The Perfect Match

THE PERFECT MATCH is a sweet Cinderella story with a soccer twist! The story is told by a little boy's father as a bedtime story. Little Leo was forced by his brothers to do a lot of chores. When an invitation came from Prince Ollie to join in a soccer game, Leo's brothers say he can only go if he does a very long list of chores. While sad and working, a Hairy Squadfather appears and transforms Leo so that he can go to the game - and be on Ollie's team. Together, they win the match, but Leo has to run from the match, leaving his cleat behind.

Ollie later brings the cleat to try on, and a team is made! The end of the book has them telling Jack, their son, that without that cleat they would not have found each other and become a family.

What I loved: This is an adorable Cinderella story with a fun soccer twist. The story is a nice retelling of the original with soccer-themed touches that make it adorably sweet. The plot flows smoothly with plenty of soccer game action included in the middle. The ending is very sweet as well, bringing it together and showing what happened to them in the end with a goodnight story.

The illustrations are absolutely lovely throughout with touches of fairytale magic and color. The characters really come to life, and the use of panels helps to convey the story smoothly through even the more complex scenes. The soccer twists and LGBT family make this a perfect read for June with Pride Month and the World Cup!

Final verdict: THE PERFECT MATCH is a sweet and charming Cinderella story with a fun soccer twist that young readers will enjoy. Colorful and detailed illustrations complement the story well and make this great picture book stand out!

THE PERFECT MATCH is a Cinderella retelling featuring a soccer game, young Leo, and Prince Ollie. Leo is telling the story about the Royal Match to his son Jack as a bedtime story. Despite loving soccer, Leo never gets to play because his stepbrothers always stick him with the chores. With the help of his Hairy Squadfather, Leo manages to sneak out and join Prince Ollie’s team during the Royal Match.

As a Cinderella retelling, the story is pretty predictable. This is not a complaint though. The author manages to take the traditional Cinderella story and switch it around enough so that it feels like a distinct, if related, story. Having it take place during a soccer game is definitely a switch that I don’t see often. Framing this story as a bedtime story is a charming addition as well.

The artwork in this book is so pretty. The images are very clean, with beautiful shading ang colors. Each line feels carefully illustrated and you can feel the care that went into the book in the images. The artist also did a fantastic job at capturing the energy and magic of the book. The stadium feels alive, the game feels real. It’s so vibrant and energetic.

Fans of fairy tales or soccer may take an interest in this book. THE PERFECT MATCH is a sweet Cinderella story that puts soccer in the forefront. With stunning images to accompany it, this is definitely a memorable picture book.