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Pele, King of Soccer/Pele, El rey del futbol: Bilingual English-Spanish
This acclaimed bilingual children’s book, Spanish/English, is a fun way to introduce simple words and phrases in both languages and is sure to be a welcome resource at home and in schools and libraries. Monica Brown and Rudy Gutierrez team up to deliver what Kirkus called, in a starred review, an “inspiring blend of art and story,” about the most famous soccer star in the world, Pelé. This bilingual picture book will inspire, teach, and amaze readers as they learn about the man who revolutionized the sport of soccer. Do you know how a poor boy from Brazil who loved fútbol more than anything else became the biggest soccer star the world has ever known? This is the true story of Pelé, King of Soccer, the first man in the history of the sport to score a thousand goals and become a living legend. Rudy Gutierrez’s dynamic illustrations make award-winning author Monica Brown’s story of this remarkable sports hero come alive!
40 pages, Hardcover
First published December 23, 2008
About the author
Monica Brown
95 books122 followersMonica Brown, Ph.D. is the author of awardwinning bilingual books for children, including My Name Is Celia: The Life of Celia Cruz/Me llamo Celia: La vida de Celia Cruz (Luna Rising), a recipient of the Américas Award for Children's Literature and a Pura Belpré Honor. Her second picture book, My Name Is Gabriela: The Life of Gabriela Mistral/Me llamo Gabriela: La vida de Gabriela Mistral (Luna Rising) shares the story of the first Latina to win a Nobel Prize.
Monica's books are inspired by her Peruvian-American heritage and desire to share Latino/a stories with children. "I write from a place of deep passion, joy, and commitment to producing the highest possible quality of literature for children. In my biographies, the lives of my subjects are so interesting and transformational that I am simply giving them voice for a young audience. I don't think it is ever too early to introduce children to the concepts of magical realism, social justice, and dreaming big!"
Her other books include Chavela and the Magic Bubble (Clarion), Pelé, King of Soccer/Pelé, el rey del fútbol (Rayo/HarperCollins), My Name is Gabito: The Life of Gabriel Garcia Márquez/Me llamo Gabito: La vida de Gabriel Garcia Márquez (Luna Rising), and the forthcoming Side by Side: The Story of Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez/Lado a lado, La Historia de Dolores Huerta y César Chávez (Rayo/HarperCollins).
Monica Brown is a Professor of English at Northern Arizona University, specializing in U.S. Latino Literature and Multicultural Literature. She also writes and publishes scholarly work with a Latino/a focus, including Gang Nation: Delinquent Citizenship in Puerto Rican and Chicano and Chicana Literature; and numerous scholarly articles and chapters on Latino/a literature and cultural studies. She is a recipient of the prestigious Rockefeller Fellowship on Chicano Cultural Literacies from the Center for Chicano Studies at the University of California. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Flagstaff, Arizona.
To hear Monica Brown on Arizona NPR radio, click here or here. Find out what Monica Brown has to say about children's books and literacy here and here.
Monica's books are inspired by her Peruvian-American heritage and desire to share Latino/a stories with children. "I write from a place of deep passion, joy, and commitment to producing the highest possible quality of literature for children. In my biographies, the lives of my subjects are so interesting and transformational that I am simply giving them voice for a young audience. I don't think it is ever too early to introduce children to the concepts of magical realism, social justice, and dreaming big!"
Her other books include Chavela and the Magic Bubble (Clarion), Pelé, King of Soccer/Pelé, el rey del fútbol (Rayo/HarperCollins), My Name is Gabito: The Life of Gabriel Garcia Márquez/Me llamo Gabito: La vida de Gabriel Garcia Márquez (Luna Rising), and the forthcoming Side by Side: The Story of Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez/Lado a lado, La Historia de Dolores Huerta y César Chávez (Rayo/HarperCollins).
Monica Brown is a Professor of English at Northern Arizona University, specializing in U.S. Latino Literature and Multicultural Literature. She also writes and publishes scholarly work with a Latino/a focus, including Gang Nation: Delinquent Citizenship in Puerto Rican and Chicano and Chicana Literature; and numerous scholarly articles and chapters on Latino/a literature and cultural studies. She is a recipient of the prestigious Rockefeller Fellowship on Chicano Cultural Literacies from the Center for Chicano Studies at the University of California. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Flagstaff, Arizona.
To hear Monica Brown on Arizona NPR radio, click here or here. Find out what Monica Brown has to say about children's books and literacy here and here.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
February 25, 2023
I love all of Monica Brown's bilingual picture books that give a voice to Latin America!
Not being a sports person, I only know the name "Pelé" very superficially as a big soccer name, but this book was my first introduction to this soccer star as a person.
I enjoy the way Brown introduces the Pelé that fans recognize before getting into his childhood. This book reminds readers that poverty is an issue, and that not everyone who was famous started off well-off. I liked the way we learn that Pelé had to work hard to be able to play soccer. This book presents athletics as a career that people who work hard do, rather than an easy celebrity job. I liked the way Brown talks about Pelé's work that he did as a child to help out the family, and how he often played soccer with a grapefruit or bunched up newspaper. Like many of Brown's books, Pele, King of Soccer depicts the journey that this well-known person has embarked upon to get to be the name we know today.
I like that this shows the global nature of soccer as well. Brazil is an important country in the soccer world (as I understand it - again, not a sports person) and it's good for kids to see what that looks like in a country that is far different from the US (where Brown is primarily publishing).
I will say that the design and illustrations are not my favorite. The illustrator, Rudy Gutierrez, has done a lot of work on album covers. It has a very mural-like feel. I don't know how well that works in the children's book format, especially with the format of the text. Because the book is bilingual with identical paragraphs in English and Spanish, the text takes up a lot of the page, and the illustrations have to work around these constraints. On top of this, some of the pages have captions, and it's hard at first to tell that they actually are captions because of the format and the way it works around the illustrations.
I'm debating sharing this one at work. While I like the content, I think the format would be a little hard for my kids with the intersection of the illustrations and text.
*
Not being a sports person, I only know the name "Pelé" very superficially as a big soccer name, but this book was my first introduction to this soccer star as a person.
I enjoy the way Brown introduces the Pelé that fans recognize before getting into his childhood. This book reminds readers that poverty is an issue, and that not everyone who was famous started off well-off. I liked the way we learn that Pelé had to work hard to be able to play soccer. This book presents athletics as a career that people who work hard do, rather than an easy celebrity job. I liked the way Brown talks about Pelé's work that he did as a child to help out the family, and how he often played soccer with a grapefruit or bunched up newspaper. Like many of Brown's books, Pele, King of Soccer depicts the journey that this well-known person has embarked upon to get to be the name we know today.
I like that this shows the global nature of soccer as well. Brazil is an important country in the soccer world (as I understand it - again, not a sports person) and it's good for kids to see what that looks like in a country that is far different from the US (where Brown is primarily publishing).
I will say that the design and illustrations are not my favorite. The illustrator, Rudy Gutierrez, has done a lot of work on album covers. It has a very mural-like feel. I don't know how well that works in the children's book format, especially with the format of the text. Because the book is bilingual with identical paragraphs in English and Spanish, the text takes up a lot of the page, and the illustrations have to work around these constraints. On top of this, some of the pages have captions, and it's hard at first to tell that they actually are captions because of the format and the way it works around the illustrations.
I'm debating sharing this one at work. While I like the content, I think the format would be a little hard for my kids with the intersection of the illustrations and text.
*
October 7, 2013
This book is a 2010 Commended America’s Award winner. I was excited to read this book because although I always connected Pele with soccer, I truly didn’t know anything specific about him. The book tells the story of his life starting as a young boy who was too poor to afford shoes or a soccer ball (he used a grapefruit instead!) all the way through his success as a professional soccer player winning the World Cup for Brazil and scoring 1000 goals! The story, told in both English and Spanish, is simple and has a great message about achieving one’s dreams. The illustrations bring the story to life. The colors and drawing are vibrant! The illustrator’s amazing pictures actually simulate movement on almost every page. You literally feel like you can see the colors, characters, soccer ball, etc… move with the swirl of the paint brush. The end includes a nice author’s note with more information about Pele’s life. I think this book would be a great read aloud choice for K-4 students, especially if you have a lot of students who love soccer. It would also be a good choice for a non-fiction/biography unit.
June 25, 2010
This has a lot of strong professional reviews so I was expecting a lot. Too much, perhaps, as I didn't love it as much as I hoped. Still, it's a well told story about a truly inspiring figure in sports--the major international football great and Brazil's own shining star, Pele. I like how the story traces Pele's history from his childhood (playing barefoot and using either a grapefruit or an old sock stuffed with newspaper for the soccer ball) to becoming the first soccer player to ever score 1000 goals. Along the way, he helped the people of Brazil gain a sense of pride on a world stage by winning the world cup for the first time in 1958. Pele never forgot his roots and became an ambassador for the sport, helping children realize that they can move out of poverty and achieve their dreams. The illustrations are colorful and interesting and the text is bi-lingual.
October 5, 2013
Book Title: Pelé King of Soccer by Julia Alvarez
Description: Pelé is born to a poor Brazilian family. He plays soccer in the streets. One day he finds his father crying because Brazil lost the World Cup. He promises his father he will win the World Cup one day…and he does.
Focus:
1) Interesting Leads: This book begins with a glimpse at Pelé’s success, with the crowd roaring as Pelé scores three goals in one game. It then flashes back to his humble beginnings.
Teach:
CCSS.W.3.3a Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
1) Prior to the writer’s workshop, read aloud the book.
2) Teaching Point: a) “Sometimes, authors do something very tricky. They don’t tell the story in order. Instead of telling the beginning, the middle, and then the end, they mix it up!” Reread the beginning of Pelé King of Soccer. Ask students- “What part of the story did the author tell first? Why do you think she did that?” (Have them tell their partner their answer.) “As authors, we can tell the ending first to get our readers excited about the character so they’ll keep reading to learn more.”
3) Model: a) Show a list of successful moments in your own life. Then read to students a story you wrote with the success described at the beginning, followed by the events leading to success.
4) Guided Practice: a) Together, brainstorm times when students were successful. b) Have them turn and talk the beginning they will write, describing the success.
5) Independent Practice: a) Students write their own story with a lead that describes the end of the story.
Expected Outcomes:
Students will understand and experiment with one more of many ways to begin a story. They will begin to “think outside the box” about the possibilities of writing structures.
Description: Pelé is born to a poor Brazilian family. He plays soccer in the streets. One day he finds his father crying because Brazil lost the World Cup. He promises his father he will win the World Cup one day…and he does.
Focus:
1) Interesting Leads: This book begins with a glimpse at Pelé’s success, with the crowd roaring as Pelé scores three goals in one game. It then flashes back to his humble beginnings.
Teach:
CCSS.W.3.3a Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
1) Prior to the writer’s workshop, read aloud the book.
2) Teaching Point: a) “Sometimes, authors do something very tricky. They don’t tell the story in order. Instead of telling the beginning, the middle, and then the end, they mix it up!” Reread the beginning of Pelé King of Soccer. Ask students- “What part of the story did the author tell first? Why do you think she did that?” (Have them tell their partner their answer.) “As authors, we can tell the ending first to get our readers excited about the character so they’ll keep reading to learn more.”
3) Model: a) Show a list of successful moments in your own life. Then read to students a story you wrote with the success described at the beginning, followed by the events leading to success.
4) Guided Practice: a) Together, brainstorm times when students were successful. b) Have them turn and talk the beginning they will write, describing the success.
5) Independent Practice: a) Students write their own story with a lead that describes the end of the story.
Expected Outcomes:
Students will understand and experiment with one more of many ways to begin a story. They will begin to “think outside the box” about the possibilities of writing structures.
September 23, 2019
Pelé, King of Soccer/Pele, El rey del fútbol is a children's picture book written by Monica Brown and illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez. It is a biographical picture book of Pelé – the King of Soccer.
Mid-September to Mid-October, at least in my part of the world is Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month, which I plan to read one children's book, particularly a biography, which pertains to the subject everyday this month. Therefore, I thought that this book would be apropos for today.
Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as Pelé, is a Brazilian retired professional footballer who played as a forward. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. In 1999, he was voted World Player of the Century by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics, and was one of the two joint winners of the FIFA Player of the Century award. That same year, Pelé was elected Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee.
Brown's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. Brown's exuberant introduction transitions to a more sedate narrative that depicts the poor but hopeful upbringing of a boy in a small Brazilian town, playing soccer with nothing but a grapefruit or a newspaper-filled sock. Gutierrez's alluring multi-style gouache paintings swoop and swirl with energy and color.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. This dynamic tribute to Brizilian athlete Pelé explores his formative experiences to become one of the best athletes in soccer history. When ten-year-old Pelé sees his father’s disappointment after Brazil’s World Cup loss, his promise to win one for his dad foreshadows his hard work and escalating talent and eventually make that promise into reality.
All in all, Pelé, King of Soccer/Pele, El rey del fútbol is a wonderful cursory biography about Pelé – the King of Soccer.
Mid-September to Mid-October, at least in my part of the world is Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month, which I plan to read one children's book, particularly a biography, which pertains to the subject everyday this month. Therefore, I thought that this book would be apropos for today.
Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as Pelé, is a Brazilian retired professional footballer who played as a forward. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. In 1999, he was voted World Player of the Century by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics, and was one of the two joint winners of the FIFA Player of the Century award. That same year, Pelé was elected Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee.
Brown's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. Brown's exuberant introduction transitions to a more sedate narrative that depicts the poor but hopeful upbringing of a boy in a small Brazilian town, playing soccer with nothing but a grapefruit or a newspaper-filled sock. Gutierrez's alluring multi-style gouache paintings swoop and swirl with energy and color.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. This dynamic tribute to Brizilian athlete Pelé explores his formative experiences to become one of the best athletes in soccer history. When ten-year-old Pelé sees his father’s disappointment after Brazil’s World Cup loss, his promise to win one for his dad foreshadows his hard work and escalating talent and eventually make that promise into reality.
All in all, Pelé, King of Soccer/Pele, El rey del fútbol is a wonderful cursory biography about Pelé – the King of Soccer.
November 30, 2015
Brown, Monica. Pele King of Soccer. Rayo, 2009.
Pele, once a young boy hungry and full of hope, turned into one of the world’s most famous soccer players. Monica Brown brings light to his story through a child-friendly version of his life and the events leading up to his soccer career. She tells how the once, poor and hungry boy, turned his passion and talent for the game of soccer into a career. No one would have expected this original barefoot player to be the first man in history to score one thousand goals and lead Brazil in winning the World Cup. His story is truly inspirational and he used his talent and passion to encourage young children to pursue their dreams in playing soccer by becoming an ambassador for the game of soccer.
Classroom Connections: This book would be great to use after finding out students interest in soccer. It will allow for them to connect to the material and learn about a famous man who turned his life for the better. The lesson of not letting life get you down and the power of pursuing your dreams is extremely evident throughout. This would be a great way to begin the school year and have students do a report or project on their hopes and dreams just like Pele. This would also be a great book to use if there are English Language Learners. It will allow them to feel a part of the classroom and provide them with the same material as the rest of the class.
Pele, once a young boy hungry and full of hope, turned into one of the world’s most famous soccer players. Monica Brown brings light to his story through a child-friendly version of his life and the events leading up to his soccer career. She tells how the once, poor and hungry boy, turned his passion and talent for the game of soccer into a career. No one would have expected this original barefoot player to be the first man in history to score one thousand goals and lead Brazil in winning the World Cup. His story is truly inspirational and he used his talent and passion to encourage young children to pursue their dreams in playing soccer by becoming an ambassador for the game of soccer.
Classroom Connections: This book would be great to use after finding out students interest in soccer. It will allow for them to connect to the material and learn about a famous man who turned his life for the better. The lesson of not letting life get you down and the power of pursuing your dreams is extremely evident throughout. This would be a great way to begin the school year and have students do a report or project on their hopes and dreams just like Pele. This would also be a great book to use if there are English Language Learners. It will allow them to feel a part of the classroom and provide them with the same material as the rest of the class.
October 8, 2014
Pele, King of Soccer is a biography about a famous Brazilian soccer player, Pele. He started from the bottom and became an international soccer legend. In his childhood he could not even afford the items he would need to practice soccer. But he did not let that stop him, he and his friends would use a grapefruit or other miscellaneous items as a ball and he would play with no shoes. Pele was the first man in soccer history to score one thousand goals in his career. He is accredited for aiding Brazil to win the World Cup.
I found the layout of this book very distracting and almost kind of confusing. The pictures were nice but the way the words were sort of swept away in the design took away from the story. I liked that each page was in both English and Spanish. This would be very appealing to Latino students, especially those in an ESL program. I could use this in my classroom during the World Cup to enlighten my students about the tournament, or they could possibly teach me a thing or two about it. We then could spin off in to a lesson about Brazil. I would also like to have a discussion with my class about the fact that Pele grew up in poverty but with motivation and using other resources he was still able to achieve his dreams.
This book would be best for children in Kindegarten-2nd grade.
Themes: overcoming obstacles, Latino culture, soccer, Brazil
I found the layout of this book very distracting and almost kind of confusing. The pictures were nice but the way the words were sort of swept away in the design took away from the story. I liked that each page was in both English and Spanish. This would be very appealing to Latino students, especially those in an ESL program. I could use this in my classroom during the World Cup to enlighten my students about the tournament, or they could possibly teach me a thing or two about it. We then could spin off in to a lesson about Brazil. I would also like to have a discussion with my class about the fact that Pele grew up in poverty but with motivation and using other resources he was still able to achieve his dreams.
This book would be best for children in Kindegarten-2nd grade.
Themes: overcoming obstacles, Latino culture, soccer, Brazil
November 24, 2014
"Pele, King of Soccer/Pele, El rey del" tells the true story about Edson Arantes do Nascimento also known as Pele, who became a famous soccer player. Pele became the youngest player on the Santos Soccer Club team, who started playing when he was fifteen-years-old. The story tells about Pele's life as a child growing up in Brazil with his poor family who went spent most of his life being hungry. He and his friends would play soccer in the streets with anything they could find, like a grapefruit for example. Pele was invited to play on a professional team and scored 1,281 goals, winning three World Cups for Brazil.
This book is a wonderful story to read in a classroom with Spanish speaking students because the book is written in English and Spanish. To build off of a diverse cultural classroom, you could have students research to find a famous athlete from where they are from or from where their family is from. Students in third and fourth grade would probably be the ideal grade for this type of story.
The artwork in this book is very unique and could be observed by students. They could make their own picture of a sport or hobby that they like to do or want to do in the future
This book is a wonderful story to read in a classroom with Spanish speaking students because the book is written in English and Spanish. To build off of a diverse cultural classroom, you could have students research to find a famous athlete from where they are from or from where their family is from. Students in third and fourth grade would probably be the ideal grade for this type of story.
The artwork in this book is very unique and could be observed by students. They could make their own picture of a sport or hobby that they like to do or want to do in the future
November 15, 2014
Pele, King of Soccer by Monica Brown is a bilingual picture book for young children. It informs children of Pele - Edson Arantes do Nascimento - a famous soccer player. It's biographical nature tells of his life, his troubles and tribulations, but also how he overcame them. It is an inspiring story that will interest all young readers, and especially young athletes. This would be a great book to use in the classroom. Children will enjoy the colorful images, and the narration of the text as it changes from author to sports announcer. More importantly, this book is great for students who have a challenge that they want to overcome. Just like young athletes pretend to be Pele on the soccer field, young students can pretend to be him as well as they overcome their own challenges and reach for their goals. A bio-cube can be used to gauge students' attention to the finer details of Pele's life! Regardless, definitely a good nonfiction text to have in the classroom!
June 7, 2016
Brown, Monica, Rudy Gutierrez, and Fernando Gayesky. Pelé, King of Soccer = Pelé, El Rey Del Fútbol. New York: Rayo, 2009. Print.
Pele was a poor boy who loved to play soccer, even though his socioeconomic background didn't allow him to practice with real gear or on a team. As a boy he promises his father he will win the World Cup for Brazil, and when his talents are found out by professionals, he fulfills his promises and leads Brazil to many victories and becomes the first soccer player to shoot 1,000 goals. The art in this story seemed to capture the vibrancy of Latin American art and was lovely to follow throughout Pele's story. Another story about poverty, I loved how this particular book showed the reader how background shouldn't stand in the way of your dreams. This would be a good window and mirror for many students and could connect with them in meaningful ways.
Pele was a poor boy who loved to play soccer, even though his socioeconomic background didn't allow him to practice with real gear or on a team. As a boy he promises his father he will win the World Cup for Brazil, and when his talents are found out by professionals, he fulfills his promises and leads Brazil to many victories and becomes the first soccer player to shoot 1,000 goals. The art in this story seemed to capture the vibrancy of Latin American art and was lovely to follow throughout Pele's story. Another story about poverty, I loved how this particular book showed the reader how background shouldn't stand in the way of your dreams. This would be a good window and mirror for many students and could connect with them in meaningful ways.
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November 21, 2016Pele is a book about a famous soccer player who grew up poor in Brazil. He played soccer with his friends and family growing up. At the age 17 he won his first World Cup. He later went on to win more 2 more World Cups and other prestigious awards throughout his lifetime. He scored 1000 goals in his career. The theme of this book is similar to Roberto Clemente. They both grew up in a poverty stricken areas and overcame so many difficult obstacles. I would also try and stress the theme of the story to show that students can do anything that they set their minds to. To incorporate this in my class, I will have students write about their own dreams and how they plan to accomplish them. This will allow them to make connections to the book we read and retain this information down the road and maybe even apply it to real life situations.
March 5, 2011
I just realized that this is the same author that did another bilingual children's biography that I loved, called "My name is Gabito: The Life of Gabriel Garcia Marquez," which also has brilliant illustrations by Raul Colon.
This book was a short but well-done biography of Pele, one of the greatest football (soccer) players to ever have lived. He came from a very poor area of Brazil, but joined the Brazilian national team at age 17 and went on to help Brazil win the World Cup three times. He was the first person to score 1000 goals during his career, and even played for a US MLS team. Good for boys and is bilingual (English & Spanish). I loved the end pages and illustrations within the book for their bright colorful designs.
This book was a short but well-done biography of Pele, one of the greatest football (soccer) players to ever have lived. He came from a very poor area of Brazil, but joined the Brazilian national team at age 17 and went on to help Brazil win the World Cup three times. He was the first person to score 1000 goals during his career, and even played for a US MLS team. Good for boys and is bilingual (English & Spanish). I loved the end pages and illustrations within the book for their bright colorful designs.
November 7, 2014
This book would be perfect for any classroom. Pelé King of Soccer is great, the illustrations are beautiful and will grab the readers attention. What is really neat about this book is that it has both English and Spanish on every page. This would be perfect in the case where as a teacher you might have an English language learner within your classroom. The book also shows how you can do anything if you put your mind to it. It is important to make those learners feel as if they do not have to abandon their heritage. For that student to be able to read in Spanish shows him that his culture is important and he does not have to feel as if he needs to abandon it. I think that this book would also be great for reading to the class.
December 15, 2015
This picture book biography is about the soccer player Pele from Brazil. It talks about where he came from, a town in Brazil and how he grew up with almost nothing. He had to work from a young age to help his family. But every evening, no matter what his father would play soccer with him in the streets. Pele made his own soccer team but they couldn't even afford shoes or sometimes even a ball. Pele won his first World Cup at age 17 and did it for his father. This book would be great to use to show diversity in the classroom. I could have my students create a poster of things that they would like to do one day like Pele wanted to win the World Cup and score 1,000 goals. This is a good book to use for goal setting.
July 4, 2011
With text in both English and Spanish, Brown gives a very brief look at the life and soccer career of Pele, one of the greatest players of all time. As a child of poor parents in Brazil, Pele would shine shoes and sell meat pies to help make ends meet. He and his friends would play soccer in the streets, using a grapefruit or a newspaper-stuffed sock as a ball. When he was invited to try out for a professional soccer club, Pele's life changed forever. Rudy Gutierrez' vividly-colored illustrations with swirling, vibrant lines add pizzazz to the slight story. Kids who love soccer will enjoy this quick and easy read.
February 27, 2012
Perfect book to pair with Goal! By Mina Javahermin. Compare Ajani and his friends of South Africa with Pele, King of soccer, from Brazil; and the kids loved both books! Monica Brown’s words are paired with Rudy Gutierrez’s south of the border feeling, carnival-esk, motion, constant movement, just as I believe Pele must have lived his whole life. I also love the comparison of circumstances; poverty, shoes or lack thereof, finding the best way to achieve even simple goals. Figures of speech are found in both books. The fact that this is a bilingual book only lends to enhance this book for any elementary library.
October 26, 2013
This book is perfect for any kids who love the game of soccer. In my classroom I have student who speaks very little English and loves soccer. This book would be perfect for him in that it is on a high interest topic and it is written in both English and Spanish so he will be able to read it. The story begins with Pele's poor childhood in Brazil. His father had a great love of soccer which was passed on to young Pele. Children can relate to Pele doing something that he loved and wanting to make his father happy. The illustrations are done in a manner that is very similar to Latin children's books. There is a air of magic to them, combining traditional Latin artwork with the story of Pele.
September 16, 2011
Copyright 2009. This short story is a great recap of Pele's life. The illustrations are amazing, with great detail while being abstract at the same time. Each pages has bright colors and intricate designs of people and Brazil. I think this books would be great for children of all ages, especially soccer players. I think some great discussions could come from this book about Pele; his family, his early years, breaking records and much more. What is great as well, is the book is in English and Spanish on the same page.
February 1, 2013
This book talks about Pele who was a poor boy in Brazil who became a famous soccer player. Pele loved to play soccer and played whenever he could. Him and his friends always played soccer and at age 15 Pele got asked to play on the professional team. During his time playing soccer he scored over 1,000 goals. This is a good story showing that no matter how much money you have you can always make it places in life. It also shows that if you try hard at what you want to accomplish you will accomplish it.
September 24, 2013
Pele: King of Soccer was an Americas Award 2010 Commended Title. This book is for ages 4-8 and is a quick read about the life of Soccer star Pele. This book is a great introduction about Pele to young children. The book is told is both English and Spanish. The illustrations are very colorful and somewhat wild. Key points are touched on such as how Pele grew up and some of his major life achievements such as getting Brazil a World Cup win and scoring 1000 goals. This is a wonderful biographical book for younger students. I plan to read it to my 4 year old who just started playing team soccer.
November 7, 2016
During his time playing soccer he scored over 1,000 goals. This is a good story showing that no matter how much money you have you can always make it places in life. It also shows that if you try hard at what you want to accomplish you will accomplish it. I think this books would be great for children of all ages, especially soccer players. I think some great discussions could come from this book about Pele; his family, his early years, breaking records and much more.
January 18, 2014
I will most definitely use this book, both for English language learners and for the general classroom. It is a great demonstration of how hard work overcomes adversity that is based on the true story of Brazilian soccer legend Edson Arantes do Nascimento. It has true facts about the player at the end of the story and also beautiful illustrations.
December 28, 2017
Having a two year old has made me have a deep appreciation for bilingual children's books that are interesting for adults. Monica Brown might be my favorite newfound author. Whether it be Marisol McDonald, Gabito, Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, or Pelé, I'm always grateful to read these to my little man. AND, Rafael López, Sara Palacios, Rudy Gutiérrez, and Raúl Colón have some bomb illustrations.
February 9, 2009
First class illustrations by Rudy Gutierrez, who created the artwork for Santana's Shaman CD, enliven this simple story of Pele's childhood and introduction to professional soccer. Reads like a picture book with easy to floow Spanish translation.
June 30, 2011
Covers the life of Pele from childhood through professional soccer career. Text is shown in English, then in Spanish (as is author's note). Wild, brightly colored illustrations have great detail, pages are fun to look at.
July 8, 2016
This is a fun book that shares Pele's life story in a simple way with fun colors. It would be fantastic paired with The Sock Thief because it includes the idea of making homemade soccer balls. It would also be great with Soccer Star by Javaherbin.
December 8, 2014
A fantastic short picture book biography about Pele written in both spanish and english. The book features bright, colorful illustrations. I would use the book with any soccer fan or a child who speaks spanish at home.
December 20, 2016
As a soccer fan, I believe that a kid who likes soccer should know about Pele. This bilingual picture book will inspire and teach kids as they learn about the soccer start. Kids love sports and talking about something they are interested in, will keep them entertain.
March 13, 2017
Rudy Gutiérrez's rich illustrations supports un gran libro sobre Pelé!
There's a little Portuguese in this book O Reí!
There's a little Portuguese in this book O Reí!
April 17, 2025
For me, soccer is my life, my job, and my passion. That's why having the opportunity to read *Pelé: King of Soccer* was a very enriching experience for me personally. As a soccer fan, I knew some things about the story of one of the greatest in the history of the sport, but it's still shocking how. From the first page, I felt inspired by the story of a poor boy from Brazil who later became the king of all of Brazil, in sporting terms, although for many, not just in sporting terms, he was an example to follow for many generations. Furthermore, in this book, the author has been able to perfectly define the aura that Pelé conveyed, an emblem for his country, a role model to look up to, both locally and globally. In our world, we call him O Rei Péle.
In this book, we explore the different stages of this man's life, from his humble beginnings kicking balls made of socks on the streets of Três Corações to becoming a world soccer legend. A great milestone as an athlete was that at just 17 years old, he scored an unforgettable goal in the 1958 World Cup, something incredibly impressive for the era. Scoring a goal in the World Cup is already an achievement, but even more so for a child. In this way, he won the hearts of millions. But beyond his sporting achievements, the book highlights how Pelé brought joy to his country and united people beyond their differences, and that's why Pelé means so much to his country and, above all, to sports; he goes beyond being a great footballer.
For me, the main themes of the book are the ability to start from the bottom to reach the top, that is, personal achievement. Then, it's also how a figure, simply a man, makes so many people feel all those emotions, creating so much collective inspiration. And it goes without saying the incredible cultural impact of sports. I think these themes are the most relevant and best explain what the author wants to convey in her book, in addition to the illustrations that constantly reinforce the idea that Pelé was able to reach the top by changing his own life, but beyond that, he managed to change the lives of his entire country, placing Brazil at the top of the soccer world. It's a super beautiful message, the fact that with passion and effort, any child can achieve their dreams, no matter how difficult their beginnings may be; if you dream it, you can achieve it.
The book's genre is clearly an illustrated biography, as it narrates real events from Pelé's life from an outside perspective and is also intended for a young audience.
The book is full of choices that any child can learn. First, that perseverance, not giving up in the face of adversity, can lead to great things. Second, that sport is wonderful and can be a tool to unite countries and transmit positive values. And third, Péle is a figure anyone can embrace as a role model, not just for children who dream of becoming soccer players, but as a role model for children to see the attitude they should have when facing life's challenges; there's no such thing as giving up. In an educational setting, this book can be used to discuss diversity, perseverance, and the social impact of sports.
It was undoubtedly a *WOW* book for me because it connected with my passion, my lifestyle, and the mindset required to achieve beautiful things in life. It also showed the story of an iconic figure from a human perspective, accessible and inspiring to children.
I appreciated how Monica Brown uses a simple yet powerful narrative structure, allowing children to understand the key moments in Pelé's life without losing emotional depth. One of the literary devices I liked most, and which I consider very effective in this type of context, is emphatic repetition, as when she describes the echo of the name "Pelé" resonating around the world, reinforcing its global impact.
I also think the use of evocative language is a very good idea, which, accompanied by Rudy Gutiérrez's unique illustrations, makes each page of the book a very emotional and sensitive experience. The images use a wide variety of bright colors and expressive strokes that successfully reflect Péle's passion for soccer and the intensity with which he lived his life, leaving no one indifferent.
As for the anti-bias perspective, this book is one of the best I've read so far, so it serves as a good example. The book's protagonist is presented as an Afro-Brazilian hero from a position of admiration and respect, showing how he overcame the barriers of racism and poverty, showing how the word surrender didn't exist in his mind. One point I particularly liked, given my background, is the bilingual version in English and Spanish, as it reinforces inclusion and accessibility for diverse readers. It may seem that Pelé is portrayed as some kind of god, somewhat exaggerated, but that's not the case; it only highlights his effort, humanity, and humility, which makes him more relatable and real.
In conclusion, Pelé: King of Soccer is a high-quality children's biography that offers an unforgettable and exciting experience for readers who have the opportunity to delve into it. It is a celebration of sport, diversity, and the dream many children have: to transform their lives through passion and effort.
Javi
In this book, we explore the different stages of this man's life, from his humble beginnings kicking balls made of socks on the streets of Três Corações to becoming a world soccer legend. A great milestone as an athlete was that at just 17 years old, he scored an unforgettable goal in the 1958 World Cup, something incredibly impressive for the era. Scoring a goal in the World Cup is already an achievement, but even more so for a child. In this way, he won the hearts of millions. But beyond his sporting achievements, the book highlights how Pelé brought joy to his country and united people beyond their differences, and that's why Pelé means so much to his country and, above all, to sports; he goes beyond being a great footballer.
For me, the main themes of the book are the ability to start from the bottom to reach the top, that is, personal achievement. Then, it's also how a figure, simply a man, makes so many people feel all those emotions, creating so much collective inspiration. And it goes without saying the incredible cultural impact of sports. I think these themes are the most relevant and best explain what the author wants to convey in her book, in addition to the illustrations that constantly reinforce the idea that Pelé was able to reach the top by changing his own life, but beyond that, he managed to change the lives of his entire country, placing Brazil at the top of the soccer world. It's a super beautiful message, the fact that with passion and effort, any child can achieve their dreams, no matter how difficult their beginnings may be; if you dream it, you can achieve it.
The book's genre is clearly an illustrated biography, as it narrates real events from Pelé's life from an outside perspective and is also intended for a young audience.
The book is full of choices that any child can learn. First, that perseverance, not giving up in the face of adversity, can lead to great things. Second, that sport is wonderful and can be a tool to unite countries and transmit positive values. And third, Péle is a figure anyone can embrace as a role model, not just for children who dream of becoming soccer players, but as a role model for children to see the attitude they should have when facing life's challenges; there's no such thing as giving up. In an educational setting, this book can be used to discuss diversity, perseverance, and the social impact of sports.
It was undoubtedly a *WOW* book for me because it connected with my passion, my lifestyle, and the mindset required to achieve beautiful things in life. It also showed the story of an iconic figure from a human perspective, accessible and inspiring to children.
I appreciated how Monica Brown uses a simple yet powerful narrative structure, allowing children to understand the key moments in Pelé's life without losing emotional depth. One of the literary devices I liked most, and which I consider very effective in this type of context, is emphatic repetition, as when she describes the echo of the name "Pelé" resonating around the world, reinforcing its global impact.
I also think the use of evocative language is a very good idea, which, accompanied by Rudy Gutiérrez's unique illustrations, makes each page of the book a very emotional and sensitive experience. The images use a wide variety of bright colors and expressive strokes that successfully reflect Péle's passion for soccer and the intensity with which he lived his life, leaving no one indifferent.
As for the anti-bias perspective, this book is one of the best I've read so far, so it serves as a good example. The book's protagonist is presented as an Afro-Brazilian hero from a position of admiration and respect, showing how he overcame the barriers of racism and poverty, showing how the word surrender didn't exist in his mind. One point I particularly liked, given my background, is the bilingual version in English and Spanish, as it reinforces inclusion and accessibility for diverse readers. It may seem that Pelé is portrayed as some kind of god, somewhat exaggerated, but that's not the case; it only highlights his effort, humanity, and humility, which makes him more relatable and real.
In conclusion, Pelé: King of Soccer is a high-quality children's biography that offers an unforgettable and exciting experience for readers who have the opportunity to delve into it. It is a celebration of sport, diversity, and the dream many children have: to transform their lives through passion and effort.
Javi
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