May 6 – Children’s Book Week

About the Holiday

Founded in 1919, Children’s Book Week is the longest-running literacy initiative in the United States. The 2025 theme is An Ocean of Stories, which celebrates “the vast, collective ocean populated by the stories we read, share, and tell.” The holiday attracts participation from authors, illustrators, publishers, librarians, teachers, and booksellers in schools, libraries, bookstores, and communities across the country. To learn more about the holiday and download bookmarks and posters, activities in English and Spanish, coloring pages in 15 different languages, and much more, visit Every Child a Reader. You can even sign up to continue to get fantastic ideas for connecting with books and reading all year around!

Thank you to Scholastic for sharing a copy of Ballet Brown with me!

Review by Dorothy Levine

Ballet Brown

Written by Bellen Woodard | Illustrated by Fanny Liem

To Bellen, “dance is a conversation with the world,”—one she has been in love with since she was two years old. As a young ballet dancer, Bellen’s world was full of color. From brightly colored tutus to rainbow tights, Bellen fit in with the menagerie of outfits the ballerinas wore.

But as Bellen grew older, and dance became more serious, “the rainbow vanished. Pink became the priority. Pink leotard. Pink tights. Pink ballet shoes.” Bellen followed suit, narrowing her wardrobe and pinning back her afro to fit the dress code. But while dancing in class, she gazed in the mirror and reflected: “it looked like my legs didn’t belong with me.” Her legs, in the pink tights, didn’t match her natural skin tone. Delving deeper, Bellen read books about the history of ballet. She discovered that “’ballet pink’ was chosen to be an extension of the ballerina, to appear as beautiful skin gliding across the stage.”

“This tradition needs an upgrade,” Bellen declared. Her mother agreed, and together they shopped for new dance clothing. Bellen showed up at the studio the next day, adorned in her new ballet brown attire—brown tights and brown shoes. Her studio, however, wasn’t ready to make the leap. “‘Pink is tradition,’ the owner said. / ‘Traditions should grow just like we do,’” Bellen replied.

But as time twirled past and the studio stayed the same, Bellen realized they were just not willing to grow into new traditions with her. She knew it was time for a change. “And that’s when I learned sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is walk away.”

When Bellen and her mother walked into a new studio, they knew immediately this would be the right fit. Even the air felt different: “vibrant, warm, and welcoming.” At this new studio, Bellen’s ballet brown inspired other dancers to bring back the rainbow to ballet and show their true colors. Bellen says, “I had finally found a place that would join hands and duet with me. A place where self-expression, like the coolest crayons, colored the room.”

Bellen Woodard’s autobiographical story concludes with a brief overview of her activism and founding of the More than Peach Project, plus a further explanation of ballet brown versus ballet pink. Back matter also includes a conversation with studio owners, tips for dyeing pointe shoes, and heart-felt advice for young dancers and families.

A one-of-a-kind story about a one-of-a-kind dancer and writer. At just fourteen years old, Bellen Woodard has crafted a beautiful story of her journey to stretch the ballet standards and make room for inclusion. Ballet Brown showcases themes of resistance and persistence—that sticking up for yourself can make a difference, not only for you but for others too. In expanding the possibilities for ballet wear, Woodard opened the door for others to do the same. Through this lyrical story, more and more young dancers will feel inspired to do the same—to dance in their own style, however makes them feel seen.

Fanny Liem colors the elegant ballet scenes with rich shades of brown and pink. Liem cleverly plays with mirror reflections, showing “Ballet Pink Bellen” imagining her reflection in brown, and, later, her legs looking wobbly in pink, to show how she felt disconnected from their pale look. When Bellen describes her new studio as having a welcoming air, this is reflected in warmer yellow background tones, whereas her old studio is drawn in stark white. Fanny Liem animates the story with ballerinas of all backgrounds dancing across the pages—further driving the point that dancers shine in all different races, genders, and styles.

Ages 5 – 7

Scholastic, Inc., 2025 | ISBN 978-1546134077

Fanny Liem was born and raised in Indonesia. She’s loved drawing since she was a child. Her passion for storytelling and illustration started the first time she grabbed picture books, which were gifted to her by her uncle. When she is not drawing, she enjoys watching movies and listening to country music. You’ll find her on Instagram at wenfancy.

Meet Bellen Woodard

Photo © Tosha Woodard

Bellen Woodard is the young scholar, beloved trailblazer, and CEO of Bellen’s More than Peach Project. As the world’s first Crayon Activist, pioneer of “skin-color” crayons, and founder of the crayon/school supply brand for a new generation, Bellen has transformed an entire industry with a first-of-its-kind, innovative and inclusive project and brand that have become a global movement. She’s received many notable awards and has been featured by Scholastic, TIME, Nickelodeon, and many others. Now entering high school, Bellen embodies self-expression and discovery. She also enjoys world travel, dance, and spending time with family, friends, and her two dogs. And she’s just getting started! Visit Bellen’s More than Peach Project website to learn more.

Hi Bellen, I’m excited to be talking with you today about Ballet Brown and your More than Peach Project.

In addition to being an author, you launched More than Peach, a global initiative, company, and brand, at just eight years old. Can you tell us about that?

I started Bellen’s More than Peach Project —“More than Peach”—only after successfully changing the language and perception around the “skin-color” crayon in my own school class and community. I wanted to bring that change for the benefit of every single kid around the world. I also had an amazing teacher, friends, and classmates and I loved school (I still do . . .), so I first imagined More than Peach and More than Peach crayons to “let kids be kids and give them their best options” and to celebrate youth leadership and many beautiful colors.

How did you come to write this book? And why did you pick to share this story in a children’s book format as opposed to other mediums?

Well, I’ve been dancing since I was two, and with the support of my parents and lots of advocacy along the way, it’s been a very rewarding dance journey overall. I also began wearing brown in ballet (ballet slippers and tights) almost from the very start and benefited from that in much the same way as another dancer does wearing pink. So, I wanted to be able to share my story and the advocacy in a picture book to connect with all kids and share tools too. I know that having a visual representation can be so important. Most of all, I want young dancers and their families to have built-in support from the dance community and to know that it’s okay to advocate for what’s essential. I also want Ballet Brown to be a conversation with dance studios and spaces that invite young dancers in.

Can you tell us more about the term “ballet brown”?

I coined the term “ballet brown” really to fill a void and capture more of the beauty of ballet and in dance as a whole. We commonly refer to “ballet pink” and not just in dance—so it really surprised me that we had yet to succinctly name and qualify “ballet brown.” So, to create parity between the two partners, I began using the term “ballet brown” in my own language and saw firsthand how it helped to grow perceptions/a mindset in those around me. I wanted to share that with the whole world. My call to action is simply to apply ballet brown in much the same way as ballet pink to ensure each dancer gets what they need. And it goes way beyond brown tights and shoes. I think taking that step helps expand the world of dance in the most amazing, positive ways.

Can you tell me more about the process of getting this book published?

I was already in touch with Scholastic after being interviewed around More than Peach, and of course I already knew and loved their books. The Scholastic Book Fairs were also one of my favorite times during the school year! When interviewed, we talked about all of the things I was up to at the time and writing a book was one. So, when they offered to become my publisher, it was a huge honor and a no-brainer.

What was the most unexpected or surprising part of writing and publishing a children’s book?

I think one of the most surprising things has been seeing my first book published in other world languages (English, Spanish, and French) and being able to literally see it change the world . . . one crayon at a time! Early on, I was also surprised at how long the process takes from start to finish. For example, I began writing MORE THAN PEACH, my first children’s book, in early 2020 once Covid hit because suddenly I had way more time on my hands. (It was published in July 2022.) It’s also been at least 2 years since I began writing Ballet Brown so to see it finally arrive feels surreal! I also never expected to see my books in so many places across the globe, including classrooms, libraries, and museums—even the Library of Congress!

What was your favorite part? I think I have two favorite parts: One is having the creative license to share my story, and the other is being able to collaborate with such a great team throughout the entire process.

What advice would you give to young writers or dancers hoping to follow in your footsteps?

I would say to trust yourself and know that you are the absolute best person to tell and celebrate the story inside of you.

Do you have any new creative projects in the works that you’d like to share about?

There’s a bunch going on! I’ve been very excited about the growth of More than Peach and would have never dreamed I would see my crayons on shelves at Target and other places and my books everywhere! Also, I have such worthwhile partnerships with educators that are growing, which means a lot because my dad’s an educator too, and teachers have always been some of my favorite people! I have also been writing my next book which I’m very excited about and hope to share more about that soon!

Thanks so much for sharing so much about your inspiring work! I’m sure readers can’t wait to see your next book!

Children’s Book Week Activity

Ballet Brown Activity Pages

Be inspired to stand up for something you believe should be changed with these Ballet Brown Activity Pages!

You can purchase Ballet Brown from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

January 5 – Blog Tour Stop for Everybody Counts!

Posted by Kath Carroll

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I’d like to thank Matt Forrest Esenwine for sharing a digital copy of Everybody Counts! with me for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

Everybody Counts!

Written by Matt Forrest Esenwine | Illustrated by Emma Graham

Children are invited to a lively international food festival in this rhyming and educational book that introduces readers to twelve nationalities through their cardinal numbers from 1 to 10 and a favorite dish that kids will be eager to try. As they visit each “booth,” readers learn about the ingredients and how each meal is made and meet an animal commonly found in each country. Along the way, they also gain a sprinkling of history, traditions, and information on the featured language. Kids even discover which number is considered the luckiest in China and why.

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Image copyright Emma Graham, 2023, text copyright Matt Forrest Esenwine, 2023. Courtesy of The Little Fig.

With a verse that plays on the idea of counting, Matt Forrest Esenwine starts off his world tour by prompting readers to look not only for the special attributes of each animal and their country but for those inside themselves and in those around them too: “Everyone is helpful, / in large or small amounts. / Everybody matters. / Everybody counts!” The enthusiasm in these words carry over onto each page spread, which includes a deliciously descriptive rhyming verse, a charming paragraph of explanatory text, and a row of numbers along the bottom, presented in their written form and how each is spelled in the particular language.

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Image copyright Emma Graham, 2023, text copyright Matt Forrest Esenwine, 2023. Courtesy of The Little Fig.

Emma Graham immediately captivates readers with her vibrant opening spread that frames Esenwine’s introductory verse with a series of beautifully patterned plates representing the countries found within the book’s pages. With a page turn, kids are invited into the festival to meet some of the excited participants as they chat with their neighbors and show off their dishes. Graham packs her pages with personality, adorable animals, images of ingredients, and symbols, patterns, landscapes, and colors that give kids plenty to talk about and to jumpstart research projects or new recipes to try.

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Image copyright Emma Graham, 2023, text copyright Matt Forrest Esenwine, 2023. Courtesy of The Little Fig.

The multifaceted approach of Everybody Counts! is sure to engage kids in many ways—from feeling pride in their own heritage to the sense of accomplishment in learning to count in another language to wanting to try new tastes and foods. For teachers, homeschoolers, parents, and other adults, the book provides an enticing way to introduce geography, language learning, math, and even art lessons. The book’s familiar frame of an international festival can also spark ideas for events in classrooms, schools, and extracurricular clubs or organizations.

Sure to prompt enthusiasm for story times, educational reading, and a host of extended activities, Everybody Counts! is highly recommended for home libraries and is a must for school and public library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

The Little Fig, 2023 | ISBN 978-1633330559

About the Author

Matt Forrest Esenwine’s children’s poetry can be found in numerous anthologies, including The National Geographic Book of Nature Poetry. His various poems and picture books have received numerous positive reviews, including a Kirkus star. Flashlight Night was selected by the New York Public Library as one of the Best Books for Kids and chosen by Kirkus as one of the Best Picture Books of the Year. Matt currently has twelve other books under contract and coming soon. He lives in New Hampshire with his wife, kids, and more pets than he has fingers. You can visit Matt on His website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter.

About the Illustrator

Emma Graham is a versatile and experienced illustrator and graphic artist. Since graduating from Norfolk Institute of Art she has build a vibrant portfolio including children’s picture books, private commissions, and Wild In Art sculptures. She was longlisted for the Picture Books Hooks mentoring scheme and a finalist in The Hook at the SCBWI BI conference. As author, she was a finalist in the Stratford Literary Festival’s Salariya Prize for picture books. Emma is commissioned illustrator for the Children’s Appeal at Ipswich Hospital(UK)–a charity raising funds for a full refurbishment of the children’s ward. You can connect with Emma on Her website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter.

**You can find Everybody Counts! at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local, independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

November 18 – It’s Family Stories Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Children benefit so much from close relationships to grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and other extended family members. This month and next, as family gathers together for special holiday events, it’s fun for adults to share family history and their own funny or moving stories of growing up with the younger generation. Letting kids know how much they’re loved by everyone in the family is important too. It helps them develop a sense of belonging, a good self-image, and confidence. Reading together is a perfect way to spend time together and get conversations started.

Thanks to Amazon Crossing Kids and Barbara Fisch of Blue Slip Media for sending me a copy of My GrandMom for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

My GrandMom

By Gee-eun Lee | Translated by Sophie Bowman

Gee-eun’s Grandma sits on the floor, holding her sobbing granddaughter in her lap. Breakfast is on the table and toys are strewn about. A gray cat comes to see what’s going on. “‘Dear me, your mom will have to take a boat to work to get across all these tears,'” she says. Grandma, who Gee-eun calls Halmoni in Korean, distracts her by letting her help make kalguksu. She gives Gee-eun a bit of the noodle dough, and while Halmoni rolls out the dough and slices the noodles, Gee-eun fashions little figures of her, her mom, dad, grandma, and their cat, Mari. When it comes time to make the kalguksu, Gee-eun’s dough family goes into the boiling pot along with the other ingredients. “‘…You tell them to hang on tight to the noodles so they stay afloat,'” Halmoni says.

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Gee-eun has been waiting and waiting for Family Sports Day to arrive, but when it does, her mom has to work and can’t go along as she had promised. Gee-eun was looking forward to doing the cheer dance, the tug-of-war, and the running race with her. Now who can she go with? Halmoni tells her granddaughter that she will go. She then relates tales from her own childhood, when she was so strong at tug-of-war that she “could pull all the other kids over with only one arm,” she was such a fast racer that they called her “Speedy Horse,” and was such a good dancer that it “goes without saying.” Then she shows Gee-eun some of her moves.

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At Family Sports Day, Gee-eun feels confident in her and her grandma’s chances. But things don’t pan out exactly as she’d hoped, and Halmoni even trips and falls during the race. Gee-eun is so disappointed that her tears flow freely. Walking home, Halmoni and Gee-eun get a curry bun—and then a second one that is their secret. “No matter how you may be feeling, curry buns are always delicious, especially when shared with Grandma,” Gee-eun says.

They then buy mackerel, bean sprouts, and eggs for dinner, while Gee-eun’s grandma assures her that her father would easily beat a mackerel in a swimming race, that she once bought a bean sprout as big as Gee-eun to season just for her mom, and that a hen always misses her eggs. “‘Halmoni,'” Gee-eun then asks, “‘when will Mom get home?'” The food is on the table when her parents get home, and she runs to the door to greet them so they can eat dinner together…because “nothing beats a mean made by Grandma.”

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Gee-eun Lee’s story is infused with those types of events in life, both inconsequential and significant, that are filled with emotional power that make them memorable. From Gee-eun’s meltdown at her mother’s leaving to her grandma’s quick thinking that leads to bonding over food and creativity to the bravado and disappointment of the Family Sports Day, Lee invites readers into the touching and humorous relationship between Gee-eun and her grandmother. Wily, proud, comforting, and understanding, Gee-eun’s grandmother is the heart of the family, bridging the generations with her wisdom and constant love. Lee’s storytelling draws readers in with her warm and familiar dialogue that ingeniously pivots back and forth in time, tying together moments in Gee-eun’s mother’s life, her grandmother’s life, and Gee-eun’s experiences.

Gee-eun Lee’s soft colored pencil and paint illustrations are delightfully childlike, as if the character Gee-eun had drawn them. In that vein the expressive depictions of Gee-eun’s adult grandma fiercely besting a dozen children at tug of war, her smooth dance and nimble dance moves, and her and Gee-eun’s “set and ready” stance at the track while other mother/child pairs stretch, play, and tie laces are comical joy. The theme of bridging generations also appears cleverly in the image of Gee-eun’s dough family floating together in the soup and the portrait of Gee-eun brushing her doll’s hair while her grandmother brushes and braids Gee-eun’s, among others.

Written with a unique voice that echoes universal truths about family relationships, My GrandMom is a humorous, poignant, and heartening read aloud that will quickly become a favorite for parents, grandparents, other caregivers, and children to share. The book is highly recommended for home and classroom libraries and a must for school and public library collections.

Ages 3 – 7

Amazon Crossing Kids, 2022 | ISBN 978-1662508257

About the Author

Gee-eun Lee is an award-winning Korean author/illustrator. She recently won the prestigious BolognaRagazzi Award in the comics category for her book, The Story of How the Korean Shaved Ice Dessert Was Born, and is also a top winner of the Korean Young Illustrator Award. She studied design and illustration in Korea and the UK. Her first picture book, Paper Dad, was made into a children’s musical in Korea. My GrandMom is the second book she both wrote and illustrated and is based on her own grandmother. You can connect with Gee-eun on Instagram: @studio_geeeun

About the Translator

Sophie Bowman is a PhD student at the University of Toronto, studying Korean literature. She was awarded the ICF Literature Translation Fellowship at Ewha Womans University. In 2015, she won the Korea Times Modern Korean Literature Translation Award grand prize for poetry with her translations of Jin Eun-young and co-translated Kim Bo-Young’s I’m Waiting for You and Other Stories. She recently translated the picture book Magic Candies by Heena Baek, which received a starred review from Publishers Weekly. Follow her on Twitter @SophieOrbital.

**You can find My GrandMom at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

November 11 – It’s Children’s Book Week

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Children’s Book Week is the longest-running national literacy program in the United States. The history of the holiday goes back to 1913, when Franklin K. Matthiews, the librarian of the Boy Scouts of America, toured the country to promote a higher standard in children’s books and proposed a Children’s Book Week. He then enlisted the help of Frederic G. Melcher, editor of Publishers Weekly, who believed that “a great nation is a reading nation,” and Anne Carroll Moore, the Superintendent of Children’s Works at the New York Public Library to help spread the word. This year’s theme is “How Do You Book?” The thought-provoking theme encourages readers to think about what they read, where they read, and how they read. To learn more about this literary holiday, visit Every Child a Reader to find out more about the week, how to join online, and lots of bookmarks and activities to download.

Building an Orchestra of Hope: How Favio Chávez Taught Children to Make Music from Trash

Written by Carmen Oliver | Illustrated by Luisa Uribe

As a child, Favio Chávez looked to music as an important touchstone. When he grew up, he was still involved with music, but his profession was as an environmental engineer. He was given a job in “Cateura, Paraguay—a small village built on a landfill—to try to help the families who lived and worked amid the hills of trash.” When trucks came and dumped load after load of trash, recyclers, called gancheros, filled bags of items they could resell. The air was choked with the stench of garbage, and anywhere the gancheros walked “they waded through filth.” It made Favio sad to think of people living this way.

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Image copyright Louisa Uribe, 2022, text copyright Carmen Oliver, 2022. Courtesy of Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.

As Favio supervised the gancheros, he “became friends with them and their children. He worried about what kind of lives they would live when they grew up. Besides his job at the landfill, “Favio conducted a youth orchestra in a nearby village.” One day, the people he worked with came to listen. They wondered if their kids could also learn to play instruments. Favio was excited by the prospect.

He even brought his own guitars and violins for the children to play, but soon he had more kids in class than he had instruments. But there was another problem too. The instruments were valuable and could attract thieves to the homes of his students. He needed another idea, and while watching Nicolás “Colá” Gómez, a talented carpenter, picking through the trash, he thought of something that might work.

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Image copyright Louisa Uribe, 2022, text copyright Carmen Oliver, 2022. Courtesy of Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.

Colá began searching through the piles for anything that he could use to make instruments. He collected cans and pipes, crates and buttons, even X-ray film and eating utensils. As he looked at his materials, Colá envisioned how he could create a violin. Finally with violins and other instruments for each child, Favio began teaching them how to play and how to read music. They practiced and practiced until they were ready to perform for their parents.

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Image copyright Louisa Uribe, 2022, text copyright Carmen Oliver, 2022. Courtesy of Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.

At a local church, with the audience packed and excited, the notes of the children’s first song ‘”New York, New York’ floated out the windows and into the warm night air.” The adults were overcome with happiness. While their lives had been only about survival, they now “had hope in their hearts and dreams for a better tomorrow.”

Back matter includes further information about Favio Chávez and the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura from 1975, when Favio was born in Argentina to 2006, when he arrived to work at the Cateura landfill to today, when the Orchestra supports more children and families with building projects, food, computers for school, scholarships, and many more humanitarian efforts. A selected bibliography is also included.

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Image copyright Louisa Uribe, 2022, text copyright Carmen Oliver, 2022. Courtesy of Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.

From its earliest days the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura has inspired musicians, authors, movie makers, and listeners from around the world. In Building an Orchestra of Hope, Carmen Oliver tells the story through the lens of a hope fulfilled. As Favio Chávez begins his new job at the landfill educating the gancheros on how to work more efficiently, his initial thought is for the future of the children of the village. Oliver shows how Chávez not only supervised the workers but became their friend, honored to be included. While relating Chávez’s eagerness to share his love of music with the children, Oliver hints at what’s to come with lyrical descriptions of the sounds the glass, metal, and plastic makes as the gancheros rake through the piles of trash. She also includes pertinent facts that allow readers to understand the challenges the community faced and what a monumental undertaking the idea was.

While this story revolves around Favio Chávez, his idea could never have been brought to fruition without the talents of Nicolás “Colá” Gómez, who could envision the instruments and even hear their sound as he pored through the trash for materials. Oliver provides a satisfyingly detailed list of the types of items Colá repurposed and later reveals which items were used to create violins, drums, violas, flutes, saxophones, and trumpets, pages that are sure to pique young crafters’ interest. The emotional ending to this true story will swell the hearts of readers—those who already know about the orchestra and those being introduced to it for the first time.

Louisa Uribe’s soft-hued illustrations realistically depict the village of Cateura and the landfill it is built upon. They meet Favio Chávez and Nicolás Gómez and witness the idea of creating instruments from trash come to life. Uribe’s close up of a violin lets kids see how disparate items are used creatively to replicate each part of the instrument. As instruments are made, the number of children filling the courtyard grows until their hard work and practice is rewarded on a real stage, a microcosm of the growth and impact of one man’s caring and creativity.

Special Note: The inspirational back matter, worthy of its own picture book, will astound readers with just how far-reaching one idea when explored in collaboration with others can be. Themes of the vital importance and life-changing impact of the arts, persistence, determination, overcoming seemingly insurmountable challenges and odds, and the power of hope are what this true story is built on, and this factual back matter is sure to affect readers and get them thinking about how they can make a difference to a cause they believe in.

Powerful, accessible, and impactful, Building an Orchestra of Hope is a must for all home, school, and library collections, not only to tell this compelling, ongoing story but to remind them that their actions, too—from a single kind word or smile to large community effort—can change lives.

Ages 4 – 9

Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2022 | ISBN 978-0802854674

You can learn more about Luisa Uribe, her books, and her art on her website.

You can connect with Carmen Oliver on Twitter.

Children’s Book Week Activity

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Bookworm Bookmark

Are you a bookworm? If so, then this bookmark is for you! Just print, color, and cut along the dotted line. This little worm will happily save your page for you!

Bookworm Bookmark Template

**You can find Building an Orchestra of Hope at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

October 11 – Celebrating the Book Birthday of Madani’s Best Game

Posted by Kath Carroll

Thanks to Eerdmans Books for Young Readers for sharing a copy of Madani’s Best Game with me for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

Madani’s Best Game

Written by Fran Pintadera | Illustrated by Raquel Catalina | Translated from the Spanish by Lawrence Schimel

“Our whole neighborhood knows it: no one plays soccer like Madani does.” Thus, a teammate of Madani’s begins the story about this friend who captivates the neighborhood (and sometimes it seems the whole world) with his barefoot ball-handling prowess. Madani has elevated the team’s game to “the best soccer we’ve ever seen.” After Madani has scored a “Gooooal!” the sound of the cheers soars above the playing field and “…crosses through doorways, rushes past the magazine stand, slips down alleyways, swirls around the fountain, and, growing fainter and fainter, climbs the steps up to Madani’s house.”