Author: Dan Wetzel
Illustrator: Jay Reed
© Date: 2019
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
Pages: 136
Chapters: Yes
Illustrations: Yes, the first page of each chapter has an illustration (these are excerpts from an Instant Replay of a big moment in the athletes history)
Publisher Recommended Age: 8-12 years
Bonus Activities at End of Book: No
Summary from Book: The inspriing true-life underdog story of Lionel “the Flea” Messi!
With his talented right foot, Lionel Messi collected the pass. He was standing on the FC Barcelona side of the midfield, maybe sixty yards from the net he was determined to score upon.
No one else inside Camp Nou, the famed stadium of the Barcelona Football Club in Spain, shared Lionel’s belief that a goal was possible at that moment. How could they? There were two defenders closing quickly on him and another four or five, plus a goalkeeper, waiting between him and the net.
The expected play, the simple play, even the “proper” soccer play, was for Lionel to find an open teammate nearby, then make a short, crisp accurate pass in an effort to control possession and slowly build an attack.
That isn’t how Lionel Messi played soccer, though.
Note: This review is done from memory. I originally read this a short bit ago.
Page Pig Thoughts: This was a well paced story that followed the life of Lionel Messi. The details were easy enough to follow and everything was put into an engaging storyline that kept the pages turning. I wondered if Lionel Messi’s life was remarkable enough that the engaging story was coincidental, so I also read the Simone Biles book. I found that one to also have a good story pace, but when a few vaults were described, my mind got a little confused trying to imagine what it looked like. Which seems appropriate since gymnasts do many fast paced, mind boggling things. While following the athlete stories, determination and dedication are demonstrated as keys to their success. I particularly enjoyed the Lionel Messi book, but after reading the Simone Biles book, I would pick up another in the series if it crossed my path.
Family Unit: Lionel Messi lived with his father, mother, two older brothers, and younger sister in Argentina. Initially they all moved to Spain to be with Lionel (14 years old), but that did not work well for everyone. Lionel and his father stayed in Spain. His mother, brothers, and sister lived in Argentina.
Conflict/Social Issues:
- Lionel was rather small growing up. In an attempt to slow him down, Lionel would get pushed/bullied around the soccer field. He did sustain injuries from his smaller size.
- Lionel moved to Spain. Along with adjusting to new people and a new soccer system, he needed to adjust to a new culture and language variations.
Positive Items:
- Messi lets his game talk for himself, he is rather humble and quiet.
- Messi was able to keep his home life rather private despite all of his sporting success.
Items of Interest:
- This series seems to start by highlighting a key moment that brought the athlete into the spotlight. Then follows the story of the athlete’s life to the present time of publishing. The spotlight moment highlighted at the start of the book is also included as an illustration series at the end to see the instant replay. This book follows the story of Lionel Messi from a young, soccer obsessed boy to successful professional player. Details of how his determination and abilities led to goals, agents, and success.
- Young Lionel loved playing soccer. He became obsessed with it at the age of four when he received his own soccer ball. He played everywhere, including in the house.
- Lionel played for Newell’s Old Boys in Argentina. The team’s nickname is “the Lepers” because the team played a fundraiser game for a leprosy clinic that treated patients with that disease.
- One of Lionel’s nicknames was “El Enano” or “the Midget.” A later nickname was “El Puga” or “the Flea.”
- Lionel was rather short when he was nine (about 4’1″). Doctors said that he had a growth hormone disorder that could be cured with a daily injection by needle. Lionel was determined to become professional soccer player size, so he administered the injections himself day after day for three years. The cost of those injections was what drove his family to seek different playing opportunities for him, otherwise, they could not pay for the injections.
- Lionel was super fast on the soccer pitch, but rather slow in everyday life. He had the nickname of “the snail.”
- Sleep was one of the basic foundations that Lionel stuck by throughout his life.
- Some injuries are mentioned, including broken bones, even a broken cheekbone.
- One of the conditions of signing Lionel up for La Masia (the Barca academy) was that Lionel stay in an apartment with his family and a job for his father. Unfortunately, life in Spain was not easy for the whole family. Despite the difficulties that he was having in Spain, Lionel was determined to make soccer and life work in Spain. Lionel and his father stayed in Spain, while the rest of the family moved back to Argentina. Having an ocean between the family was not easy either.
- NOTE: The issues for each athlete vary based on the athlete’s story. Simone Biles’s story touches on a drug/alcohol addicted mother, foster care, the athletic trainer sexual abuse case, and skin color. All issues in that story were described at an age appropriate level and not a major focal point, but they are issues to keep in mind.
Other Books in Series (At Time of Posting):
- There are around 11 athletes highlighted in the Epic Athletes series
- Caitlin Clark
- Stephen Curry
- Alex Morgan
- Serena Williams
- Tom Brady
- Lebron James
- Simone Biles
- Kevin Durant
- Patrick Mahomes
- Zion Williamson