo? Journey alongside Leo as he joins the Lewisham Knights: the worst ranked team in the Youth Premier League. Between his cranky coach and new teammates, can Leo find his place and help the Knights? Travel with Leo around Europe as his team competes in the tournament of a lifetime! But will a new coach, terrible team chemistry, and a double-crossing teammate ruin the Knights’ chances of winning the title? Cheer Leo on as the Knights prepare to take on the Dragons! But before Leo faces the league’s top team, he’ll have to navigate a whole new set of teammates and a setback that could end his soccer career. Return with Leo to the States to represent his country on the USA junior national team! With little time to mesh and everyone expecting the worst from team USA, will Leo be able to pull his squad together for the Cup of Nations?

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sourcebooks Young Readers
Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 2, 2025
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1464267103
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1464267109
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.2 ounces
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 8 – 10 years, from customers
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.76 x 8.5 inches
Book 1 of 6 ‏ : ‎ The Academy
Grade level ‏ : ‎ 2 – 8
Best Sellers Rank: #706 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #1 in Children’s Soccer Books (Books) #1 in Children’s Travel Books (Books) #5 in Children’s New Experiences Books
Customer Reviews: 4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars (2,064) var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when(‘A’, ‘ready’).execute(function(A) { if (dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction !== true) { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative( ‘acrLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault”: true }, function (event) { if (window.ue) { ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when(‘A’, ‘cf’).execute(function(A) { A.declarative(‘acrStarsLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault” : true }, function(event){ if(window.ue) { ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } }); });
[ad_2]