Grab a ball! Coach calls. It s time to play soccer! Mikey is the team captain. He works hard, even if his teammates are easily distracted by anthills and whirlybirds. Down the field Mikey charges, dribbling the ball to the goal posts. He cuts and runs, rat-a-tat-tack-ing the ball. After a tough practice, his dad and dog Socks take him to play in the park, but Mikey only wants to practice for the Big Game. Daddy offers to help, but to Mikey s dismay he doesn t put in much of an athletic effort. He keeps bending the rules and telling his impatient son to just have fun. After an irresistible ticklefest, however, Mikey comes around to Daddy s way of thinking and joins him and Socks in the best soccer game ever! Author Sherry Shahan contrasts the excitement and fast-paced action of soccer with the simple, easy-going fun of fooling around to show young readers that there is more than one way to play and enjoy a game. Illustrator Tatjana Mai-Wyss s colorful watercolor illustrations reflect the characters winning personalities and the upbeat spirit of the story.