Overview

Meet LA Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela, the rookie who became a symbol of Mexican American pride and a hero to Latinos everywhere. Celebrate Latino sports history in this inspiring, stunningly illustrated baseball book for kids ages 7-10, from an award-winning baseball reporter and a Pura Belpré Honoree. Fernando Valenzuela was just barely out of his teens when he came to America from Mexico to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers. In the 1980s, Mexican Americans rarely followed baseball. But after Fernando pitched eight winning games, the entire country was talking about him. People in Mexico began listening to games on their radios, and more Mexican Americans in LA began coming to games. A rookie on a historic streak, Fernando became an international star! And the fans gained something too: a hero they could call their own. Baseball reporter Nathalie Alonso and author of Call Me Roberto! joins Mexican American illustrator John Parra to celebrate this sensational player who was known for his signature pitching style.

Full Product Details

9798260500354

Table of Contents

Reviews

★ ""Lavish, visually rich illustrations by Parra are done in a folk style with flat colors and figures that appear almost like cutouts... beautifully presented, written with deep admiration; recommended for elementary libraries, ­especially where baseball is popular.""--School Library Journal, starred review ""Siebert Honor Book author Alonso highlights not only Valenzuela's impressive career but the positive impact he had on Latino Angelenos, who loved seeing a Mexican player who felt like one of them. Illustrated with Parra's bright, blocky artwork, the book focuses mainly on Valenzuela's rookie year and fittingly concludes with a World Series Game against the Yankees. An informative, visually engaging picture book for baseball fans.""--Booklist ""...this book is a grand slam for young baseball fans. Parra's acrylic illustrations have a retro Americana feel, using muted, dusty pastels balanced with a few bold, primary-adjacent accents, giving them a sun-faded warmth that complements Fernando's inspirational journey. A well-pitched celebration of talent, perseverance, and the power of representation.""--Kirkus Reviews ""Alonso (Call Me Roberto!, rev. 9/24) here highlights another significant Latino Major League Baseball player: Mexican-born left-handed screwball pitcher Fernando Valenzuela (1960-2024), who made his rookie debut for the L.A. Dodgers in 1981... Alonso's prose is straightforward and uplifting. Parra's (recently Engle's Eloísa's Musical Window, rev. 9/24) illustrations, done in his signature style of acrylic on board with matte hues, feature saturated spreads that fill the pages, with baseball action taking center stage.""--The Horn Book

Author Information

Nathalie Alonso is a Cuban American bilingual writer and journalist based in Queens, NY. A seasoned baseball reporter, her writing has appeared in National Geographic, Outside, and Refinery29, among other outlets. She is currently a reporter and producer at MLB.com's Spanish-language sister site, LasMayores.com. Call Me Roberto! was her debut nonfiction picture book. John Parra is an award-winning artist, illustrator, author, and educator, best known for his Latino themed children's picture books. His illustrations for Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos, written by Monica Brown, was a New York Times Best Illustrated Book, and Green Is a Chile Pepper: A Book of Colors by Roseanne Thong, received a Pura Belpré Honor and the Américas Book Award.

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