Product Description

Do you know how a poor boy from Brazil who loved fútbol more than anything else became the biggest soccer star the world has ever known? Turn the pages of this book to read the true life story of Pelé, King of Soccer, the first man in the history of the sport to score a thousand goals and become a living legend. Rudy Gutiérrez's dynamic illustrations make award-winning author Monica Brown's story of this remarkable sports hero truly come alive!

¿Sabes cómo un niño brasileño pobre que amaba el fútbol más que nada en el mundo se convirtió en la estrella más importante del deporte? Lee este relato y entérate de la historia de Pelé, El rey del fútbol; el primer hombre en la historia del deporte capaz de marcar mil goles y convertirse en una leyenda viva. Las dinámicas ilustraciones de Rudy Gutiérrez destacan vívidamente los momentos recreados por la escritora premiada Mónica Brown en este extraordinario libro.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #714337 in Books
• Published on: 2009-01-01
• Released on: 2008-12-23
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 40 pages

From Booklist
Twisting multiple perspectives, adding swirls of color, and limning distorted figures with loose auras of yellow and blue, Gutiérrez creates high-energy, full-bleed illustrations that kick up the unexceptional English-over-Spanish text of this tribute to Pelé, still soccer’s O Rei (The King). “Every evening, no matter how tired they were, Pelé and his father, Dondinho, would play soccer in the streets. Whoops! Sometimes Pelé accidentally broke a window or kicked a ball over a fence.” Brown retraces Pelé’s youth and swift rise to fame, closing with a dramatic account of his 1,000th goal. He went on to score 280 more, and has remained active since his retirement, but readers will find that sort of information only in the fine-print author’s note at the end. Nonetheless, at least visually, this makes a stirring alternative to Lesa Cline-Ransome’s Young Pelé: Soccer’s First Star (2007), illustrated by James Ransome. Grades 1-3. --John Peters

Review
"Told in a dual English/Spanish text, this inspiring blend of art and story scores a winning goal." (Kirkus Reviews (pointer) )

"Gutierrez['s] high-energy, full-bleed illustrations...kick up...this tribute to Pele, still soccer's O Rei (The King)." (ALA Booklist )

About the Author

Award-winning author Monica Brown is a super soccer fan whose junior high school coach once nicknamed her Bigfoot! She lives in Flagstaff, Arizona, with her husband and two soccer-playing daughters.

La autora premiada Monica Brown es una sÚper fanÁtica del fÚtbol, cuyo entrenador de la escuela secundaria le dio el apodo "¡Piegrande!". Ella vive en Flagstaff, Arizona con su marido y sus dos hijas, que tambiÉn juegan al fÚtbol.

Customer Reviews

A Soccer Legend
Reviewed by Cayden Aures (age 4) and Mom for Reader Views (1/09)

The bilingual book "Pele: King of Soccer/ El rey del futbol" explores the life of Pele, a soccer legend. He grew up poor in a town in Brazil. Every evening, Pele and his father would go play soccer in the streets. His family had so little that they couldn't even afford a real soccer ball so they used other things like grapefruits instead. We learn how Pele got started playing professionally and what he has accomplished in the sport.

Cayden: "I play soccer in the yard with daddy. I am going to start playing on a team this week too! I am glad we got this book about soccer. That guy is really good at playing it. He got it in the net 1000 times they said! He is good at soccer like Michael Phelps is at swimming! I liked the story. The pictures were kind of swirly though. I want to read it again!"

Parent's comments:

This book was perfect for my son. He loves all things soccer and actually will be starting an indoor league in a few days. He, and I, really enjoyed the story of Pele and his humble beginnings. The book definitely held my child's interest from start to finish. The illustrations were a little on the abstract side and it was a little difficult for Cayden to understand a lot of them. The storyline, however, more than made up for that for him and "Pele: King of Soccer/ El rey del futbol" by Monica Brown will be a book we will read again and again!