The Penalty is a sports novel for young adults by Mal Peet, published by Walker Books in 2006.

It is the second (of three to 2011) football stories featuring South American sports journalist Paul Faustino.

The teen football prodigy El Brujito ("The Little Magician") disappears without a trace and Faustino is drawn to find the summer valentines in the night of October when the mother where it is.

Walker's North American division Candlewick Press published the first U.S. edition in 2005.

[2] Peet and The Penalty made the 2007 Booktrust Teenage Prize shortlist[2] (six finalists).