Kick It, Mo!

by David A. Adler, Sam Ricks (Illustrator)

Overview

Mo may not be the biggest, the strongest, or the fastest soccer player, but he won't let that stop him from playing! The Geisel Award Winning series from David Adler is now in Step into Reading!

Soccer season is starting, and Mo has been working hard on his kicking skills so he can help his team, the Billy Goats, score a goal. But when he gets on the field on game day, it seems like all he gets to do is run back and forth. Will Mo ever get the chance to show his team what he can do?

Step 3 Readers feature engaging characters in easy-to-follow plots about popular topics—for children who are ready to read on their own.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593432563
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	09/14/2021
Series:	Step into Reading Book Series: A Step 3 Book
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.80(h) x 0.10(d)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

David A. Adler is the author of more than two hundred children's books, including two Level 3 easy-to-read series Young Cam Jansen and Bones. Visit David at davidaadler.com.

Sam Ricks is a children's books illustrator and lead graphic design faculty at The Art Institute of Salt Lake City. Visit him at samricks.com.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Kick It, Mo!:

"Another winning title in the popular series." —School Library Journal

"Simple in its storytelling, strong in its diversity, this is an entertaining as well as enlightening read." —Kirkus Reviews

"The youngest, smallest kid on each team, Mo works hard to learn and improve his skills. Who could begrudge this unlikely sports hero the good luck that comes his way in each book? Not a kid who's working hard to master a similarlycomplex, difficult challenge: learning to read." —Booklist

From the Publisher

2018-07-24

Continuing his already-beloved Geisel Award-winning series, Adler brings Mo Jackson and the family to the soccer field, where overzealous Mo must hone his skills in order to perform at the big game.

Mo Jackson is a small boy who loves sports with all his heart, though he is often smaller, younger, and slower than the other kids on the field. In this outing, he must master kicking if he's going to be a contributor to his team, keeping the soccer ball on the ground instead of allowing it to fly every which way. His mom and dad practice with Mo before the big game, rolling the ball to him again and again, but it's not looking promising. When the game starts, Coach Judy reiterates to Mo and the rest of the kids: "Keep the ball low. Kick it on the ground. Kick it toward the goal." With the game tied late, Mo will get his opportunity to test out his mighty kick he'd been practicing all day. Readers just may be surprised at the result. The easy-to-read large font shares each page with Ricks' energized, cartoonish illustrations. They easily and often humorously support decoding the text. Mo, his parents, and Coach Judy are all black, and featured throughout are diverse characters of different skin tones, body types, hairstyles, and visible cultural cues.

Simple in its storytelling, strong in its diversity, this is an entertaining as well as enlightening read. (Early reader. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews