In a refreshed paperback edition with a bold cover, this novel by
award-winning author Mal Peet transports readers to a fictional South
American country and a world of soccer, celebrity, and strange
occurrences investigated by sports reporter Paul Faustino.
When Paul Faustino of La Nación flips on his tape recorder for an
exclusive interview with El Gato -- the phenomenal goalkeeper who
single-handedly won his team the World Cup -- the seasoned reporter
quickly learns that this will be no ordinary story. Instead, the
legendary El Gato narrates a spellbinding tale that begins in the South
American rain forest, where a ghostly but very real mentor, the Keeper,
emerges to teach a poor, gawky boy the most thrilling secrets of the
game. A seamless blend of magic realism and exhilarating soccer action,
this evocative novel will haunt readers long after the story ends.