• Age: 9 to 12
• Grade: 4 to 7
• Reading age: 9 to 12

In this sequel to Murphy and Mousetrap, Murphy and his three friends, Danny, Jeff and Albert, are making the transition from the tribal elementary school to the community middle school.

They are all trying out for the middle school's soccer team, and they're pretty confident that The Formidable Four will all make the team. But once the tryouts begin, Albert, the tribal-school superstar, plays like a second-stringer. Murphy's new friend, Molly, is determined to help the boys find out what's wrong with Albert, but when they discover the truth, they realize that Albert is playing a whole different game.

Sylvia Olsen's profile page

• Commended, CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens
• Nominated, Forest of Reading Silver Birch Express Award
• Commended, Resource Links, The Year's Best Books

"Part of the terrific Orca Young Readers collection, A Different Game is the story of four boys who strive to make their school's soccer team only to discover that sometimes you get call[ed] up to play in a bigger game, and that life, like soccer, is better when it's a team effort...A solid, well-crafted story with strong, likable characters that will appeal to readers from Grade 3 up."

FernFolio

"A novel of courage and achievement told from the point of view of four native youths who must learn to cope with life off the reserve and their friend's illness…Many life lessons are taught with meaningful thematic messages, values and spirit…Highly recommended for primary/junior male readers both for recreational reading and for literature circles or discussion groups."

Resource Links

A Different Game

In this Orca Young Reader and sequel to Murphy and Mousetrap, Murphy is a fair-haired Aboriginal boy facing a challenging transition from his comfortable Long Inlet Tribal School to middle school as a Grade Seven student. He and his three soccer-loving pals are all expected to make the provincial champion middle school soccer team. However, their superstar player begins playing and behaving poorly and the friends eventually learn that he has leukaemia. With the help of their devoted tribal coach, Uncle Rudy and a new middle school friend, Molly, the “Formidable Four” learn that the power of positive thinking, persistence and supportive relationships will help them through this trying time.

An extensive Teacher’s Guide is available on the publisher’s website. Olsen worked on the Tsartlip First Nations Reserve near Victoria, BC for almost 30 years. She has written several children’s and young adult novels.

A Different Game

In this Orca Young Reader and sequel to Murphy and Mousetrap, Murphy is a fair-haired Aboriginal boy facing a challenging transition from his comfortable Long Inlet Tribal School to middle school as a Grade Seven student. He and his three soccer-loving pals are all expected to make the provincial champion middle school soccer team. However, their superstar player begins playing and behaving poorly and the friends eventually learn that he has leukaemia. With the help of their devoted tribal coach, Uncle Rudy and a new middle school friend, Molly, the “Formidable Four” learn that the power of positive thinking, persistence and supportive relationships will help them through this trying time.

An extensive Teacher’s Guide is available on the publisher’s website. Olsen worked on the Tsartlip First Nations Reserve near Victoria, BC for almost 30 years. She has written several children’s and young adult novels.

A Different Game (Orca Young Readers)

In this sequel to Murphy and Mousetrap, Murphy and his three friends — Danny, Jeff and Albert — are making the transition from tribal elementary school to community middle school and trying out for the soccer team. But when Albert doesn’t play as well as he usually does, the boys begin to suspect something is wrong.