-
The Beautiful Game
- Narrated by: Maria Liatis
- Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $19.49
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Publisher's summary
A powerful story about family, fútbol, and playing like a girl, perfect for fans of Front Desk, The Academy, and, Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret from the award-winning author of Furia.
At thirteen years old, Valeria "Magic" Salomón is already the best soccer player her town has ever seen. She has talent in spades and an abuelo whose tough-love coaching and lessons about “strength and honor” have made her the star of the Overlords, the top boys’ team in the state.
But everything changes at the State Cup semi-final when Valeria gets her first period while Wearing. White. Shorts. After her team is unexpectedly eliminated, she goes from their secret weapon to their scapegoat. Soon, she doesn’t have a team at all anymore. She’s not sure she has a relationship with her grandfather either.
Valeria’s a fighter, however. And with the help of her grandmother and support of her cheerleader BFF, she finds herself on a girls’ team for the first time. But the Amazons aren’t exactly excited to have her there. After all, Valeria’s spent years ignoring their existence. With the next tournament looming on the horizon, Valeria has a month to figure out her place on her new team and learn how to play like a girl.
The award-winning author of Furia returns to the world of “the beautiful game” in this uplifting, heartfelt novel about family, self-confidence, and the power of second chances.
Critic reviews
"The wonderfully wide-ranging story will appeal to readers both inside the sports sphere and not, and it touches on an incredible variety of topics, all treated with equal importance. Complicated, caring family dynamics and gorgeous friendships that overcome the bumps of adolescence are beautiful to behold. There are also thought-provoking meditations on grief, the immigrant experience, and gendered-sports struggles. Frank (and often funny) discussions of menstruation and period products are another welcome inclusion. An emotional and engaging examination of the fundamentals: family, friendship, and fútbol."—Booklist, starred review
"This tough and resilient protagonist is easy to root for as she talks her way onto a girls’ soccer team, despite having missed the tryouts. The narrative and action flow smoothly as Magic nervously navigates friendships with girls on her new team, adjusts to having a coach who prioritizes teamwork over relying on a hotshot, and navigates changing family dynamics at home. Fast paced and tenderhearted."—Kirkus Reviews
Related to this topic
-
The Christmas Pig
- By: J.K. Rowling
- Narrated by: Amaka Okafor, Rocco Padden, Gerran Howell, and others
- Length: 5 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jack loves his childhood toy Dur Pig. DP has always been there for him, through good and bad. Until one Christmas Eve something terrible happens - DP is lost. But Christmas Eve is a night for miracles and lost causes, a night when all things can come to life...even toys. And Jack’s newest toy - the Christmas Pig (DP’s annoying replacement) - has a daring plan: Together they’ll embark on a magical journey to seek something lost and to save the best friend Jack has ever known....
-
-
More Scary & Violent Than "Heartwarming Adventure"
- By Bookworm on 10-19-21
By: J.K. Rowling
-
The Ickabog
- By: J.K. Rowling
- Narrated by: Stephen Fry
- Length: 7 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The kingdom of Cornucopia was once the happiest in the world. It had plenty of gold, a king with the finest moustache you could possibly imagine, and butchers, bakers, and cheesemongers whose exquisite foods made a person dance with delight when they ate them. Everything was perfect - except for the misty Marshlands to the north, which, according to legend, were home to the monstrous Ickabog. Anyone sensible knew that the Ickabog was just a myth to scare children into behaving. But the funny thing about myths is that sometimes they take on a life of their own.
-
-
Oh, dear...
- By ili pika on 11-11-20
By: J.K. Rowling
-
Disney Frozen: Olaf's Quest
- By: Disney Press, Suzanne Francis
- Narrated by: Jake Green, Matt Lowe, Abby Trott, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 22 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Olaf, Arendelle’s adorable snowman, loves to read. One day, an unexpected message leads Olaf and his friends Anna, Kristoff, and Sven on a quest for a place known as Haus Biblio, described as a “sea of stories”. This Audible Original spans the group’s journey to Haus Biblio as they cross over mountains, search for monsters under bridges, and have conversations with friendly sheep. During his travels, Olaf makes new friends and hears lots of exciting stories along the way.
-
-
Stories of all sorts within a story!
- By Just Duckie on 09-21-24
By: Disney Press, and others
-
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
- Disney Classic Stories
- By: Disney Books
- Narrated by: Disney Publishing Worldwide
- Length: 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
If you were asked to choose the most fabulous character in English literature, who would it be? Perhaps the one and only Ichabod Crane. When this superstitious schoolmaster moves into the quiet village of Sleepy Hollow, he quickly starts vying for the affection of heiress Katrina Van Tassel. However, this puts him in the path of town bully Brom Bones. Will Ichabod win Katrina's heart, or will he fall victim to the small town's big legend—the Headless Horseman?
-
-
Fun listen
- By Mitzi on 10-30-24
By: Disney Books
-
Disney Princess: Belle and the Rose Riddle
- By: Disney Press, Juliana Schiavo
- Narrated by: Jeff Bennett, Piotr Michael, Julie Nathanson, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 36 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Belle lives in a beautiful castle with a Beast and Enchanted Objects that have come to life. But that isn’t the strangest thing about the castle. Rose petals and leaves have begun to mysteriously appear in random places, leading Belle and her companions Cogsworth the clock and Lumiere the candelabra on a hunt for an intruder.
-
-
Great mystery!
- By Angela on 10-17-24
By: Disney Press, and others
-
Are You Afraid of the Dark? The Official Podcast: Season 2
- By: Nickelodeon Podcasts
- Narrated by: Jeremy Ray Taylor, Mason Versaw, full cast
- Length: 2 hrs and 4 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Welcome back, horror-lovers, your long wait for new scary vibes is now over. The Midnight Society is back with even more thrills and chills to haunt your airwaves, and now is your chance to become an honorary member. From twisted hauntings from the afterlife lurking in innocent kids’ backyards, to a séance gone terribly wrong, and many other chilling tales, listen if you dare. Only truly brave souls should proceed. You’ve been warned.
-
-
Childhood memories
- By Roshell I on 10-27-24
-
The Christmas Pig
- By: J.K. Rowling
- Narrated by: Amaka Okafor, Rocco Padden, Gerran Howell, and others
- Length: 5 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jack loves his childhood toy Dur Pig. DP has always been there for him, through good and bad. Until one Christmas Eve something terrible happens - DP is lost. But Christmas Eve is a night for miracles and lost causes, a night when all things can come to life...even toys. And Jack’s newest toy - the Christmas Pig (DP’s annoying replacement) - has a daring plan: Together they’ll embark on a magical journey to seek something lost and to save the best friend Jack has ever known....
-
-
More Scary & Violent Than "Heartwarming Adventure"
- By Bookworm on 10-19-21
By: J.K. Rowling
-
The Ickabog
- By: J.K. Rowling
- Narrated by: Stephen Fry
- Length: 7 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The kingdom of Cornucopia was once the happiest in the world. It had plenty of gold, a king with the finest moustache you could possibly imagine, and butchers, bakers, and cheesemongers whose exquisite foods made a person dance with delight when they ate them. Everything was perfect - except for the misty Marshlands to the north, which, according to legend, were home to the monstrous Ickabog. Anyone sensible knew that the Ickabog was just a myth to scare children into behaving. But the funny thing about myths is that sometimes they take on a life of their own.
-
-
Oh, dear...
- By ili pika on 11-11-20
By: J.K. Rowling
-
Disney Frozen: Olaf's Quest
- By: Disney Press, Suzanne Francis
- Narrated by: Jake Green, Matt Lowe, Abby Trott, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 22 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Olaf, Arendelle’s adorable snowman, loves to read. One day, an unexpected message leads Olaf and his friends Anna, Kristoff, and Sven on a quest for a place known as Haus Biblio, described as a “sea of stories”. This Audible Original spans the group’s journey to Haus Biblio as they cross over mountains, search for monsters under bridges, and have conversations with friendly sheep. During his travels, Olaf makes new friends and hears lots of exciting stories along the way.
-
-
Stories of all sorts within a story!
- By Just Duckie on 09-21-24
By: Disney Press, and others
-
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
- Disney Classic Stories
- By: Disney Books
- Narrated by: Disney Publishing Worldwide
- Length: 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
If you were asked to choose the most fabulous character in English literature, who would it be? Perhaps the one and only Ichabod Crane. When this superstitious schoolmaster moves into the quiet village of Sleepy Hollow, he quickly starts vying for the affection of heiress Katrina Van Tassel. However, this puts him in the path of town bully Brom Bones. Will Ichabod win Katrina's heart, or will he fall victim to the small town's big legend—the Headless Horseman?
-
-
Fun listen
- By Mitzi on 10-30-24
By: Disney Books
-
Disney Princess: Belle and the Rose Riddle
- By: Disney Press, Juliana Schiavo
- Narrated by: Jeff Bennett, Piotr Michael, Julie Nathanson, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 36 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Belle lives in a beautiful castle with a Beast and Enchanted Objects that have come to life. But that isn’t the strangest thing about the castle. Rose petals and leaves have begun to mysteriously appear in random places, leading Belle and her companions Cogsworth the clock and Lumiere the candelabra on a hunt for an intruder.
-
-
Great mystery!
- By Angela on 10-17-24
By: Disney Press, and others
-
Are You Afraid of the Dark? The Official Podcast: Season 2
- By: Nickelodeon Podcasts
- Narrated by: Jeremy Ray Taylor, Mason Versaw, full cast
- Length: 2 hrs and 4 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Welcome back, horror-lovers, your long wait for new scary vibes is now over. The Midnight Society is back with even more thrills and chills to haunt your airwaves, and now is your chance to become an honorary member. From twisted hauntings from the afterlife lurking in innocent kids’ backyards, to a séance gone terribly wrong, and many other chilling tales, listen if you dare. Only truly brave souls should proceed. You’ve been warned.
-
-
Childhood memories
- By Roshell I on 10-27-24
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
The Sherlock Society
- By: James Ponti
- Narrated by: Mark Sanderlin
- Length: 6 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the tradition of Nancy Drew, four kids and one grandfather in Miami tackle a decades-old mystery in this first book in the action-packed and funny Sherlock Society middle grade series from New York Times bestselling, Edgar Award–winning author James Ponti!
By: James Ponti
-
Gracie Under the Waves
- By: Linda Sue Park
- Narrated by: Joy Osmanski
- Length: 3 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Gracie loves snorkeling! She loves it so much, she convinces her parents to let her plan a family vacation to Roatán, Honduras, where they can all snorkel together. She even makes a new friend there. Now, if only her irritating little brother would leave her alone, everything would be perfect. Then Gracie hurts her leg, and all her carefully made plans start to come apart. Worse still, she learns the reef itself is in serious danger. Gracie wants to help the reef . . . but she’s just a kid. What can she do to make a difference? Fortunately, her new friend has a few ideas!
By: Linda Sue Park
-
Monster Movie!
- By: Chuck Wendig
- Narrated by: Dan Bittner
- Length: 5 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ethan Pitowski is afraid of everything. Luckily, his best friends don’t mind, and when their entire class gets invited to watch a long-buried horror movie at the most popular boy in school’s house, Ethan’s friends encourage him to join in the fun. But when the “scariest movie ever made” reveals itself to be not just a movie about a monster, but a movie that is a monster, only a terrified Ethan escapes its clutches. Now he must find a way to stop the monster and save his friends (and also, um, get their heads back).
By: Chuck Wendig
-
On a Wing and a Tear
- By: Cynthia L. Smith
- Narrated by: Shaun Taylor-Corbett
- Length: 5 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Melanie “Mel” Roberts and Ray Halfmoon may be from different Indigenous Nations, but the friends have become like siblings since the Robertses moved in with the Halfmoons. And they soon welcome a distinguished guest: Great-grandfather Bat, whose wing is injured, has taken refuge in their old oak tree.
By: Cynthia L. Smith
-
Picture Purrfect
- Bodega Cats, Book 1
- By: Hilda Eunice Burgos, Siara Faison - illustrator
- Narrated by: André Santana, Robb Moreira
- Length: 1 hr and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Miguel Rosado wants nothing more than to see and draw the world … or at least anywhere beyond the four walls of his family’s bodega in Washington Heights. Too bad his mami and papi have him working long hours after school, hoping he’ll appreciate the sacrifices they’ve made to keep the store afloat. For street-savvy and newly adopted cat Lolo, that sounds just perfect if it means he’s far, far away from the hungry, lonely nights he once spent in the freezing-cold outdoors.
By: Hilda Eunice Burgos, and others
-
When the World Tips Over
- By: Jandy Nelson
- Narrated by: Michael Crouch, Alex McKenna, Briggon Snow, and others
- Length: 17 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Fall siblings live in hot Northern California wine country, where the sun pours out of the sky, and the devil winds blow so hard they whip the sense right out of your head. Years ago, the Fall kids’ father mysteriously disappeared, cracking the family into pieces.
-
-
A rollercoaster of emotions
- By Amy C Flood on 10-08-24
By: Jandy Nelson
-
The Sherlock Society
- By: James Ponti
- Narrated by: Mark Sanderlin
- Length: 6 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the tradition of Nancy Drew, four kids and one grandfather in Miami tackle a decades-old mystery in this first book in the action-packed and funny Sherlock Society middle grade series from New York Times bestselling, Edgar Award–winning author James Ponti!
By: James Ponti
-
Gracie Under the Waves
- By: Linda Sue Park
- Narrated by: Joy Osmanski
- Length: 3 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Gracie loves snorkeling! She loves it so much, she convinces her parents to let her plan a family vacation to Roatán, Honduras, where they can all snorkel together. She even makes a new friend there. Now, if only her irritating little brother would leave her alone, everything would be perfect. Then Gracie hurts her leg, and all her carefully made plans start to come apart. Worse still, she learns the reef itself is in serious danger. Gracie wants to help the reef . . . but she’s just a kid. What can she do to make a difference? Fortunately, her new friend has a few ideas!
By: Linda Sue Park
-
Monster Movie!
- By: Chuck Wendig
- Narrated by: Dan Bittner
- Length: 5 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ethan Pitowski is afraid of everything. Luckily, his best friends don’t mind, and when their entire class gets invited to watch a long-buried horror movie at the most popular boy in school’s house, Ethan’s friends encourage him to join in the fun. But when the “scariest movie ever made” reveals itself to be not just a movie about a monster, but a movie that is a monster, only a terrified Ethan escapes its clutches. Now he must find a way to stop the monster and save his friends (and also, um, get their heads back).
By: Chuck Wendig
-
On a Wing and a Tear
- By: Cynthia L. Smith
- Narrated by: Shaun Taylor-Corbett
- Length: 5 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Melanie “Mel” Roberts and Ray Halfmoon may be from different Indigenous Nations, but the friends have become like siblings since the Robertses moved in with the Halfmoons. And they soon welcome a distinguished guest: Great-grandfather Bat, whose wing is injured, has taken refuge in their old oak tree.
By: Cynthia L. Smith
-
Picture Purrfect
- Bodega Cats, Book 1
- By: Hilda Eunice Burgos, Siara Faison - illustrator
- Narrated by: André Santana, Robb Moreira
- Length: 1 hr and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Miguel Rosado wants nothing more than to see and draw the world … or at least anywhere beyond the four walls of his family’s bodega in Washington Heights. Too bad his mami and papi have him working long hours after school, hoping he’ll appreciate the sacrifices they’ve made to keep the store afloat. For street-savvy and newly adopted cat Lolo, that sounds just perfect if it means he’s far, far away from the hungry, lonely nights he once spent in the freezing-cold outdoors.
By: Hilda Eunice Burgos, and others
-
When the World Tips Over
- By: Jandy Nelson
- Narrated by: Michael Crouch, Alex McKenna, Briggon Snow, and others
- Length: 17 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Fall siblings live in hot Northern California wine country, where the sun pours out of the sky, and the devil winds blow so hard they whip the sense right out of your head. Years ago, the Fall kids’ father mysteriously disappeared, cracking the family into pieces.
-
-
A rollercoaster of emotions
- By Amy C Flood on 10-08-24
By: Jandy Nelson