Defending Irene

By Kristin Wolden Nitz

Irene loves soccer, and, back in Missouri, she was one of the top players on her school's girls' team. But things are different in Merano, Italy.
Irene loves the feel of the ball exploding off her foot for a shot at the goal, but in the small, very traditional Alpine town in Italy where Irene and her family have come for a yearlong stay, there is no soccer team for girls.
When Irene decides to join the highly competitive boys' team, she has little idea what she's getting herself into. She must prove herself to the strict coach, and her teammates make it clear they don't want her on the field. Especially Matteo, the team's star player, who goes out of his way to make Irene unwelcome. But Irene does not give up easily.
With an often humorous look at a collision of cultures, Kristin Wolden Nitz has created a complex adolescent character whom readers will root for as she struggles to find her place in a new country and on the field.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1561453099
• ISBN13: 9781561453092
• Release Date: April 2004
• Publisher: Peachtree Publishing Company
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 1.03 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.3" x 8.8"
• Age Range: 9 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 7

Customer Reviews

Great book!

Defending Irene is one of the best books I've read in a long time. The main character, Irene, 13, is someone you can identify with even if you don't play sports. Irene demonstrates courage, wit and integrity as she struggles to achieve success on an all-boys Italian soccer team. But she's not perfect - we see her weaknesses and fears. The setting - in the Italian Alps- makes for a very interesting backdrop. The scenes are packed with action, humor and drama. I don't often read sports books, but I'd recommend this to anyone who wants to read a really good novel.

Not just another sports novel

"Defending Irene" is a terrific sports novel, but it also has depth of character, a fascinating setting, and meets the ultimate test for any young adult fiction: the ring of truth in dialogue and character development. Readers will be able to identify with Irene's struggles to be true to her self at the same time as she challenges her previous assumptions about who she is, part of the journey of adolescence. Author Kristin Nitz captures nicely the cultural nuances of life in Italy, especially the contrast between American and Italian teens. Great writing. Can't wait for more from this gifted author.

Not just for soccer fans

Though the story here revolves around soccer--specifically whether or not Irene will ever manage to be accepted as a real player by an otherwise all-male (and male chauvinist) soccer team--and there's plenty of action on the field, it's more than a standard-issue sports story. The characters here are individual and believable and multi-faceted, and the relationships between them are realistic. Kristin Nitz has an engaging style and a great ear for dialogue. As a bonus, she provides the reader with a good deal of information along the way about Italy and the Italian language without being heavy-handed about it. But best thing about the book, to my mind, is the ending. I don't want to spoil it, so let me just say that it's satisfying without attempting to tie everything up TOO neatly, as books--especially books for young readers--too often do.

Irene has spunk!

First of all, the mountainous setting in Italy was a delightful place to find this American-Italian family. I enjoyed the mix of English and Italian sprinkled throughout the book. Irene was a strong, feisty character who mixed it up with the boys and held her ground. I'm not much of a soccer fan, but the game scenes were great and easy to follow. I think girls will enjoy Irene's journey and boys will like the sporting excitement. My 10 year old son enjoyed it and I highly recommend it!!