I had very mixed feelings while reading this book. I like the way it was written, but do not like the message it sends to children. In this story, a young boy named Felipe wants to make his own soccer ball from socks. He does not have any, so he steals them from people and replaces them with a mango until he returns them at the end of the book. This may seem socially acceptable to a child, since he was giving them a thank-you gift and returning the socks, but it could also give the message that it is okay to take things from people without their permission. Children could interpret the big idea of the story to be that they can borrow anything they want from people without asking as long as they give it back. The boy does not face consequences for his actions, which could give children unrealistic expectations for what could happen if they try to steal something. While the message may not be the best, this book invites students to think about Brazilian culture. There are a few Portuguese words that are used, but there is a glossary in the back of the book to make finding the meaning of these words easier. There are pictures on every page as well as text, but the text only takes up a small portion of each page. The illustrations are very detailed and well done. They give children an idea of differences between life in Brazil and life in America. For example, a Brazilian village does not look like an American town, and this is shown by the pictures of the boy’s village on every page. Felipe is a relatable and realistic character to young children, since he is determined to play and have fun and will not let obstacles get in his way. He is also athletic and kind. The main character in this story will definitely keep young elementary school students engaged. I probably would not read this story in my classroom because of its content, but there are many good qualities about this book such as the detailed language and illustrations. ( )

This book is about a young boy named Felipe who doesn't have a soccer ball. When it's his turn to take a soccer ball to school, he uses creativity and creates one out of socks. I could use this book when talking about a different culture. I could also use this book when talking about sports such as soccer. ( )

set in Brazil, with Portugese vocabulary; author end notes tell both family story of sock balls, and prevalence of this in Brazil. ( )

This was a beautifully written and illustrated book. The story takes place in Brazil. Felipe is a young boy who "borrows" socks from his neighbors clotheslines. However, he always leaves a nice, tasty mango in its place. As they reader gets closer to the end of the story, they discover exactly what Felipe does with all those stolen socks.

I am a teacher in an international school in Thailand and this will be perfect to read to my first grade class. I love the line that said, "Why own socks when the only shoes you wear are flip-flops?" We can definitely relate to that here. What a cute and appropriate story for children of all ages. It is also a great way for young children to read and see some beautiful drawings of another country.

I highly recommend this picture book. Even my third grader read it and enjoyed it. ( )