Jaz Santos vs. the World

Review of The Dream Team: Jaz Santos vs. the World

This is the story of Jasmina, who prefers to be known as Jaz, A girl who loves football and plays for the Bramrock Stars, a football team she created. A lovely inclusive story about unlikely friendships and girl power. My child really enjoyed the book, and read it very quickly and she is looking forward to the next one in the series.

Jaz Santos isn’t the most graceful dancer and she’s always getting into trouble at school, but the one thing she loves more than anything else is playing football. When Jaz’s Mum and Dad start having problems, Jaz works out the perfect way to stop them arguing—she decides to start a girls’ football team and win the local tournament. All she needs to do is find a coach and convince six other girls to join her team.

I’m not a football fan but I still loved this book, ‘Jaz Santos vs the World’ is a wonderfully warm, inclusive story about friendship, teamwork and family. Jaz is a brilliantly dynamic and determined protagonist and I can’t wait to read more about the rest of the dream team. A great start to an inspiring new series.

This debut novel is a story of friendship, family and football. Jaz Santos is a bright, vibrant character who gets into trouble but is passionate and determined ... and obsessed with football. While things may not be going right in other areas of her life football gives her an escape and a way of dealing with everything else.
I loved the team coach and what she has to teach all of the girls involved in the team. But quote of the book for me comes from Jaz's mum who uses Jenga as a great analogy - "If you make one wrong move with your piece, then all your hard work comes tumbling down. Life isn't Jenga, though ... Just because you make one mistake, it doesn't always mean your entire dream is ruined."
What great advice for young readers and adults alike.
I look forward to reading about the other team members in novels to come.
An author to watch

Wonderfully funny, wry and determined, Jaz just can't seem to find her place in the world. With her parent's constant arguments and several of her teachers endlessly irritated by Jaz's enthusiastic and sometimes untamed nature, she's having a rough year. But Jaz knows herself well enough to know that she wants, and she's determined and clever enough to push past the NOs and a system that's intent on maintaining the out-dated and incredibly sexist norms to go out and get what she wants: a girl's 7-on-7 soccer club. And even more than that: a championship team!

Jaz builds herself a team that starts out a bit rough around the edges with the intention of shooting for the stars. And shoot she does!

This wonderful story is for all the kids who have adults in their lives who are set on stopping them, on holding up out-dated norms, than encouraging bravery and daring.

Thank you to the author, NG UK and the publishers for the opportunity it read an E-Arc of this fantastic story. Highly recommend for all MG readers.

Jaz Santos loves football almost as much as she loves her family. So when her parents' fighting eventually leads to her mother moving out of the house, Jaz focuses all her energy on football, putting together a team that she hopes can win the Brighton Girls’ Under-11s Seven-a-Side Football Tournament. Perhaps by winning the tournament, she can not only prove that girls have got game, but also convince her parents to be happy together again. Jaz is a total inspiration. Readers will root for her as she stands up to a system that makes things difficult for girls. They will hurt for her as she struggles to fill the mom-sized hole in her heart. JAZ SANTOS VS THE WORLD is a fantastic story about the importance of dreaming big. Many thanks to the author, NetGalley UK, and Penguin Random House UK for the eARC.