
Reach for this book when your child feels like your work life is a barrier to your relationship, or when they are struggling to find a common language with a busy parent. Football Fugitive follows Larry, a young boy who loves football and wishes his lawyer father shared his passion instead of always being buried in legal briefs. When his father takes on a professional football player as a client, their worlds begin to collide in unexpected ways. This story is a gentle bridge for families navigating the balance between professional responsibilities and the need for parental presence. It validates a child's feelings of loneliness while showing how mutual interests can provide a path to connection. Ideal for independent readers aged 8 to 12, it offers a classic sports narrative rooted in real-world emotional stakes.





















Your experience helps other parents find the right book.
Sign in to write a reviewThe book deals with the 'fugitive' aspect of the pro player's legal troubles. The approach is direct and secular, focusing on the legal process and the concept of innocence until proven guilty. The resolution is hopeful and reinforces the value of integrity and family support.
A middle-grade reader who loves sports but is also dealing with a 'workaholic' parent. It is perfect for a child who needs to see that their parents' professional lives and their own hobbies can eventually intersect.
The book is a straightforward read and can be read cold. Parents may want to discuss the legal subplot if the child has questions about how the law works. A parent might choose this after hearing their child say, 'You're always working,' or 'You never come to my games.'
Younger readers will focus on the football action and the excitement of meeting a pro player. Older readers will pick up on the nuance of the father-son dynamic and the pressures of the father's career.
Unlike many sports books that focus solely on the big game, Christopher uses the sport as a vehicle to explore a complex father-son relationship and the ethics of the legal profession.
Larry is a devoted football fan and player who feels a disconnect from his father, a hard-working attorney. The tension shifts when Larry's father is hired to represent a professional football player who is accused of a crime. As Larry follows the case and his own season, he begins to see his father's professional skills in a new light, and the two find a way to bond through the sport they both come to appreciate.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.