Review : Goal, Butterfingers! by Khyrunnisa A

Author: Khyrunnisa A
Publisher: Penguin Books India
Year: 2012
ISBN: 9780143332084
Rating:

If you were a Tinkle reader in your pre-teen days (or still are one, like most of us who refuse to grow out of it!), Butterfingers must be a character you’d be well acquainted with, and maybe a favorite too. Goal, Butterfingers! is Khyrunnisa’s second novel for young readers, after her much appreciated Howzzat Butterfingers!

So what made a 22 year old ‘non-sporty’ type pick this one? The love for happy stories and good writing! As I breezed through the school time (mis-)adventures of Amar aka Butterfingers and his friends, I re-lived my childhood days and all the fun we had then. And in this current world of Dostoevskian tragedy and Chekhovian blues, a read like this is definitely priceless.

Goal, Butterfingers! is a story of how ‘kids’ make it big in the world of grownups. These children have got their stuff right – be it soccer, environmental activism, or bunking for a “greater good”. It depicts how our youngsters are these days – thinkers who are sensitive to the society's ways, and yet “chilled” out. Its amazing how the writer manages to get the in-thing of this new generation, with their “like-like” talks and crazy ideas to change the world, imbibed perfectly into a realistic school-days scenario.

The story revolves around the gang planning to hold a 'World Cup' football tournament in their school, of keeping peace with new exchange students and a stern English teacher, and save their town from a proposed pesticides factory. In the midst of plenty of slips (characteristic of the aptly named, Butterfingers) and goof-ups, the gang manages to stick together and bring back their world into order.

A fine story, simple yet with mischief and mystery, this book surely leaves you smiling at its happy end. Scored a big goal, this one did!