Corner Kick!

Andrew Maraniss

Book cover for Corner Kick!
Image for variant 9798260506172
Book cover for Corner Kick!
Image for variant 9798260506172

Corner Kick!

Corner Kick!

Andrew Maraniss

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Description

Jasper, Mo, and Ruby learn all about soccer while they play in their town's World Cup tournament in the second installment of this action-packed, fully illustrated early chapter book series!

Pick a book. Grow a Reader!

This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line, Branches, aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow!

It's time for the Raintree Forest World Cup! Jasper's class is taking part in a World Cup tournament with other third grade classes in the neighborhood. But Jasper is not as excited as everyone else to learn all about soccer, especially since the new student Sofia seems like a soccer know-it-all! Will Jasper be any good at playing soccer? And will his team be victorious in the Raintree Forest World Cup?

Engaging black-and-white artwork appears on every page, and game-time scenes are told through fully-illustrated, graphic novel-style panels. Nonfiction sidebars are also scattered throughout, introducing young readers to sports legends and other fun facts. Kids will learn all about soccer as they read this book, and they won't be able to put it down because of its action-packed, relatable story!

About the Author

Andrew Maraniss is a New York Times bestselling author of sports nonfiction for teens and adults. The Scholastic Branches series Sports Zone!, illustrated by Aishwarya Tandon, is his first fiction early chapter book series. He lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife and two young children.


Aishwarya Tandon is an illustrator and cartoonist from India. She holds a B.Sc and Hons degree in Animation and Multimedia. When not working, you can find her drawing in her sketchbook, drinking chai, catching up on shows and movies, and watching art-haul videos online. The Scholastic Branches series Sports Zone!, written by Andrew Maraniss, is her first early chapter book series.

Critical Reviews

Praise for Corner Kick! (Sports Zone! #2):

"...this book [is] comprehensible to children who may know nothing about the sport... Part of the "Branches" series of transitional readers, this short chapter book provides a useful bridge between beginning readers and longer fiction. Fans of the Ballpark Mysteries and MVP series by David A. Kelly will enjoy this -informative, accessible soccer story." -- School Library Journal

Publishing Information

Publisher: Bound to Stay Bound Books
Pub date: 2026-03-03
Length: 96 pages

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