* "Brown introduces a smart, young protagonist with a multicultural background in this series opener for chapter-book readers. Celebrate a truly accepting multicultural character."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"If you've never had a best friend, Lola Levine will undoubtedly become your first. Her appeal is boundless."—Rita Williams-Garcia, Coretta Scott King Author Award winner for One Crazy Summer
"Lola Levine is a joy, and even though she stops goals at soccer games, she could never stop readers from smiling as they eagerly wait for her next adventure."—Diana López, author of Confetti Girl andAsk My Mood Ring How I Feel
"Readers will cheer as Lola balances her troubles at school with the same smart skills that she uses to dominate the soccer field. A lovely bicultural character--and her richly drawn group of peers--promises a cherished new series."—Meg Medina, Pura Belpré winner for Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass
"Lola's vivacious personality spills out over the pages. Domiguez's b&w spot illustrations are in step with the upbeat mood, and beyond the soccer theme of this book, Brown highlights Lola's blended heritage, love of animals, and interest in writing, introducing plenty of material to explore in future books."—Publishers Weekly
"This first entry in a smartly crafted new series introduces Lola, best friend Josh Blot, and her family. The appealing protagonist is energetic and enthusiastic [and] with as much about family and friends as about sports, this chapter book should have broad appeal."—Booklist
"Beginning chapter book readers will enjoy Lola's spunk and humor. A good choice for chapter book collections."—School Library Journal
"Lola's personality shines through here, with a vibrant first-person narration that matches her energetic spirit."—The Bulletin
"This book tackles common problems for young children using humor and good sense, resulting in peaceful solutions. Simple, expressive pictures are interspersed throughout, keeping the reader engaged. This first book in a proposed series is a great book for the beginning chapter book reader."—School Library Connection
★ 2015-08-12
Brown introduces a smart, young protagonist with a multicultural background in this series opener for chapter-book readers. Second-grader Lola Levine is half-Peruvian and half-Jewish; she is a skilled soccer player, a persuasive writer, and aspires to own a cat in the near future should her parents concede. During a friendly recess soccer match, Lola, playing goalie, defends an incoming ball by coming out of her box and accidentally fouls a classmate. And so Lola acquires the rhyming nickname Mean Lola Levine. Through Lola's first-person narration, readers see clearly how her savvy and creativity come from her family: Dad, who paints, Mom, who writes, and a fireball younger brother. She also wears her bicultural identity easily. In her narration, her letters to her friends, and dialogue, Lola easily inserts such words as diario, tía, bubbe, and shalom. For dinner, the family eats matzo ball soup, Peruvian chicken, and flan. Interspersed throughout the story are references to all-star soccer athletes, from Brazilian master Pelé to Mia Hamm, Briana Scurry, and David Beckham. Dominguez's black-and-white illustrations are cheery and appealing, depicting a long-haired Caucasian father and dark-skinned, black-haired mother. Typefaces that emulate penmanship appropriately differ from character to character: Lola's is small and clean, her mother's is tall and slanted, while Juan's, the injured classmate, is sloppy and lacks finesse. Celebrate a truly accepting multicultural character. (Fiction. 6-10)
