Books
The Floating Field
Prasit Hemmin and his friends loved to play soccer. But the boys could play only twice a month when the tide was low enough for a sandbar to serve as a field. That’s because their home, the small island of Koh Panyee, Thailand didn’t have enough open space for them to play. Unless….
Follow the true, inspiring story of Prasit and his friends as they build the field of their dreams in this celebration of ingenuity, determination, and most of all, love of the game.
Awards and Accolades
★
“A real-life celebration of resourcefulness by debut author Riley… a transportive read… a compelling ok for fottball fans and readers seeking examples of ingenuity.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred)
★
“[F]illed with happy smiles and strong kicks… A splendid nonfiction picturebook.”
— Horn Book (starred)
★
“This is a story that presents kids as true problem solvers… an excellent STEM resource.”
— School Library Journal (starred)
- A Junior Library Guild Selection
- 2021 Chicago Public Library Best of the Best
- 2022 Red Clover Book Award (Vermont)
- 2022 Texas Topaz Nonfiction Reading List
- 2022 Washington Children’s Choice Picture Book Award
- 2022 Wisconsin State Reading Association Recommended List
- 2023 Beehive Book Award Nominee (Utah)
- 2023 Louisiana Young Readers’ Choice Award Nominee
- 2023 Nutmeg Book Award Winner (Connecticut)
- 2023 Siam Book Award Winner
- 2024 Black-Eyed Susan Award Nominee (Maryland)
- 2024 Illinois Bluestem Award
- 2024 Indiana Read Aloud Shortlist
Resources to Share
Kim Lien and Nguyen Quang explain their process for illustrating The Floating Field.
Rats to the Rescue
Growing up in Cambodia, Malen feared the buried explosives from a forgotten war that forced her and many others to live, farm, and play in fear. Later on, she vowed to clear them as a deminer.
Meanwhile, in Tanzania, Magawa also learned how to find landmines. He didn’t need a metal detector–he had his nose. Magawa was a rat, and his smelling superpower and light weight helped him safely sniff out dangerous explosives.
Together Malen, Magawa and others team up to become the unlikely heroes making Cambodia safe for all in this true, inspiring tale of ingenuity and perseverance.
“With Lee’s painted scenes (switching to photos in the back matter) to illustrate, the authors describe in detail how both the people and the rats are trained, how Malen and her colleagues bond with their animals, and how they carefully and systematically stake out and sweep suspected minefields..”
— Booklist
“An unusual subject, sensitively handled.”
— Kirkus
“[A] very interesting and compelling story that most young readers will be unaware of, and many will find fascinating.”
— School Library Journal
A Junior Library Guild Selection