Hello, friends! Our book today is World At Your Feet, written by Rob Parker and illustrated by Lawerta, a clever look at some of the most famous goals in world soccer history.

Presented in a first person narrative, the reader is swept into sixteen of the most critical, masterful, and/or unbelievable soccer (or football, as the book hails from outside the US) goals of all time. In striking mid-century-modern-inspired illustrations, the reader follows the detailed rhyming text to put themselves in the game as each goal is set up and scored.

So there was a lot going on in this book, both good and bad (I should note here that I am complete soccer novice, which impacts this review). Each goal is described using soccer terms, which are likely easily understood for fans of the sport. I however, found myself getting lost in the language quite often, especially as I tried to work around the rhyme scheme while reading aloud. Often, I wasn’t quite sure exactly what I was saying as the language would become more and more technical. And as a novice, I would have loved to have more information about each of the goals – the players, the teams, what made the goal so striking – put into easily-understood layman’s terms. The art was a treat, colorful and featuring dynamic action, perfect for a book about soccer. But the length started to get a little much for JJ, especially since the language was so confusing at times. For a mega-fan of soccer, this would is an awesome book, but those unfamiliar with the sport will likely struggle. Still, a unique and loving tribute to the world’s favorite sport, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the author in exchange for an honest review.)