SHORTLISTED 2026

Children's Sports Book of the Year | Shortlisted

Girls with Goals

by Clelia Castro-Malaspina

How women's football took over the world

Girls with Goals tells the story of the incredible rise of women’s football from its humble origins in 19th century Britain to the bans, challenges, laws and astonishing victories that have propelled it to being the global phenomenon it is today.

Clelia Castro-Malaspina is the author of books for teens and children, including Your Freedom, Your Power: A Kid’s Guide to the First Amendment. Kirkus called this book “current, insightful and savvy,” and in its starred review, Booklist asserted that the book “empowers kids.” Clelia has been an attorney and a literary agent, and currently runs her children’s book editorial business, Mossy Pines Creative. She lives on Mercer Island Washington, an island suburb of Seattle, with her husband and two daughters.

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