• Age: 10 to 13
• Grade: 3
• Reading age: 7 to 8

Victor is the captain of a soccer team of recently arrived refugee kids. He struggles to focus on his game during a national tournament because he is haunted by the memory of losing his grandfather back in war-torn Syria and he is worrying about his brother who is at home sick with pneumonia. Can Victor find a way to take care of his family, himself, and his team?

Tournament Fugee is one of four books that offer readers insight into the experiences of refugee youth as they adjust to life in North America

DIRK McLEAN is the author of children's picture books, the Lorimer Sports Stories novel Not Out, and Team Fugee. He has also written radio drama and stage plays which have toured southern Ontario elementary schools. Dirk was born in Trinidad & Tobago and now lives in Toronto.

Dirk McLean's profile page

• Winner, CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens

"There were also subplots that added depth, and lots of clever, humorous moments sprinkled throughout."

NetGalley

"McLean's novel handles heavy topics like immigration and refugee status, responsibility, guilt and illness beautifully. His writing doesn't shy away from the reality of these topics, but it is not overwhelming for readers, and the novel's characters handle their struggles believably ... Tournament Fugee is an important one because of the subjects it deals with. Highly Recommended"

CM: Canadian Review of Materials

"Soccer United stands apart for discussing the modern refugee crisis and the difficulties of resettlement for middle school readers."

School Library Journal