Strike is an action-packed football book about chasing your dreams and standing up for what you believe in.

Place the ball. Pick your spot. Three steps back.
Breathe.

Owen is closer than ever to achieving his dream: becoming a professional footballer. All he has to do is stay focused. No distractions. Just football.

But when a hidden note tucked inside his new boots reveals a cry for help from the factory workers who made them, Owen discovers the beautiful game might be hiding some ugly secrets. Suddenly, chasing his dream doesn't feel so important. It's time to decide which path he really wants to take.

A story about taking your shot and being brave enough to change the game, from the best-selling author of Kick.

"It's a winner for me!" - Matt Oldfield, co-author of the Ultimate Football Heroes series

Details

ISBN13: 9781836045670
Format: Paperback / softback
Number of Pages: 304
Edition:
Publication Date: 31 Aug 2026
Publisher: Usborne Publishing Ltd
Publication City, Country: London, United Kingdom
Dimensions (cm): 19.8(H)x13(L)x2(W)440
Weight (gm): 440

Author Biography

After graduating from the University of East Anglia with an award-winning first class degree in English Literature with Creative Writing, Mitch completed Kick, his debut novel for middle grade readers. He was inspired to write it while working in a sports shop where he discovered a discarded, crumpled drinks sachet left in a shoebox between a brand-new pair of football boots. Mitch now works as a bookseller at Waterstones, Norwich, and writes in his spare time.

Reviews

Strike is so much more than just a book about football. It shows how monumental moments can change everything, whatever your age. * School Reading List *
It's a winner for me! * Matt Oldfield, co-author of Ultimate Football Heroes *