New boy Smithy can't understand why everyone is so excited about a player on the football team called "Bengo." Bengo's been absent for the first few games of the season and starts the next game on the bench, so surely he can't be that special?

But when Smithy finally gets a chance to see him in action, Bengo is easily the best player he's ever seen, putting in perfect crosses and generally running the opposition ragged.

So why is Bengo left on the bench so often, and why does he seem to bottle it when any strong tackles come his way?

A former elementary school teacher, Alan Gibbons has sold over 1.3 million books and won many prestigious awards. Alan is a dedicated advocate for libraries and an education consultant, and he visits over 150 schools a year. He lives in Liverpool, England.