Paolo and his friends love playing soccer when they aren’t working. Carlos shines shoes. Jose dives for the tourists. Givo helps with the carnival floats. Pedro harvests coconuts. And Paolo works for Señor da Silva, their coach, on his fishing boat. His little sister, Maria, would like to play soccer too, and she’s good! Paolo’s been teaching her soccer moves, just like she’s been teaching him math, since she goes to school. But the boys have a rule: Girls can’t play on their team. When Jose hurts his wrist during a big match on the beach, the team puts it to a vote, and Maria gets her chance to shine. “I am Paulo Marcelo Feliciano, the captain of this team. No storm, fall, or useless old rule can keep us from a win. Our fans will one day call us the stars. We will light every home in Brazil.” In the context of a lively story offering a glimpse of life for children in Brazil who must work to help their families, Mina Javaherbin underscores how playing and dreaming are universal. (Ages 6–9)

Just in time for the World Cup, an inspiring story of a Brazilian boy who dreams of being a soccer star — and the sister who steps in to help his team win a game.

When Paulo Marcelo Feliciano becomes a soccer star, crowds will cheer his famous name! Then his mother won’t have to work long hours, and he won’t have to work all day on a fishing boat. For now, Paulo takes care of his little sister Maria (she teaches him reading, he teaches her soccer moves) and walks her to school, stopping to give his teammates cheese buns as they set out to shine people’s shoes or perform for the tourist crowd. At day’s end, it’s time to plan the game, where Givo will bounce, Carlos will kick, and Jose will fly! But when Jose falls on his wrist, will the team finally break the rules and let a girl show her stuff? Set in a country whose resilient soccer stars are often shaped by poverty, this uplifting tale of transcending the expected scores a big win for all.