Freddie Ramos Springs Into Action (Volume 2)

Zapato Power #2

by Jacqueline Jules, Miguel Benítez (Illustrator)

Freddie has shoes that give him super speed. It's hard to be a superhero and a regular kid at the same time, especially when your shoes give you even more power! Freddie needs an on/off switch for his super speed, so Mr. Vaslov, who created the shoes, decides to invent a remote control, but he gets more than he planned. When his young neighbor's ball goes missing, Freddie uses his new powers to find it...and Mr. Vaslov!

Genres: Childrens, Fantasy, Middle Grade, 2nd Grade, Science Fiction, Fiction

96 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2010

About the author

I am a children's author, teacher, librarian, and poet. My books include the Zapato Power series, the Sofia Martinez series, Pluto is Peeved, Unite or Die: How Thirteen States Became a Nation, Duck for Turkey Day, Never Say a Mean Word Again, and Feathers for Peacock. Please visit me at http://www.jacquelinejules.com

Reviews

[Melody · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute book about a little boy named Freddie Ramos who’s a superhero. Thanks to a special pair of sneakers, he can run at super speed!

What I found more valuable than the the plot are the details of Freddie’s family life. He’s dealing with issues that many children are - a mom who works late, bereavement, etc.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grades 2-4

Freddie Ramos is back with his purple zapatos (shoes) that give him superhero speed. The downside to wearing superhero shoes is that when he's playing at recess or in PE, he can't control his super speed, and his friends are getting frustrated. When he asks Mr. Vaslov, the apartment manager who invented the shoes, to create an on-off switch, the kindly man agrees to try. After several days of impatient waiting, Freddie goes into Mr. Vaslov's workshed. Mr. Vaslov is nowhere to be found, but Freddie sees a wristband that looks like it has the on-off switch for his shoes. When he puts it on, though, rather than controlling his speed, it gives him a new ability-- to jump very, very high! As time goes on and Mr. Vaslov fails to make an appearance, Freddie puts this new power to good use-- and finds an injured Mr. Vaslov trapped on the roof of the next building. Of course, after saving the day, Freddie reminds Mr. Vaslov that he's still hoping for an on-off switch for those shoes... but that's for another installment.

Wonderful, warm characters, plot, and dialog for the just-starting-chapter-books crowd.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining sequel to what looks like a promising start to a series featuring young Latino superhero, Freddie Ramos.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. My 6-year-old enjoyed this as much as the first book, and we'll be continuing with the series. As in the first book, there are some minor mysteries within the plot, able to be solved through a grade schooler's deduction. I also liked that this book introduced a practical challenge with the super shoes the main character gets in the first book. Just two nitpicks: 1) If Mr. Vaslov was literally stuck on a roof with a head injury and a phone that was almost dead, why did he waste time asking to talk to Freddie when Freddie's mom answered the phone? 2) The problem with gym class was never really resolved. I can't remember if he threw out his old shoes in the first book, but wearing those would have been a better solution than just faking injuries for days. And the book ends with him asking Mr. Vaslov to add another button, without confronting the fact that Mr. Vaslov spent half the book trying to make an on/off switch and clearly failed so there's really no end in sight to Freddie's gym class problem. Maybe in the next book?

[Margaret Boling · Rating 4 out of 5]

10/24/2021 ~ Freddie has magic tennis shoes that let him run super fast. The books have the typical issues of kids - neighbors, following mom's rules, doing homework. They also include a cast of supportive adults - apartment super, mom, neighbors. Appealing touches - Freddie's soldier dad was killed the preceding year, bits of Spanish are sprinkled in.

Freddie has a big heart and wants to help others. In most instances, he uses common sense to support his speed-giving shoes as he works as a hero in his neighborhood.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Freddie gets to face various challenges with becoming a hero. He learns that his shoes give him an advantage, but he learns to not take advantage of this special power that comes from the Zapatos. He sits out races and basketball games so as to not have an unfair advantage over his friends.
He also enriches his developing relationship with the inventor, the man who gave Freddie the shoes, and the man who serves as a father figure in the absence of Freddie's real father.

[Terry]

Read. Not reviewed.

[Zachary T · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really fun book to read! I wish I had some magic Zapato shoes that I can zoom zoom with! I want to read some other books in this collection!

[Amy Ariel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like the first one. Cute.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ended up reading this book before the first one but my students still enjoyed the story so much, I ordered the first installment on Amazon to read with them next week!

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Genre: Fantasy (Fiction)

Fountas and Pinnell Guided Reading Level: Approximately Level N

Summary: Freddie's purple superhero shoes may make him superfast but he needs a stop switch so that everyone at school won't suspect he has superpowers. He talks to Mr. Vaslov, who invented the shoes, and Mr. Vaslov agrees to try to make an on/off switch. But, as the days go by, Freddie can't wait for the new feature for his shoes. He visits Mr. Vaslov's workshed alone and finds a special bracelet. Could the bracelet be the on/off switch? Freddie has to try it out. When he puts the bracelet and his shoes on, he discovers the bracelet gives him a new superpower. But where is Mr. Vaslov and why hasn't he come back to his workshed?

Why I Liked/Disliked the Book: I liked how Jacqueline Jules surprised me by giving Freddie a new superpower instead of an on/off switch for his shoes. I think the combination of illustrations and text is great for early readers!

[Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like that this is a story in an apartment setting with multicultural characters. The previous year, Freddie's "Soldier Dad" as well as his Abuella. The text uses some Spanish words. Zapato Power is in Freddie's shoes. Freddie is a super hero with his shoes on. He wants to control his shoes some of the time so he can be a regular kid. His elderly neighbor Mr. Vaslov, who invented "zapatos", tries to make a stop button, but only invents a "bounce" button. Freddie rescues everyone in the neighborhood, including Mr.Vaslov.

[Sydney · Rating 4 out of 5]

its about freddie is winning to much games and people don't want to play with him so Mr.Vaslov tried to fix his speed but instead it made him jump really high and then Mr.Vaslov disappeared but freddie found him and rescued him.

[Missmath144 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Freddie Ramos has purple sneakers that let him run at 90 miles per hour. He is a neighborhood super hero (well, in his own mind at least). In Freddie we have a young hispanic hero for beginning readers.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny and an easy read, but with the added bonus of officially being a chapter book. It doesn't condescend to readers, but won't hold any back, either. Somewhere between the illustrations and the descriptions of handyman Mr. Vaslov (I like this guy!), I started thinking of Handy Manny. :)

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good first chapter book for boys. Freddie is Hispanic. One issue: both his "soldier dad" and his abuela have died in the past year. Both he and his mom deal with this well, and it is mentioned about 3 times in this book, but more in passing.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Freddie Ramos is the hero of the Zapato Power early chapter book series. Short chapters, comic-book-like illustrations, a little magic (the shoes) and funny one-liners make this a fun choice. There are a few Spanish words that either have the English also included, or make sense in context.

[Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary: When a very important inventor needs rescuing, Freddie Ramos activates his special sneakers and becomes a superhero.

[Payton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Freddie can't control his speed of his shoes and he ask Mr.Vaslov to make something that can control his shoes.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story continues: The inventor of the amazing shoes takes on a bigger and more mysterious role. Well-written chapter book for early readers (2nd grade, especially) with protagonists not typically seen in kids' books: set in an apartment complex with ethnic diversity and a single mom. Thank you Jacqueline Jules for your thoughtful casting.