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Long before David Beckham and multimillion-dollar contracts, one poor little Brazilian grew to become the name and face of soccer around the world. Pele, the international champion soccer star, spent his youth kicking rocks, dribbling balls made of rags, and daydreaming of soccer greatness.
Edson Arantes do Nascimento was far from that soccer stardom as he struggled through school and spent every free moment playing with his team, the Shoeless Ones - a natural name for a group of boys who simply could not afford shoes.
Young Pele is a colorful little blast of Pele’s formative years, a decade before he won, as the youngest player to compete at 17 years old, the World Cup championship. That was Brazil’s first cup.
Lesa Cline-Ransome and James E. Ransome have written and illustrated several notable books, and James has won several illustrator awards, including the Coretta Scott King Award and the NAACP Image Award.
The Ransomes have created a simple and striking book with Young Pele. The illustrations are vibrant, evoking the perfect colors and mixes to represent Brazil and the pace of a young Pele in action.
The story is interesting but, depending on certain values, Pele’s dismissal of school might not be the best image for young readers. The “Follow your dreams” thrills are not to be denied, though.
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Young Pele: Soccer's First Star