Baller Boys

Shay and Frankie, both in Year 3, are inseparable. All summer they’ve been practising their football skills for the trial to join All Cultures United. The big day arrives and Shay makes the team - but Frankie doesn’t, and is devastated.

Shay settles into the team and works hard to impress Coach Reece. He makes friends with Jamie, who has ADHD and is finding it hard to fit in, and even leads a sponsored run to raise money for a team mascot. Meanwhile, Frankie perseveres in the ‘development squad’ but is jealous of Shay’s new teammates. As the squad compete for positions to play in the match against the Highbury Bears, Shay and Frankie's friendship hangs in the balance.

Set in North London and suffused with the multicultural vibrancy of the city, this sweet story captures the joy, adrenaline and emotion that many children experience through football, as well as the ups and downs of young friendships. Every child will recognise a little of themselves in the characters, and be able to relate to their worries about fitting in, feeling jealous, and what to do when you fall out with a friend.