Un petit coup de main amical (French), by J. Degenhardt
One day Malik is a soccer phenom, dancing his way around the ball up and down the pitch.
The next day, he isn’t.
As if coming to terms with needing to use a wheelchair isn’t enough at 14 years old, Malik also has to face more changes, and all at once. Switching schools because of the family’s move to a new neighborhood, and changes in the relationship with his father due to the sudden absence of soccer in their lives, cause way too much stress. This new reality is NOT a good time for Malik.
Antoine is struggling in his relationship with his dad, too, mostly because he thinks his father wants him to be something Antoine is not - or at least he doesn’t think he is. Instead of practicing his guitar and trying to be as good as a musician as his father, Antoine just wants to be left alone to play video games with his friends.
The two boys meet at Malik’s new school, and, after a bit of a rocky start, they develop a friendship. Later, with the help of a professional hockey player, who is facing his own challenges, both Malik and Antoine begin to realize that what they think is reality is not the same as what really is.