
Written by Mina Javaherbin · Illustrated by Renato Alarcao
A boy's soccer dream hinges on his sister's unexpected help.
Paulo dreams of soccer stardom to lift his family from hardship. His sister Maria, skilled in soccer moves, might be the team's secret weapon when an injury threatens their game. Will they defy tradition and let her play? In a world where resilience is born from poverty, this tale of ambition and breaking barriers promises a heartwarming victory.
An inspiring story of a Brazilian boy who dreams of being a soccer star – and the sister who steps in to help his team win a game. When Paulo Marcelo Feliciano becomes a soccer star, crowds will cheer his famous name! Then his mother won’t have to work long hours, and he won’t have to work all day on a fishing boat. For now, Paulo takes care of his little sister Maria (she teaches him reading, he teaches her soccer moves) and walks her to school, stopping to give his teammates cheese buns as they set out to shine people’s shoes or perform for the tourist crowd. At day’s end, it’s time to plan the game, where Givo will bounce, Carlos will kick, and Jose will fly! But when Jose falls on his wrist, will the team finally break the rules and let a girl show her stuff? Set in a country whose resilient soccer stars are often shaped by poverty, this uplifting tale of transcending the expected scores a big win for all.
4.8
out of 7
“I had a hard time figuring out what this book was about...a little about poverty, a little about children having to work and the myriad ways they earn money, a lot about soccer and dreams of stardom, and a little about empowering girls and expanding what they're allowed to do... but I did like it. the illustrations are great as well.”
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