Freddie Ramos Stomps the Snow

Zapato Power #5

by Jacqueline Jules, Miguel Benítez (Illustrations)

When a freak spring blizzard buries Starwood Park, Freddie works with Mr. Vaslov to clear the sidewalks using a new invention―Zapato Power snowshoes! But not even the snow can stop a thief from causing trouble in the neighborhood. Can Freddie solve the case, even if it means helping Erika, the Starwood Park bully?

Genres: Chapter Books, Cultural

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

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

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jules has managed to add a new, fun twist with each book and raise the stakes on Freddie's heroism. In this case, he gets special snowshoes that he can strap to his purple zapatos so that it clears the snow when he runs 90 mph. We get a real-life challenge (the heat goes out in a building) and a high-stakes mystery (who is stealing purses?). Erika, the bully from the previous book, also has a central role, and she apparently hasn't changed her ways at all. I thought Jules might give her some nuance after something happens that puts her in a sympathetic position, but again there was just a minor nod to changed behavior at the end. My son was very invested in finding out the thief, so it was a bit disappointing when there ended up not being any actual clues to put together — the thief was a nameless, faceless person who hadn't made an appearance before that point. I guess this was to spare the betrayal of making one of the known characters into a thief, but my son and I both felt it was a bit anti-climactic. Still, he was eager to start the next book right away!

[Margaret Boling · Rating 4 out of 5]

10/24/2021 ~ I appreciate that Freddie uses "thinking powers" to go with his "super powers." The author makes it explicit that pausing for a moment to think through a situation can be more powerful that simply relying on super speed. I also appreciate Freddie's kind nature and willingness to help others.

Though this series has been around a while, I just became aware of it, and I can't wait to introduce Freddie to the readers at my elementary school library.

[K.L. Bernard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wouldn’t it be cool to have a pair of shoes that let you zip around and do amazing things, just like a superhero? Freddie Ramos does know because he has Zapato Power.

Freddie is a very special kid. Mr. Vaslov, an inventor, knew it. He had given Freddie a very special pair of shoes to test. With the press of a button on his Zapato Power wristband, Freddie’s shoes let out a puff of smoke and he can woosh and bounce as high as a basketball and he could run faster than a train. Freddie liked to use his shoes for hero stuff but today it started to snow. So much so, school was closed in preparation of the big storm heading their way. It was predicted there would be at least two feet.

Freddie tried out his Zapato Power on the way home. The snow flew up around him and almost made him invisible. Not only that, the snow evaporated with each step he took. The next day the town had been snowed in. Mr. Vaslov gave Freddie some special snow shoes to go with his Zapato Power. Freddie cleared sidewalks and pathways for his neighbors. When Freddie discovered that building D residents had to be moved to the school because they had no heat he knew his help would be needed. He used his Zappato Power to clear pathways at the school so supplies could be brought in for the families. But, there was another problem. A thief had infiltrated the school and stolen some purses. It will be up to Freddie to find out who. He will have to use more than his Zappato Power to become the hero he know he is.

Author Jacqueline Jules has created a fun series surrounding Freddie Ramos and his Zapato Power shoes. This is a great series for boys, but girls will love it to. The characters are realistic and children will love them and be able to relate to them. There is an easy to comprehend storyline with basic sentence structure for any reader to grasp. The black and white illustrations give readers a peek into each chapter. Parents and teachers will want to share this book as a read-a-long and further discussion. Zapato Power is a CYBILS award-winning series.

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book Freddy and friends get sent home from school early because of a odd snow storm in March. It snows so much they also get the next day off as well. But when the heat breaks in one of the buildings in the Starwood Park apartment complex and the residents have to stay at the school Mr. Vaslov the Manager and maker of Freddy's Zapato Power shoes asks for Freddy's help, what they don't count on is a purse snatcher.

You find all sorts of nationalities and circumstances at the Starwood Park Apartments. Freddy and his mom are Hispanic and it is now just the two of them. His dad was a soldier, a hero, and Freddy misses him a lot which leads you to believe he is gone. Then there is Freddy's friend Maria and her little brother who loves guacamole, Gio. Then there is Erika, she loves purple bubblegum and lives with her abuela (grandmother), that is a relationship in the making. But most of the people of the Starwood Park Apartments are not rich, some are ok but some really have to watch their money so when the rent money is stolen it is a huge issue.

I really loved this book with all the differences of people and socioeconomical circumstances blending together was great, not that a child reading the book would get that nuance all they would see is that this kid Freddy has these awesome cool shoes that let him do these really cool things to help his friends. What kids doesn't think that each new pair of sneakers makes them run faster and jump higher? But Freddy's really did, and because of this he was able to help do all sorts of things and all his friends had more fun and less stress because of it. But it is a really fun exciting action packed book that will also make you very hungry for guacamole. :)

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freddie Ramos has the coolest pair of shoes ever! They allow him to run fast (faster than a speeding train) as well as bounce really high. The shoes even shoot smoke to hide him when he is using his superpowers. But what will happen when a blizzard hits? Will his shoes still work? Soon enough Freddie has other things on his plate, such as snuggling down with his mother during the blizzard and helping neighbors from a different building after their heating goes out. And on top of that a thief seems to have come to the neighborhood. Freddie is a great early chapter book character who like many children his age is fascinated by the idea of superpowers. The difference is that he has superpowers through the shoes that Mr. Vasquez, the building maintenance man invented for him. I think that is the part that kids will especially love about this series. I also love the fact that the main character/hero in this case is Latino. Spanish words and phrases are scattered throughout the book, but Freddie's ethnicity is not the focus of the story, it's just one part of the story. The other thing about this series that I particularly like is Freddie's efforts to help those around him. In this book, Freddie uses his superpowers (including his new snowblower snowshoes) to help clear sidewalks as well as catch a thief.

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good book for reluctant readers and students who like superheroes and mysteries. In the fifth book of the Zapato Power series, A blizzard hits Starwood Park and Freddie uses his new Zapato Snowshoes to help clear sidewalks and catch a purse thief.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Freddie Ramos Stomps the Snow is a cute children's story with nice pictures that appeal to young children.

[Kristy Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Silvy declared this installment to be her favorite Freddie adventure.