Overview

The inspiring, illustrated, true story of Lily Parr, an early star of women's soccer. Discover the truth about one of soccer's iconic women! Lily loved playing football and she was very good at it. But there were some that didn't think women should play! With one of the most powerful kicks in soccer, young Lily Parr is becoming a soccer star. Until in 1921, when the Football Association in England bans women's soccer--a decision that will affect future generations! Will Lily and her team be able to overcome this hurdle, or will they have to give up doing what they love? Trailblazer is based on the life of Lily Parr, one of the most famous female soccer players of all time. Parr eventually came to the US and even played against men's teams. Parr together with her teammates battled adversity to keep women's soccer alive. Trailblazer is an important addition to any young soccer fan's bookshelf. The text explores the challenges facing women's sport in an age appropriate way. Suitable for 4 - 7 year olds.

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9781848866454

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Reviews

Not even a ban on women's soccer could stop Lily Parr from playing. Born in England in 1905, Lily Parr, a white woman, learned how to play growing up with her brothers and is credited with being one of the first stars of women's soccer. A left winger with the Dick, Kerr Ladies team, Parr had the strongest kick in the country, helping to power her team in competition against men's teams--whom they often beat. Throughout World War I, women's teams played against one another and sent their profits to aid soldiers. After the war, in 1921, the Football Association (this British import assumes readers' familiarity with the organization) banned women from playing on their fields, a ruling that would stay in place until 1971. Despite these restrictions, Parr played soccer for 31 years, and in 2019, the National Football Museum in England erected a statue in her honor. Dale's book provides an initial glimpse into Parr's life yet leaves many holes. Readers who want to know more about what drove her or her life off the field will be left wondering. Coroa's cartoonlike illustrations are vibrant and match Dale's pacing. Facts about soccer and Parr cover the endpapers, respectively, and basic facts are interspersed throughout the illustrations as well. An author's note ends the book, but no backmatter or sources are included. A gesture toward perseverance that feels more like a bullet-point pamphlet than a story. (timeline)--Kirkus Reviews -- Journal Rah-rah spirit permeates Dale and Coroa's account of the life of British soccer player Lily Parr (1905-1978). Parr's career, which began on factory teams, lasted 31 years, even though the English Football Association banned women from competing on its properties in 1921--a year after she and her teammates played before a crowd of 53,000. Though Dale notes the obstacles Parr and her teammates faced, she presents scant context to help readers unfamiliar with the history of soccer and of sexism contextualize Parr's achievements, instead emphasizing her talent ('No one in England, not even a man, had a more powerful shot'). Coroa's slick digital illustrations feature wide-eyed women in striped jerseys active on the pitch. Colorful circles dot the spreads, presenting facts: 'Lily was one of the greatest goal-scorers in history.--Publishers Weekly -- Journal

Author Information

Elizabeth Dale lives in a West Sussex village in the UK. She always dreamed of being a writer but somehow got sidetracked into getting a physics degree. She has had over 40 books published. Carolina Caroa has had a passion for illustration since she was a child. She studied communication, fashion design, and drawing techniques in Brazil and worked on her concept art skills at Pictoplasma Academy in Berlin.

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