Review - Soccer Sabotage by Liam O'Donnell

Soccer Sabotage
Liam O'Donnell
Orca Book Publishers
unpaged, Graphic Novel (LibraryThing)

Summary
Devin is the water boy for an all-girls soccer team. With the assistance of Stewart, the coach's son, he attempts to solve the mystery of who pushed Coach down the stairs and who is now trying to ruin their team's chances at the championship.

Format
This graphic novel has great coloring. The illustrations are vivid with fluid lines that give the sense that the players are actually in action. The book also has soccer tips interspersed with the story. To distinguish the tips from the story they are enclosed in rectangular boxes that have a picture of the coach's head.

My Thoughts
Soccer Sabotage is great for soccer fans who want a little story with tips. I found the story was predictable and some parts left me with questions. How did the soccer team, who are all under the age of 18, get to and from the hospital and other places without their coach? Who took care of Stewart while his dad was in the hospital? Why did the other girls suddenly start following Nadia when they disliked her so much?

Although I enjoyed the artwork, I felt the story was lacking. It might work for students who don't really enjoy reading all that much. This would be a good way to keep them entertained. I also think that the tips and information were well integrated into the book. They weren't at all intrusive. Using the differently shaped boxes would help readers who need text support to follow along.

I'll get 2 copies to see if I can find an audience. If it works out, I'll invest in the next book in the series and see what else O'Donnell produces.