Building a Dream: How the Boys of Koh Panyee Became Champions

Your youngsters will enthusiastically cheer as they read this unforgettable tale of persistence and problem-solving. Based on the amazing true story of a Thai soccer team, this full-color picture book follows a group of boys who became a team long before they had jerseys or even a field. In Thailand’s Phang Nga Bay, atop a network of stilts, floats the village of Koh Panyee, where a group of boys loved soccer but had nowhere to practice and no space to dribble, juggle, shoot, and score. When they looked out at the water, they got an idea and started gathering tools, even while their neighbors laughed. They sawed wood, hammered nails, and tied barrels together and worked for weeks to build Koh Panyee’s first floating field, a place to practice, and a place to transform their community. 40 pages, hardcover. Ages 5 and up.