Friends and Teammates
(2026)(The second book in the Inspiring Sports Stories for Children Everywhere series)
A novel by Hermione Rose Higgs and Steve Higgs
This season, the Renegades will discover what it truly means to play for each other.
After their unforgettable County Cup victory, Ella Brooks and the Northfield Renegades are dreaming bigger than ever. The league title is still within reach, the regional championships are waiting on the horizon, and for the first time, beating the unstoppable Folkstone Fury no longer feels impossible.
But football seasons are not won with dreams.
A talented new midfielder arrives with incredible skill but little understanding of teamwork. Injuries threaten to derail everything at the worst possible moment. The pressure of expectations begins to grow heavier with every match, every missed chance, and every point gained or lost in the league table.
As captain, Ella is learning that leadership is about far more than lifting trophies or giving speeches before finals. It is about trust. Sacrifice. Seeing the best in people before they can see it in themselves.
And sometimes, it is about watching from the sidelines while your team fights without you.
Friends and Teammates is a heartfelt and inspiring story about football, friendship, resilience, and belonging. It is for every child who has ever struggled to fit in, every young athlete learning that teamwork matters more than individual brilliance, and every reader who understands that the strongest teams are built not just on talent — but on trust.
By the final whistle, your child will understand that great teammates do more than help each other win. They help each other become better people.
Genre: Children's Fiction
After their unforgettable County Cup victory, Ella Brooks and the Northfield Renegades are dreaming bigger than ever. The league title is still within reach, the regional championships are waiting on the horizon, and for the first time, beating the unstoppable Folkstone Fury no longer feels impossible.
But football seasons are not won with dreams.
A talented new midfielder arrives with incredible skill but little understanding of teamwork. Injuries threaten to derail everything at the worst possible moment. The pressure of expectations begins to grow heavier with every match, every missed chance, and every point gained or lost in the league table.
As captain, Ella is learning that leadership is about far more than lifting trophies or giving speeches before finals. It is about trust. Sacrifice. Seeing the best in people before they can see it in themselves.
And sometimes, it is about watching from the sidelines while your team fights without you.
Friends and Teammates is a heartfelt and inspiring story about football, friendship, resilience, and belonging. It is for every child who has ever struggled to fit in, every young athlete learning that teamwork matters more than individual brilliance, and every reader who understands that the strongest teams are built not just on talent — but on trust.
By the final whistle, your child will understand that great teammates do more than help each other win. They help each other become better people.
Genre: Children's Fiction