Neymar

May 15, 2018
From pretend soccer games with family members in his grandfather's house to playing for the Brazilian national soccer team, this is the story of Neymar Jr., one of the world's most valuable players.From a very young age, Neymar Jr. feels a passion for soccer, a passion exemplified by the numerous soccer games he plays, both indoors with other family members or outdoors with his friends on the lawn, and the fact that he always carries a ball with him, including during family meals. His talent is soon spotted by a friend of the family who takes him under his wing to coach him, and the training finally pays off when Neymar Jr. joins a local team, Santos FC, and plays in the youth league. Neymar Jr.'s brilliance is such that he is invited to a trial with Real Madrid, but the experience is short-lived as he realizes how much he misses his family, his "real joy," and decides, despite mounting criticism, to return to Brazil. He continues to progress with his team, with whom he wins major titles before finally signing up for European teams. Javaherbin's free-flowing narrative in Neymar Jr.'s imagined first-person voice, coupled with Hoppe's evocative, movement-filled illustrations, brings life to this athlete's biography. A real page-turner, this book couldn't have been released at a better time, a few months before the 2018 World Cup.A gem. (Picture book. 5-9)

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June 1, 2018

Gr 1-3-This story functions less as a primer about Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior's life than as a dreamlike evocation of a boy's devotion to playing his favorite game. Readers follow the young player as he plays a pretend soccer match with family in his bedroom in his grandparents' home; comes to the table for his mother's delicious feijoada; and longs to spend more time with his father who plays for local clubs. The narrative breezes past the footballer's brief stint with the Real Madrid junior program in Spain. When he returns to play professionally for Santos, the former home of Brazilian soccer giant Pelé, he is treated to a celebratory visit from the big star upon winning the prestigious South American club tournament known as Copa Libertadores. Neymar's career at Barcelona and recent move to Paris Saint-Germain are only glancingly alluded to. Hoppe's gauzy illustrations, cast in subdued colors and a comic book-like shading, serve to bring out the exuberance of the players and the constant motion of the game. Drawing most often from a low angle with a wide horizon, Hoppe privileges a child's-eye view. In an author's note at the end, Javaherbin traces her soccer fandom to a visit with her father to see the Iranian national team play in Tehran. VERDICT Recommended as a read-aloud and for helping to make a ubiquitous superstar athlete relatable to young readers.-Bob Hassett, Luther Jackson Middle School, Falls Church, VA

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