A remarkable picture book. In a South African township a group of boys gather slowly and carefully to play football. They must be on the watch because big boys, bullies on bicycles, are likely to appear any minute and steal the beautiful new federation-size football that one of them has won for being the best reader in school. The bullies arrive, but some clever maneuvering saves the ball, and the boys can continue their game. A simple story but told with great beauty of language, and the strong, richly-coloured illustrations are a joy. This will appeal to boys who love football, and possibly they will see parallels with inner-city life the world over. 'When we play, the sound of our kicks on the ball is music.'