October 1, 2023
K-Gr 2-Jos� is bursting with excitement as he runs off of the school bus. He was selected to be on his school's soccer team! Jos�'s pet dog, Feliz (Spanish for happy), is also bursting with excitement at the sight of Jos�. When Jos� arrives home, his family, including Feliz, greet him and give him some special gifts. Jos� receives a soccer ball, net, and cones to practice with at home. The boy jumps into action and starts practicing outside with Feliz. When Feliz gets a bit confused and plays fetch with the soccer ball, Jos� tells Feliz that he cannot. Jos� brings Feliz to practice, where he once again joins in and starts playing with the soccer ball. At first Jos� is nervous that the coach will be mad at Feliz, but the coach laughs it off and gives Feliz a team uniform to wear. The day of the big game arrives, and Jos� is excited to play. Will the dog obey? This chapter book is a great choice for children looking to go beyond easy readers. Vibrant, colorful illustrations give the book a joyful look that readers will gravitate toward. Bilingual text integrated into the story has enough context clues for non-Spanish speakers; there is also a glossary of words and phrases in the back. VERDICT An excellent addition to early chapter book collections. This title has so much promise for readers who are learning Spanish, interested in soccer, or have a love of dogs.-Katie Llera
Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
November 1, 2023
Grades K-3 In a wonderful new installment in the Jos� and Feliz series, Jos� is excited to be on a soccer team. He makes sure to practice every day, and one day his dog, Feliz, steps in to play too. What Jos� sees next surprises him. Feliz has learned how to dribble the soccer ball, quickly maneuvering around the orange cones in the yard: "Tapping the ball con su nariz . . . Bumping it con su cabeza . . . Pushing it con sus patas." Later, the whole family goes to watch Jos�'s team practice, and Feliz runs out and begins to play! The coach and team are so impressed they make the pup their team mascot. Victories all around! The story has four short chapters well suited for beginning readers. The book is filled with full-page, color illustrations to keep readers engaged, and the text carefully balances Spanish vocabulary within the English sentences. A helpful guide that translates the words and phrases used in the book is appended.
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December 1, 2023
In this bilingual chapter book, a Latine boy realizes his dog has a hidden talent. Jos� has been picked for the soccer team! When his family surprises him with new equipment, he rushes out to practice with his dog, Feliz. Everyone knows Feliz is intelligent--he even recognizes commands in both English and Spanish--but no one knew he was also a natural jugador de f�tbol! At practice, Feliz watches the action from the bleachers until the time comes to practice kicking. As Jos� dribbles the ball toward the goal, Feliz rushes the field, embarrassing the boy. Fortunately, everyone on the team is amazed by the dog's skills, even the coach, who appoints Feliz the team mascot. When Jos� scores the winning goal of their first game, he calls Feliz onto the field to celebrate; the two best friends are brought even closer through their shared love of the game. Early in the book, readers learn that everyone in Jos�'s house speaks both English and Spanish, and the book is likewise bilingual. The text is written mostly in English but weaves in Spanish words and phrases on most pages, imitating the natural code-switching of many bilingual people. Colorful cartoon illustrations provide effective visual support for developing readers. Jos� and his family are dark-haired and have varying shades of brown skin; his community is a diverse one. Sure to have newly independent readers--especially soccer fans--cheering. (glossary) (Early chapter book. 5-8)
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