Meet Matt, a young Australian boy who improved his soccer skills by dribbling a ball around fierce charging cattle. Seems impossible, right? Not for this young talent.

Are you into young heroes who like to change the world with their incredible talent? Well this is the adrenaline-rushing book for you!

Matt started off as a young innocent boy who lived in the outback of Australia and liked to play a bit of soccer here and there. One day Matt and his friends decided to play a game of soccer in their backyard. Matt was just brilliant and whenever he wanted to score a goal, he did.

All of a sudden the ball went over the fence into the cattle fields. Matt didn’t hesitate to get the ball, but all of a sudden the cattle were let out to the yard from their claustrophobic enclosures and came charging towards Matt at a million kilometres an hour. They were no match for Matt as he dribbles and moved his way around the raging cattle. This was all recorded on the camera that captured the activity of the cattle, and as soon as he knew it Matt was on national TV and was invited to go to England to pursue his very successful career in England.

The main characters in this story are Matt, his little enthusiastic sister, and his hippy uncle Cliff.

I found this book very enjoyable because of the way that Morris Gleitzman was successfully able to portray the character and career of a young teenager like Matt to play against the adults of such a big club like Chelsea. I found this so incredible because he found playing against one of the best clubs in the premier league so easy. It kept me reading to the end and I suggest you do too because something amazing happens. I recommend this book to anyone between the ages of 8-14 and anybody who enjoys soccer or any sports. Overall I’d rate the book Extra Time 8 out of 10.

Zac, Year 8

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“The ball blurs over everybody’s head and dips into the top corner of the goal before the goalie can move. People just stare at him.”

The start of the story is set in a wasteland next to a cattle yard claimed to be the best place in Australia for a kick around. Then the story’s setting eventually changes to being set in England.

The main characters in the book are Matt, his sister, and Uncle Cliff. Matt is the 14-year-old soccer player who goes to England to chase his dreams. Matt’s sister is also a main character in the book because she is his manager even though she is only 10. She is always looking out for her older brother. Uncle Cliff is Matt’s uncle who takes the kids on the trip to England because their parents have too much to worry about in Australia.

What happens in the story is that a young boy who has had a few setbacks in his life turns for being just a kid in the small town turns out to be an amazing soccer player. A professional soccer club discovers Matt’s talent and he gets the opportunity to play for and against some of the most known soccer teams in the world and help his team win at only the age of 14. Uncle Cliff and his 10 year old manager are taken on his adventurous trip to England helping and supporting him through his journey.

I liked the book because it was so interesting and fun to read because it teaches me a life lesson which was to never give up and it was a good adventurous book. I would recommend this book to the age group of 8-12 because the words are easy to read and is more set for that age group. It can be a read for both boys and girls.

Adam C. Year 8

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“ He sways his hips and glides past them like an expert removalist getting a big wardrobe through a small door.”

This story is set in the Australian outback but then changes to England half way through the story.

Matt is a very determined boy who wants to be a soccer star. Matt’s sister is his manager. She is trying her best to be a good manager and help her brother. Matt’s Uncle Cliff is a very helpful and very supportive person and is one of Matt’s biggest fans. Matt also couldn’t have gone to England without Uncle Cliff coming with him.

In this book a young boy named Matt who is a very skilled soccer player goes to England with his sister and his uncle to hopefully join a soccer club and make his dream of becoming a famous soccer player come true.

I liked this book because it shows that if you work hard enough on something you can achieve your dream or goal. I would recommend this book to you kids who don’t have much self-confidence because it might show them to keep dreaming in what they can achieve.

Cameron.C   Year 8

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Matt is running down the middle of the field dodging and turning everyone that is in his way. Then he comes up to the goal, tired after running the field, the goalkeeper rushes up on him, Matt shoots and it is perfectly on target and boom Matt scores to win the game.

Extra Time is a good story, first set in Australia then it moves to England where Matt plays soccer. There he starts his big soccer career that leads him to play for a very well known team.

The main characters in this book are Matt, Matt’s little sister, and Matt’s grandad. The main characters in this story make up a big part of the book and all these characters have a big role in the book when Matt has to go to England and play against Manchester United.

It all starts off with Matt and his friends going out to the park just to play a one on one match of soccer. But Matt was in a car crash and really damaged his legs and doesn’t think he can do anything ever again. But what he doesn’t know is that the metal plates holding his legs in place are making him stronger by the minute. Then a bunch of mean boys called the Orange boys come in and try to beat them in a soccer match. But Matt has so many skills he just runs straight around them.

I liked this book a lot but it wasn’t the greatest book I have read because I thought it was bit too babyish and more suitable for kids a bit younger than me, but Extra Time was a good book.

I would definitely recommend this book to some of my friends and kids that are a bit younger than me in Year 6 or 7. I think kids in this age group would absolutely love this book because it is such a fun book and it is all about sports.

Corey G., Year 8