The Field

by Baptiste Paul, Jacqueline Alcïntara (Illustrator)

Overview

Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of 2018
School Library Journal Best Book of 2018
The Horn Book Best Picture Book of 2018
Shelf Awareness Best Children's Book of the Year
Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year

A soccer story—for boy and girls alike!

“Vini! Come! The field calls!” cries a girl as she and her younger brother rouse their community—family, friends, and the local fruit vendor—for a pickup soccer (futbol) game. Boys and girls, young and old, players and spectators come running—bearing balls, shoes, goals, and a love of the sport.

“Friends versus friends” teams are formed, the field is cleared of cows, and the game begins! But will a tropical rainstorm threaten their plans?

The world’s most popular and inclusive sport has found its spirited, poetic, and authentic voice in Baptiste Paul’s debut picture book—highlighting the joys of the game along with its universal themes: teamwork, leadership, diversity, and acceptance. Creole words (as spoken in St. Lucia, the author’s birthplace island in the Caribbean) add spice to the story and are a strong reminder of the sport’s world fame. Bright and brilliant illustrations by debut children’s book illustrator Jacqueline Alcántara—winner of the We Need Diverse Books Illustration Mentorship Award—capture the grit and glory of the game and the beauty of the island setting where this particular field was inspired.

Soccer fan or not, the call of The Field is irresistible.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780735843127
Publisher:	NorthSouth Books
Publication date:	03/06/2018
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	472,082
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.30(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Baptiste Paul is a children’s picture book author. His first book for NorthSouth, The Field, received 3 starred reviews and won the Sonia Lynn Sadler Award, was a Junior Library Guild selection, and also appeared on the Horn Book Fanfare Best of 2018, the School Library Journal Best of 2018, and the CCBC 2018 Choices lists. Baptiste loves sports, likes to roast his own coffee, and grills. He lives in Wisconsin with his family.

Jacqueline Alcántara is a children’s picture book illustrator. Her debut picture book, The Field, written by Baptiste Paul, received 3 starred reviews and won the Sonia Lynn Sadler Award, was a Junior Library Guild selection, and also appeared on the Horn Book Fanfare Best of 2018, the School Library Journal Best of 2018, and the CCBC 2018 Choices lists. Jacqueline’s favorite days are spent drawing, painting, writing, and walking her dog. She lives in Chicago.

Editorial Reviews

01/22/2018
A boisterous and unfettered love of futbol is at the heart of this energetic picture book from debut talents Paul and Alcántara, set on an unspecified Caribbean island. Alcantara’s kinetic illustrations reflect the joy and camaraderie that the game brings to the young players: two twins walk in lock-step to set up a goal made from bamboo shoots, the children are forced to clear the field of cows before the game can begin, and players slip and slide dramatically as a storm sets in. Paul’s punchy, declarative text clearly communicates that the players won’t be hindered by stubborn livestock, downpours, slippery mud, or beckoning mamas; they overcome each obstacle together, as a team. Paul moves casually between English and Creole; definitions are included, but the meanings are generally spelled out (“Ou byen? You okay? Mwen byen. I’m good”). The children’s elongated, exaggerated movements create an almost constant sense of motion in Alcántara’s vividly colored paintings, and their enthusiasm for futbol is infectious. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Karen Grencik, Red Fox Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Adriana Dominguez, Full Circle Literary. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

This is a wonderful debut picture book for both the author and the illustrator. It is sure to be one that will be begged for over and over again, whether soccer fan or not.

The Picture Book Buzz - Maria Marshall

*STARRED REVIEW. The excitement of the game overflows from the pages and the children, from the beautiful greenery that surrounds them and the brightness of their clothing, to the dynamic movement in Alcántara’s artwork...Staccato phrases match high energy of the impromptu game.

Booklist

*STARRED REVIEW. The excitement of the game overflows from the pages and the children, from the beautiful greenery that surrounds them and the brightness of their clothing, to the dynamic movement in Alcántara’s artwork...Staccato phrases match high energy of the impromptu game.

Booklist

01/01/2018
K-Gr 3—An open field in a lush Caribbean setting calls to a group of children. They chase away grazing animals, bring out the soccer ball and goals, and begin a spirited game of soccer. Rain and a muddy, slippery field cannot stop their game; only the repeated calls from the mamas and a setting sun can. Dirty but satisfied, the children return home for baths and bed, knowing that the field will call again for another rousing game. Illustrations in deep, saturated colors with energetic lines accompany a spare but rhythmic English text, sprinkled with Creole. The narrative and images evoke the islands and the joy of playing a game regardless of weather. In a concluding note, Paul recalls his native Saint Lucia where, he explains, Creole is spoken but is rarely written down. A brief glossary is included, though most of the words will be understandable in context and in the animated paintings. VERDICT This engaging book is sure to resonate with children who are passionate about soccer and even those who simply enjoy lively play.—Maria B. Salvadore, formerly at District of Columbia Public Library

School Library Journal

★ 2017-11-27
Gather around for a boisterous game of futbol in Paul and Alcántara's excellent picture-book debut.To begin, the players assemble. With a ball at the ready, one young player calls on others—children, and even adults—to join in. Readers see a diverse cast of mostly dark-skinned characters often gendered in implicit ways. Everyone heads on over to the field, where each player warms up. As the group splits into teams of "friends versus friends," one brave player shoos away the grazing cows. The game then begins. Basing the narrative on his experiences growing up in Saint Lucia, Paul weaves in italicized Creole phrases and words alongside their English counterparts in such a way that the text bursts with infectious joy. "Isi!" shouts a player, while another player cries "This way!" But suddenly, clouds block the sun and rain falls. "Fini? Game over?" Of course not. The friendly scuffle continues on the muddy field, through every splash, slide, and flop. Colorful and dynamic, Alcántara's pictures depict an island community in lush shades of green and blue dotted with houses of bright red and orange; in one series of striking illustrations, the players' vibrant clothing contrasts against muddied backgrounds. Watch the sun appear again when one player scores a "GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!" It's a triumphant, earned moment that lingers even as the story reaches its suitably subdued coda.Irresistible fun. (author's note, bibliography, glossary) (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews

*STARRED REVIEW. Vibrant illustrations, full of movement and saturated with color, match the vigor and excitement of the text.

The Horn Book - Martha V. Parravano