The Last Pass
Nolan is the fastest kid in the neighborhood. When the ball comes to his feet, he runs like the wind, wanting to dash past everyone and score the most amazing goal. But in real matches, sometimes speed alone isn't enough. In his new adventure, which begins on an old dirt field, Nolan meets different players, makes new friends, and plays in thrilling matches, and he starts to discover a whole new side of soccer. Because sometimes the most beautiful game isn't just about scoring goals. It's about learning to move together. The Last Pass is a heartwarming story about friendship, team spirit, and trust. It invites children to run across dusty fields and discover the power of sharing and the true joy of the game.
25 Minutes
3 Endings
7-12
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About This Story
“The Last Pass” is an interactive educational story for children aged 7-12, about 25 minutes long. The reader decides how it goes at 5 choice points, and there are 3 different endings. It is available to Kitapz Premium subscribers; the opening is free to read below.
- Age range
- 7-12 years
- Reading time
- about 25 minutes
- Genre
- Educational
- Format
- Interactive · 5 choice points · 3 endings
- Language
- English, Turkish
- Access
- With a Premium subscription
- Characters
- Owen, Nolan, Peanut, Grandpa Clay
- Collections
- Educational stories, Stories for ages 7-8, Stories for ages 9-10, Stories for ages 11-12
- Reading support
- dyslexia-friendly font, bionic reading, color-blindness filters
An Excerpt from the Story
Nolan bounces his ball on the empty dirt field.
Nolan:
“One, two, three... and shoot!”
The ball zooms into a pretend goal.
Nolan:
“Yes! I'm the best!”
Nolan (thinking):
I'm awesome all by myself.
Nolan (thinking):
Is somebody watching me?
Grandpa Clay appears by the fence and quietly joins the scene.
Nolan (thinking):
Who's that man? Is he watching me?
Nolan:
“Did you see my shot? I'm super fast!”
Grandpa Clay:
“I saw... You've got talent.”
“The Last Pass” · Ages 7-12 · kitapz.com
school For Parents and Teachers
In this story, children follow Nolan, a fast boy used to playing alone, as he is invited to a tournament and meets his shy new teammate, Owen. It weighs wanting to be the star against playing together, and lets readers hear how the child on the sidelines feels. Choices decide whether Nolan joins the team and shares the ball.
What will children learn from this story?
- Thinks about why passing and trusting a teammate can matter as much as speed in football.
- Practices seeing the same game through two pairs of eyes: confident Nolan's and shy Owen's.
- Notices that what characters say out loud and what they think inside are not always the same.
- Considers how a decision can affect teammates, not just the person who makes it.
Curriculum links: Life skills, Social studies, Language arts
Fact Box
How many players does a football team have on the field?
Under the Laws of the Game set by IFAB, each team has at most 11 players on the field, and one of them must be the goalkeeper. A match cannot start or continue if either team has fewer than seven players.
Source: IFAB Laws of the Game
Why do young children play football in small teams?
From the 2026-27 season, England's Football Association made 3v3 the starting format for under-7s. The FA says research shows that 3v3 gets children moving more and touching the ball more, which gives every player more chances to make decisions, score and stop goals.
Does warming up before football really prevent injuries?
It can. In a University of Basel study of about 3,900 children aged 7 to 13 in Switzerland, Germany, Czechia and the Netherlands, teams that did the 20-minute "11+ Kids" warm-up at the start of training had 48% fewer injuries over a season, and up to 74% fewer severe injuries. The researchers recommend doing it at least once a week, ideally twice.
Source: University of Basel
Reading Comprehension Questions (5W1H)
The questions cover the opening that every reader sees, whatever they choose. Tap a question to see the answer.
-
Who? Who does Grandpa Clay introduce to Nolan as his teammate?
Answer: Owen, a very quiet and shy boy.
-
What? What does Grandpa Clay offer Nolan?
Answer: A place on his team for a tournament that is coming up soon.
-
Where? Where is Nolan bouncing his ball at the start of the story?
Answer: On an empty dirt field.
-
When? When does the little dog Peanut dash onto the field?
Answer: Right after Nolan happily agrees to play in the tournament and jumps up and down with excitement.
-
Why? Why does Nolan think things will be tough with Owen?
Answer: Owen is very quiet, looks away and can hardly answer his questions, so Nolan isn't sure he can even play football.
-
How? How does Peanut try to get Nolan's ball?
Answer: He barks at it, jumps up and tries to grab it.
Questions to Talk About After Reading
- At the first big choice, did you have Nolan join the team right away, or keep playing on his own in the street? Why did you pick that path?
- Grandpa Clay says, "Football is better when you share it." What do you think he means? Can you think of other games or things that are more fun when you share them?
- Owen is shy and doesn't say much. Have you ever felt left on the sidelines in a game, or that the ball never came to you? What would you have wanted to happen?
- Do you think it matters more to be the fastest player on a team, or to trust your teammates? Why?
Word List
- tournament
- A competition in which several teams play a series of matches until one team wins.
- dribble
- To move forward with the ball by tapping it with your feet and keeping it close so no one can take it.
- scuff
- To scrape your foot along the ground, like Owen does with the dirt when he feels shy.
- sideline
- The line along each long side of a field; being on the sidelines means standing at the edge and watching instead of playing.
- penalty area
- The big box marked in front of each goal, the only place where the goalkeeper may catch the ball with their hands.
- jersey
- The shirt a player wears in a match, usually in the team's colors.
Activity Idea
In a garden or schoolyard, set out two markers and try this with two or three children: first one child dribbles the ball alone from one marker to the other, then the group covers the same distance only by passing. Afterwards, talk together about which way was faster and which one let everyone take part more.
Completion Rewards
What you'll earn when you finish this story: