Pelé: The King of Soccer - Hardcover

Simon, Eddy

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1626729794 ISBN 13: 9781626729797

Publisher: First Second, 2017

Synopsis

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known to his schoolmates as Pelé, 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), Pelé 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. Pelé 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.

About this title

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.

From School Library Journal:

Gr 7 Up—Pelé, widely known as the greatest soccer player of all time, was born Edson Arantes do Nascimento, a wiry little village boy from Brazil. With his lightning-speed knack for dribbling and shooting, he quickly ran out of children to play with— but his father, a former professional player, encouraged his son to embrace the game. Pelé earned his nickname as he became a professional soccer player at 15 and won a spot on the national team only a year later. He was dubbed "O Rei" (or "king"), helped Brazil win three FIFA World Cups, and became the all-time leading goal scorer in the history of Brazilian soccer. Simon acknowledges that Pelé's life isn't all awards and international fame—the graphic novel covers corrupt sports officials, an authoritarian dictatorship that tries to control Pelé as its national treasure, and family strife. However, the focus is on Pelé's tremendous impact on soccer internationally and his efforts to improve social conditions in his homeland. The book's linear trajectory is easy to follow, though it spans many years and the political intrigues hint at a much more complicated backstory. Readers who aren't sports fans may find the play-by-play tedious at times, but the dialogue never becomes too technical. The artwork is active and graceful—occasionally frenetic, depicting what Pelé called "the beautiful game." VERDICT A great addition for graphic novel collections and a good way to attract reluctant readers.—Michael Marie Jacobs, Darlington School, GA

About this edition

• Publisher: First Second
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 1626729794
• ISBN 13: 9781626729797
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 144
• Illustrator: Brascaglia Vincent