I've been reading this to first graders and they go nuts with the pictures. The composition is such that the ball or kid looks like they jumping right out of the book. Students like that the illustrations shoot diagonally across the pages or have an aerial view. The details and shadows were commented on as well, especially the page that shows the boy doing a chest trap. They particularly liked his hand and hair. We also discussed his expression. Is he in pain? Is he preparing for the trap? The one illustration that is painful for me to look at is the girl doing the throw-in. She's a really flexible kid. She reminds me of my friend who was double-jointed and could put her arms into unnatural positions.
Students love the color of the soccer balls which stand out against the sepia tones. They also like to guess what country the ball color represents in soccer. Not to mention the students eager love for the game soccer and their running commentary while I read it. A teacher could use this book for a writing unit with small moments. Students love sports. I'm not crazy about the rhyming sentences but we talked so much on each page that it was fine.
Reading Level 1.9
4 out of 5 Smileys
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