Arcady's Goal

September 15, 2014
Inspired by a photograph of the Red Army Soccer Club of 1945, of which his father was captain, Yelchin (Breaking Stalin’s Nose) tells the story of 12-year-old orphaned Arcady, whose soccer talent brings him to the attention of Ivan Ivanych, who identifies himself as a soccer coach and adopts the boy. Set in Stalinist Russia, the compact novel follows the spurts and crashes of the relationship between the two, who have both lost family—Arcady, his parents; Ivan, his wife—to the Communist party’s arrest of those deemed enemies of the state. Ivan’s efforts to tame Arcady’s roughness and help him achieve his goal of playing for the Red Army Soccer Club are hampered by his own past. Yelchin’s b&w drawings, interspersed throughout the text as both spots and spreads, add emotional depth and amplify the plot; ample soccer detail makes this a winner for fans of the sport. Readers unfamiliar with the period will benefit from reading the ending author’s note—which provides historical background without giving away any of the plot—before they embark on the book. Ages 9–12. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House.

September 1, 2014
Two survivors of Stalinist oppression attempt to form a family in this companion (not sequel) to the 2012 Newbery Honor-winning Breaking Stalin's Nose. All young Arcady knows of his parents is that they were declared "enemies of the people"; their supposed crimes ended their lives and landed him in a "children's home." Having lived in several "homes," Arcady has learned to take care of himself and to play soccer so well he can beat kids twice his size one-on-one. When one of the government inspectors decides to adopt Arcady, the boy hopes Ivan Ivanych is a soccer scout or at least a coach who can help him win a place on the Red Army Soccer Club team like his idol Fedor Brutko. But Ivan is just a former teacher who lost his wife to whispered accusations of anti-Stalinism. The two find there's almost no escape from labels, but there may be strength in their relationship. Yelchin once again examines the lasting effects of the horrors of Stalinism on the Russian people in a simple story told from the point of view of a child. His many pencil-and-charcoal illustrations, spot and full page, are action- and emotion-packed and gracefully complement the story. An author's note provides a moving, real-world example of the lasting impact of Stalin's atrocities. An uplifting, believable ending makes this companion lighter-but no less affecting-than its laurelled predecessor. (Historical fiction. 9-12)

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July 1, 2014

Gr 5-8-After his parents are accused of being enemies of the state, 12-year-old Arcady grew up being carted from orphanage to orphanage in Soviet Russia. Although Arcady hasn't had a great childhood, he is great at soccer. In fact, his soccer skills are his ticket out of the orphanage when soft-hearted schoolteacher-turned-orphanage-inspector, Ivan Ivanych, sees Arcady play on an inspection and decides to adopt him. Believing the inspector is actually recruiting youth players for the Soviet's greatest team -the Red Army-in disguise, Arcady calls his new benefactor Coach, and treats him like one, always trying to impress Coach with his skills. Ivan lives up to his new title, creating a youth soccer team just for Arcady to play on. Through this team, Arcady finds that he and Coach are more alike than he originally thought, he learns the true colors of the communist attitude, and he finds his and Ivan's next ticket out of exile: a tryout for the real Red Army soccer team. In tune with his Newbery Honor book, Breaking Stalin's Nose (Holt, 2011), Yelchin's latest features quick and easy chapters, stimulating, true-to-life characters, and beautiful, mood-setting illustrations. Although a rough knowledge of Soviet Russia would help readers understand Arcady's world from the get-go, a foreword and author's note orient readers outright. Kids can also infer context from Arcady's own growing understanding of his country's situation. This title is a great suggestion for those who enjoy the soccer stories by Matt Christopher, historical fiction, and war stories.-Brittany Staszak, Glencoe Public Library, IL

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2014
Grades 4-7 Yelchin follows up his Newbery Honor Book, Breaking Stalin's Nose (2011), with another novel set in Soviet Russia. Twelve-year-old Arcady lives in an orphanage that houses the children of parents who are considered enemies of the people. He exploits his soccer prowess to win extra bread rations until the day that inspector Ivan Ivanych brings him home. Initially, Arcady is convinced that Ivan is a coach who only values him for his soccer skills, and he is initially blind to Ivan's yearning for companionship following the death of his wife, who was also deemed an enemy of the people. Organized into short chapters, this swiftly moving, lucid novel tells an affecting tale, illustrated with often chilling drawings of Soviet life. Yelchin effectively weaves in historical truths throughout Arcady's first-person narration, which reflects the boy's constrained understanding of his world. Also notable is the masterful twist of the expected sports clich' of prizing the team over the individual, as Arcady's naive yearning to stand out as a great soccer player butts up against Ivan's pained understanding of Soviet expectations for conformity.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)