Pelé: The King of Soccer -- Eddy Simon, Paperback

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known to his schoolmates as Pel , grew up in poverty in the Sao Paulo region of Brazil. He was too poor to afford a real soccer ball, so he played with a ball of newspaper tied together with string. Yet he dominated the youth leagues and signed his first professional soccer contract at the age of fifteen. Within two years he was celebrated internationally, when he led Brazil to victory at the world cup. Known by his fans as O Rei (The King), Pel is widely regarded as the greatest soccer player of all time. But he's more than just an athlete: he also traveled the world as goodwill ambassador for UNICEF. Pel is the living symbol of a sport he dubbed the beautiful game--a game that brings people together regardless of race or nationality.

In the graphic novel Pele: The King of Soccer, Eddy Simon and Vincent Brascaglia beautifully depict Pele's rise from the slums of Brazil to the national stage.

Author: Eddy Simon
Publisher: First Second
Published: 10/24/2017
Pages: 144
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.65lbs
Size: 8.50h x 6.00w x 0.30d
ISBN: 9781626727557
Audience: Ages 9-12

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 4.7
Point Value: 2
Interest Level: Middle Grade
Quiz #/Name: 196236 / Pele, the King of Soccer


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 09/01/2017 pg. 138
Publishers Weekly 09/11/2017
Booklist 10/15/2017 pg. 34
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 11/01/2017
School Library Journal 02/01/2018
Hornbook Guide to Children 01/01/2018 pg. 227 - Recommended, Satisfactory

About the Author

Eddy Simon has written for several newspapers and started to write graphic novels in 2016. His comic books have been published by several French editors and some have been translated in foreign countries. He is the author of Pelé.

Vincent Brascaglia began his career by illustrating school books. He was first published in magazines, then started to work on Pelé. Today, he continues his illustration work and has taken on some new graphic novel projects.