The Penalty

By Mal Peet

Book Overview

"Peet's prose is both lyrical and unflinching. . . . A bold exploration of ageless themes of power, fame, love, and trust, all seen through the deceptive lens of modern celebrity culture." -- Booklist As the city of San Juan pulses to summer's sluggish beat, its teenage soccer prodigy, El Brujito, the Little Magician, vanishes without a trace--right after he misses a penalty kick and loses a big game for his team. Sports reporter Paul Faustino is reluctantly drawn into the mystery of the athlete's disappearance and, as a story of corruption and murder unfolds, must confront the bitter history of slavery and the power of the occult.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0763687472
• ISBN13: 9780763687472
• Release Date: November 2016
• Publisher: Candlewick Press (MA)
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.81 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.1" x 7.6"
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher