We play soccer Jugamos al fútbol

PreS-Gr 2--Let's Be Friends and We Play Soccer offer bilingual stories for the very young or for those new to the Spanish/English language. Although Joe speaks English and Jose speaks Spanish, the language barrier does not keep these two kindergartners from becoming friends. Each time Joe speaks, Jose replies by saying the same phrase in Spanish. In Let's Be Friends, the boys learn to share paints as they create beautiful pictures during class. Joe says, "Let's paint," and Jose replies, "Pintemos." In We Play Soccer, the boys learn teamwork as they work together to help their team score the winning goal. Joe says, "Our team is losing," and Jose responds with, "Nuestro equipo esta perdiendo." Colorful artwork and detailed pictures keep readers engaged. VERDICT Both books offer a simple story with delightful characters for beginning readers or those learning a new language.--Martha Rico

On a beautiful sunny day, two young boys experience the twists and turns of a soccer game. Joe warmly greets José as he walks onto the soccer field. They eagerly show off their red uniforms and cleats, then practice keep-ups, juggling soccer balls on their knees. Their enthusiasm is palpable, but when the match begins, they aren't chosen as starting players. A female coach benches the boys, and though they're sad at first, the game soon absorbs their attention as they cheer on their teammates. Only when it begins to look like their team might lose are they called onto the field, much to their delight, and the match draws to an exciting conclusion. The story is told entirely through the boys' dialogue, which appears in speech bubbles. Joe speaks exclusively in English and José, exclusively in Spanish. It's not clear whether the boys can also speak each other's languages, and poignantly, it doesn't matter. The kids clearly understand each other, using body language and context to bolster verbal communication. The bilingual sentence repetition ("I pass the ball to José / Goal! / ¡Gol! / Le paso la pelota a Joe") creates a realistic and seamless narrative that young children can easily follow while developing both English and Spanish skills. The illustrations are vibrant, and characters are depicted as having various shades of light brown skin. Backmatter helpfully provides direct translations of words that appear in the story. A bright, sweet story about friendship, teamwork, and the joy of soccer. (glossary) (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.