When Saturday Comes

A young boy’s relationship with his struggling dad is strained when he is forced to choose between playing football and quality time in this sensitively told story from award-winning writer Tony Bradman.

Daniel had a hard time when his parents split up and his dad started working abroad. He had to move and start at a new school, but things changed for the better when he started playing football for the Haybrook Rockets. This season the team are in with a chance of winning the Championship, but just as things are looking up for Daniel his dad comes back and the only time he can meet up is a Saturday morning – when Daniel plays football. He doesn’t want to let his dad or his team down, so what is Daniel going to do?

Particularly suitable for readers aged 9+ with a reading age of 8.

Reviews

"A sweet, relatable tale about a football-mad lad who's in a dilemma over his deadbeat dad … Explores the consequences … With clarity and sensitivity." – The Times

"Harnessing all the familiar feelings and frustrations of children caught between warring parents, Bradman brings us a story full of warmth, insight and wisdom, with the added poignancy of Rex’s expressive and emotive artwork." – Lancaster Guardian

"A sensitively told story about being caught in the middle of a family separation, and how friendship and football change things for the better … A short book that packs an emotional punch." — The School Librarian

"A story that will be full of very real dilemmas for many children who have a parent living away from them and it’s good to read a story in which the consequences are presented so sympathetically whilst at the same time illustrating that there aren’t simple answers." – The Letterpress Project

"Harnessing all the familiar feelings and frustrations of children caught between warring parents, Bradman brings us a story full of warmth, insight and wisdom, with the added poignancy of Rex’s expressive and emotive artwork." – Book-marked

About the author

Tony Bradman is a hugely prolific author with a particular passion for bringing history to life for young people. His middle grade novels Viking Boy and Anglo- Saxon Boy are particularly popular with schools, and his Barrington Stoke novella Bruno and Frida won in the 7-10 category of the Young Quills Awards 2023.