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The Field
“Vini! Come! The field calls!” cries a girl as she and her younger brother rouse their community—family, friends, and the local fruit vendor—for a pickup soccer (futbol) game. Boys and girls, young and old, players and spectators come running—bearing balls, shoes, goals, and a love of the sport.
“Friends versus friends” teams are formed, the field is cleared of cows, and the game begins! But will a tropical rainstorm threaten their plans?
“Friends versus friends” teams are formed, the field is cleared of cows, and the game begins! But will a tropical rainstorm threaten their plans?
30 pages, Hardcover
Published March 6, 2018
2 people are currently reading
289 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 160 reviews
April 29, 2019
An invitation to play a soccer game (futbol) rings out in a community. All gather as players or spectators. Nothing can stop players from playing! Not cows in the field, or a rain shower, or the first-calls for dinner.
I love the sense of community that this book depicts. I also enjoy how the book also doubles as a teaching tool. Many words and phrases were written in both Saint Lucian Creole and English.
The artwork is beyond gorgeous! The illustrations in the rain were especially my favorite! Wow! The illustrator captured the joy and movement of the game!
Rating: Five bouncing, dribbling stars!
I love the sense of community that this book depicts. I also enjoy how the book also doubles as a teaching tool. Many words and phrases were written in both Saint Lucian Creole and English.
The artwork is beyond gorgeous! The illustrations in the rain were especially my favorite! Wow! The illustrator captured the joy and movement of the game!
Rating: Five bouncing, dribbling stars!
August 17, 2018
Here’s an interesting conundrum for you. Rattle it about in your brain for a while. It is an uncontestable fact that the majority of picture books published in America in a given year feature either white kids or animals. Now this is just talking about the bulk of the publishing industry, and there are always exceptions. So while the big publishers take baby steps in the right direction, it’s the small presses that go for the gold, bringing us books we’ve never seen or, even better, never known we should miss. Years ago in New York I remember receiving a request to pull together a collection of picture books set in the Caribbean. It took a lot of searching, and probably the inclusion of more than one out-of-print title, but eventually my colleagues and I were able to pull something together that we were proud of. That was about ten years ago, and I’d love to tell you that if someone were to ask me to name my top ten Caribbean children’s books off the top of my head, I’d be able to do it. I can’t though. We still see too few islander stories. It is worth noting, however, that once in a while you get a book that is not just an exception to the rule, filling a need, but is just a killer original title as well. I’ve never been to Saint Lucia, and maybe I never will, but when I read The Field by Baptiste Paul and Jacqueline Alcántara I at least catch the barest whiff of the place in as eclectic, exciting, and downright fun a format as possible.
In the beginning there is just one boy, already in his soccer uniform, kicking a ball through the trees. When his brother joins him they set about putting together a team from the kids in their village. The local fruit seller agrees to play the role of ref and the next thing you know the cows have been shooed off the field and there are eight kids on the muddy grass, shooting, passing, running, and diving. “This way!” “Isi!” “Pass!” author Baptiste Paul fills his book with Creole words and phrases. When rain threatens to end the fun the kids declare “No way” and keep on playing. Rain won’t stop them. Wet dirt won’t stop them. Only after the mamas call and everyone has to go in for the night does the excitement finally stop . . until everyone sleeps and dreams of games to come.
This book is important to me, and in multiple ways. It’s not just that it provides a glimpse into island life that a lot of kids in the U.S. would certainly never see otherwise. It’s also a sports book. As kooky as it sounds, we don’t really see a lot of sport-related picture books in a given year. Because 2018 was a World Cup year we did see a teeny tiny uptick in soccer titles. Books like Kick It, Mo by David Adler and Sam Ricks, for example, were a tiny drop in a bottomless need. I don’t know why sports books don’t get more love, what with their built in drama and storytelling potential, but it’s all the more reason to jump up and sing when a book like The Field comes along. And as strange as it sounds, when I realized that this was that rare sports book, I began to pay closer attention to the degree to which the artist working on the story was able to bring that sport to life.
While reading this book I had a real sense of how adeptly Alcántara is able to convey movement. From the endpapers onward this book is riding on its ability to make its players move. It got me to thinking. When we talk about the art and skill of one illustrator or another, do we ever talk about how skilled they are at making their characters move? Out of curiosity I decided to take a peek at the Caldecott Honor and Award winners (for the most distinguished picture books published in a given year). When was the last time a book won where characters were moving, preferably in some kind of a sport? Well, if you count dance then there was R. Gregory Christie’s work on 2017’s Freedom in Congo Square. Journey by Aaron Becker had a lot of falling, running, flying, and boating in 2014. But for a straight sport you actually have to go back as far as Christopher Bing’s 2001 Honor winning work on Casey at the Bat. Now the lack of sports books on the award listings has as much to do with the fact that they’re hardly ever published as anything. Even so, I think it’s high time we gave some proper credit to artists that know how to convey speed, movement, and the inherent drama of the field.
Alcántara’s work makes for a particularly nice complement to Paul’s text. It isn’t just how well she can make a soccer game understandable on the page (something not easy to do in real life, let alone in fiction). Look at how she brings liquid and mud and rain into this magnificent spattered, splattered, mess. The drops of paint on the page never obfuscate, even as they compete with the non-splattered images for dominance. There will be those for whom Alcántara’s rough characterizations don’t appeal, but if you stop and look at what she’s doing it’s impressive. Every single character playing soccer is an individual. Did you notice the girl that plays half the game in blue rain boots? Can you make out the teams (and did you notice that the twins are on opposite sides)? And look at the light. How the sky melts from blue to gray, ominous and foreboding. Or how the field is lit at night, when the mamas call in their filthy mud-splattered kids. My favorite picture in the book is probably of the kids running back home as the sun sinks red into the horizon, lighting the whole world with that same pre-twilit umber glow.
Bilingual children’s books are a pickle. If you want to convey the tenor and tone of a place, it makes sense to include text in the native language. But how precisely do you do that? I’ll be blunt with you. If you do a straight up bilingual translation of the English text, that fills a very precise need of a segment of the buying public. Over the years I’ve come around to books that integrate two languages together. Mr. Paul does a lot of that here. Sure he includes a glossary of Creole words and phrases (complete with pronunciations) at the back of the book for easy translation, but it’s almost unnecessary when you consider how often he includes them with their English equivalents in the story. Take, for example, when one kid slips in the mud. “Ou byen? You okay? Mwen byen. I’m good.” In his Author’s Note, Paul notes that Creole is mostly a spoken rather than written language, and that it is put together from a range of different languages, including French, English, Hindi and others. I should note that there has been a push in recent years to no longer italicize words in a language other than English in a book’s text. This book does italicize, but it’s a subtle difference and not one I think I would have noticed if I hadn’t gone looking for it.
Let’s talk titles now. They say not to judge a book by its cover. They may as well say not to judge a book by its title. And in the case of this particular book I’d implore you to follow that advice. The Field sounds like a serious work of adult fiction by a dead white author, does it not? There is gravitas to it. Seriousness. This is probably why one of my fellow children’s librarians started to refer to this book by an entirely new and made up name. And let me tell you, once he started calling this book “Futbol Mud Match” I could never really go back to that dry and distant title The Field. Look me in the eye and tell me that “Futbol Mud Match” wouldn’t be a better, more exciting, and downright perfect name for this book. It would integrate the Creole of the text with the promise of muddy, sporty fun. Many times an author doesn’t have final say on the title of their book, but if this was the dream title Mr. Paul always wanted then so be it. It’ll always be “Futbol Mud Match” to me.
Do you have to love soccer to love this book? Not hardly. As I mentioned before, sports are perfect children’s book companions because each game is rife with excitement, drama, and potential humiliation. All the best ingredients for a rousing tale! You could just as well ask if you have to love rain to love this book, or the Caribbean, or cows. The only thing you have to bring to this story is a love of good books, and a capacity to be wowed when a debut team pulls out a book as cool as this. A story so good you’ll be half tempted to pull your own soccer ball out of the shed and take it to the nearest muddy park for a spin. A true original.
For ages 4-7.
In the beginning there is just one boy, already in his soccer uniform, kicking a ball through the trees. When his brother joins him they set about putting together a team from the kids in their village. The local fruit seller agrees to play the role of ref and the next thing you know the cows have been shooed off the field and there are eight kids on the muddy grass, shooting, passing, running, and diving. “This way!” “Isi!” “Pass!” author Baptiste Paul fills his book with Creole words and phrases. When rain threatens to end the fun the kids declare “No way” and keep on playing. Rain won’t stop them. Wet dirt won’t stop them. Only after the mamas call and everyone has to go in for the night does the excitement finally stop . . until everyone sleeps and dreams of games to come.
This book is important to me, and in multiple ways. It’s not just that it provides a glimpse into island life that a lot of kids in the U.S. would certainly never see otherwise. It’s also a sports book. As kooky as it sounds, we don’t really see a lot of sport-related picture books in a given year. Because 2018 was a World Cup year we did see a teeny tiny uptick in soccer titles. Books like Kick It, Mo by David Adler and Sam Ricks, for example, were a tiny drop in a bottomless need. I don’t know why sports books don’t get more love, what with their built in drama and storytelling potential, but it’s all the more reason to jump up and sing when a book like The Field comes along. And as strange as it sounds, when I realized that this was that rare sports book, I began to pay closer attention to the degree to which the artist working on the story was able to bring that sport to life.
While reading this book I had a real sense of how adeptly Alcántara is able to convey movement. From the endpapers onward this book is riding on its ability to make its players move. It got me to thinking. When we talk about the art and skill of one illustrator or another, do we ever talk about how skilled they are at making their characters move? Out of curiosity I decided to take a peek at the Caldecott Honor and Award winners (for the most distinguished picture books published in a given year). When was the last time a book won where characters were moving, preferably in some kind of a sport? Well, if you count dance then there was R. Gregory Christie’s work on 2017’s Freedom in Congo Square. Journey by Aaron Becker had a lot of falling, running, flying, and boating in 2014. But for a straight sport you actually have to go back as far as Christopher Bing’s 2001 Honor winning work on Casey at the Bat. Now the lack of sports books on the award listings has as much to do with the fact that they’re hardly ever published as anything. Even so, I think it’s high time we gave some proper credit to artists that know how to convey speed, movement, and the inherent drama of the field.
Alcántara’s work makes for a particularly nice complement to Paul’s text. It isn’t just how well she can make a soccer game understandable on the page (something not easy to do in real life, let alone in fiction). Look at how she brings liquid and mud and rain into this magnificent spattered, splattered, mess. The drops of paint on the page never obfuscate, even as they compete with the non-splattered images for dominance. There will be those for whom Alcántara’s rough characterizations don’t appeal, but if you stop and look at what she’s doing it’s impressive. Every single character playing soccer is an individual. Did you notice the girl that plays half the game in blue rain boots? Can you make out the teams (and did you notice that the twins are on opposite sides)? And look at the light. How the sky melts from blue to gray, ominous and foreboding. Or how the field is lit at night, when the mamas call in their filthy mud-splattered kids. My favorite picture in the book is probably of the kids running back home as the sun sinks red into the horizon, lighting the whole world with that same pre-twilit umber glow.
Bilingual children’s books are a pickle. If you want to convey the tenor and tone of a place, it makes sense to include text in the native language. But how precisely do you do that? I’ll be blunt with you. If you do a straight up bilingual translation of the English text, that fills a very precise need of a segment of the buying public. Over the years I’ve come around to books that integrate two languages together. Mr. Paul does a lot of that here. Sure he includes a glossary of Creole words and phrases (complete with pronunciations) at the back of the book for easy translation, but it’s almost unnecessary when you consider how often he includes them with their English equivalents in the story. Take, for example, when one kid slips in the mud. “Ou byen? You okay? Mwen byen. I’m good.” In his Author’s Note, Paul notes that Creole is mostly a spoken rather than written language, and that it is put together from a range of different languages, including French, English, Hindi and others. I should note that there has been a push in recent years to no longer italicize words in a language other than English in a book’s text. This book does italicize, but it’s a subtle difference and not one I think I would have noticed if I hadn’t gone looking for it.
Let’s talk titles now. They say not to judge a book by its cover. They may as well say not to judge a book by its title. And in the case of this particular book I’d implore you to follow that advice. The Field sounds like a serious work of adult fiction by a dead white author, does it not? There is gravitas to it. Seriousness. This is probably why one of my fellow children’s librarians started to refer to this book by an entirely new and made up name. And let me tell you, once he started calling this book “Futbol Mud Match” I could never really go back to that dry and distant title The Field. Look me in the eye and tell me that “Futbol Mud Match” wouldn’t be a better, more exciting, and downright perfect name for this book. It would integrate the Creole of the text with the promise of muddy, sporty fun. Many times an author doesn’t have final say on the title of their book, but if this was the dream title Mr. Paul always wanted then so be it. It’ll always be “Futbol Mud Match” to me.
Do you have to love soccer to love this book? Not hardly. As I mentioned before, sports are perfect children’s book companions because each game is rife with excitement, drama, and potential humiliation. All the best ingredients for a rousing tale! You could just as well ask if you have to love rain to love this book, or the Caribbean, or cows. The only thing you have to bring to this story is a love of good books, and a capacity to be wowed when a debut team pulls out a book as cool as this. A story so good you’ll be half tempted to pull your own soccer ball out of the shed and take it to the nearest muddy park for a spin. A true original.
For ages 4-7.
August 6, 2021
The kids and I enjoyed this. The illustration style, while not exactly my favorite, is very immersive and made us feel transported to the Caribbean and part of the action and excitement of the children playing soccer. It shows how soccer (futbol) really is a game that can be played most anywhere, by most anyone, as "friend vs friend" teams are formed and a local field is cleared to make way for the game. Author's note mentions how, despite growing up without electricity, running water, or many toys, he had lots of siblings and friends -- and futbol! He says how, in the story, the children overcome barriers that threaten to end their game, and that this sort of persevering attitude can have positive effects throughout life. Creole words are interspersed throughout the story and the Author's Note explains a bit more about the history of the language.
September 13, 2017
This wonderful children's story delves into the simple pleasure of playing sports with rare use of creole combined with vibrant images of children of colour enjoying a day outside with each other.
September 29, 2018
Soccer. The Beautiful game. One thing that brings cultures together is the love of this game. I have lived in many cities and I have been able to create beautiful moments on the field with people from across the globe through a shared language of soccer. Baptiste Paul grew up in St. Lucia, a small and beautiful island in the Caribbean and this book is both an ode to soccer as it is to the French Patois he grew up speaking. Great little book.
Find The Field at the Westminster Public Library!
Find The Field at the Westminster Public Library!
April 2, 2018
Excellent. Diverse.
November 15, 2018
A young girl rouses her brother and his playmates in this debut picture-book from author/illustrator team Baptiste Paul and Jacqueline Alcántara, and a game of soccer in the nearby field is started. Full of action and excitement, the simple text - no more than a few words per page, in both English and Creole - captures the immediacy and motion of the game, which is only enlivened (and not interrupted) by the advent of a rainstorm. Splashing through mud, the players carry on, until their mothers finally insist they "vini abwézan" (come now)...
Set on a Caribbean island - most likely on Saint Lucia, given that Paul grew up there - The Field is one of only a few recent picture-books that I can think of, that feature contemporary children from that part of the world. Nadia L. Holm's Malaika’s Costume is another, although that title addresses more serious issues, in the form of an absent parent. Here we have a fun, exciting text, paired with bright, bold illustrations that accentuate and build upon the sense of motion in the story. The subject matter, moreover - that of the "beautiful game" - is one sure to have appeal for many young children. I added this to my "bilingual texts" shelf, despite the fact that most of the (minimal) text is in English, because Creole words were used throughout. The meaning of these words is obvious from the context, and from the fact that the English equivalent is often given, but a handy glossary is still included at the rear. I also added it to my "Caribbean children" shelf, which I usually reserve for children's titles written by writers actually living in the region, rather than elsewhere. Leaving those issues of categorization aside, this is one I would recommend, both to young soccer lovers, and to those searching for picture-books with a Caribbean setting and cultural background.
Set on a Caribbean island - most likely on Saint Lucia, given that Paul grew up there - The Field is one of only a few recent picture-books that I can think of, that feature contemporary children from that part of the world. Nadia L. Holm's Malaika’s Costume is another, although that title addresses more serious issues, in the form of an absent parent. Here we have a fun, exciting text, paired with bright, bold illustrations that accentuate and build upon the sense of motion in the story. The subject matter, moreover - that of the "beautiful game" - is one sure to have appeal for many young children. I added this to my "bilingual texts" shelf, despite the fact that most of the (minimal) text is in English, because Creole words were used throughout. The meaning of these words is obvious from the context, and from the fact that the English equivalent is often given, but a handy glossary is still included at the rear. I also added it to my "Caribbean children" shelf, which I usually reserve for children's titles written by writers actually living in the region, rather than elsewhere. Leaving those issues of categorization aside, this is one I would recommend, both to young soccer lovers, and to those searching for picture-books with a Caribbean setting and cultural background.
December 5, 2018
The first picture book I've seen to depict good sportsman/womanship so deftly. Absolutely stunning artwork, and I loved the mixture of English and Creole as well as the author's note about this mixed language inclusion. Also, he says, "I love the concept of play: everyone cheering together, forgetting about whatever challenges live can bring." Well said, Mr. Paul!
September 9, 2019
In "The Field," children in Saint Lucia work together to put on a soccer game. They call upon the neighborhood kids to play, the fruit vendor to ref, and shoo away the cows to make room on the field. With a mix of both English and Creole, the soccer game goes on, no matter rain or shine... until mamas call everybody in for the night.
I loved this book - the mix of English and Creole was inclusive and understandable for the reader. Most readers will at least know about soccer, making this a book anybody can read. I loved that all neighborhood kids were welcomed to play, no matter their gender, race, or what they were wearing (some kids wear rain boots, some wear full uniforms, and some wear no shoes at all).
I would connect this book with other sport-centered books. This book would broaden reader understanding of teamwork and of soccer itself.
"Soaked shoes. Dirty shirts. Mud-caked kids. Torn-up field."
This is a great book to teach empathy, especially while discussing teamwork. The children in this book all looked and dressed different, yet came together to play a sport they all loved. There was no judgement about what others looked like. At the end of the book, all of the characters are seen playing, including boys, girls, mamas, vendors, kids with uniforms, kids in casual clothing, kids with shoes, and kids with no shoes. Empathizing with others comes easier when we all work together, and this book teaches us how to do that.
I loved this book - the mix of English and Creole was inclusive and understandable for the reader. Most readers will at least know about soccer, making this a book anybody can read. I loved that all neighborhood kids were welcomed to play, no matter their gender, race, or what they were wearing (some kids wear rain boots, some wear full uniforms, and some wear no shoes at all).
I would connect this book with other sport-centered books. This book would broaden reader understanding of teamwork and of soccer itself.
"Soaked shoes. Dirty shirts. Mud-caked kids. Torn-up field."
This is a great book to teach empathy, especially while discussing teamwork. The children in this book all looked and dressed different, yet came together to play a sport they all loved. There was no judgement about what others looked like. At the end of the book, all of the characters are seen playing, including boys, girls, mamas, vendors, kids with uniforms, kids in casual clothing, kids with shoes, and kids with no shoes. Empathizing with others comes easier when we all work together, and this book teaches us how to do that.
September 13, 2017
This is a lovely book based on the author's memories of his own childhood. It has some lovely bright images that really help illustrate the story and these in turn help show the reader how things don't always go to plan but with a few small changes you can still succeed. I loved the use of Creole which is added every few pages to bring the story back to its origins in St Lucia.
April 10, 2018
Bringing a community together is easy if you love futbol. On Saint Lucia, with creole words throughout, Baptiste Paul writes a story that seems to mirror his memories (see his author's note). With absolutely gorgeous action-packed illustrations by Jacqueline Alcantara, the story unfolds with an invitation, "Vini! Come! The field calls!" As soon as the cows and goats are moved away, the goal is placed, the kids begin. "Pass!" "Shoot!" "Almost!" "Close!" then the rains come, and the game continues! It's a fine memory, a celebration of play. Baptiste Paul has hit a ggggggooooooooaaallll! And so has Jacqueline Alcantara. Here's one incredible sample!
June 19, 2018
Effective peek into the daily lives of children from non-western countries. While this takes place in the Caribbean, the agenda would likely feel very familiar to children all over the world. Significant.
October 27, 2017
Lush illustrations highlight the simple, exuberant story of an afternoon soccer match.
March 9, 2018
I like this book! I don't find many books from the Caribbean that include some Creole words and phrases! Any child who enjoys soccer (fotbol)will love this book! The illustrations by Jacqueline Alcantara are wonderful and alive! They have such a joy about them! Young kids will enjoy this story.
August 12, 2018
Love the play between the text and illustrations. And learning Creole is rad! Love the graphic novel panels too. Really awesome book.
February 14, 2018
The illustrations are fantastic! Joyous energy creates a beautiful book full of spirit with a loving sense of home and community. The prose didn't quite flow for me, but I appreciated the Creole interwoven in the story and the author's note that gives the Caribbean setting a place to shine. A definite add to any classroom or school library.
October 6, 2021
Its a grate book and it helps you learn creole witch is fun and I would recemend reading this with a adult because the creole words are tricky but its a really good book and I really like it (its super short)
September 18, 2017
A great story of friendship and youthful spirit, this is the perfect book to read with your little soccer fan. It also includes words in Creole, making it a dual learning opportunity.
October 5, 2021
The Field brings readers together around a love of futbol, soccer. Illustrator Jacqueline Alcantara creates a brightly colored palette that jumps off the page from the moment you turn to the inside cover. I was immediately captivated by her award-winning illustrations as my eye followed the young athlete dribbling a soccer ball through trees in a Caribbean island, and kicking it into a field of grazing cows. The 2018 book received best picture book nods from Kirkus, Horn Book, and School Library Journal to name a few. Our school librarian suggested this book to me when I was visiting the library because it compliments our beginning of the year celebration of diversity in first grade. Baptiste Paul writes Creole words and phrases along side the English throughout the book. “Vini! Come! The field calls. Bol. Ball. Soulye. Shoes. Goal. Goal.”
The players from the neighborhood “Shoo!” away the cows for their game, and the man who was selling fresh fruit and drinks becomes their ref. Nothing can stop their fun, including the rain. In fact, the rain adds even more excitement as children are slip-sliding in the puddles, belly-flopping in the mud. They play on until…”Time-out! Shoes off. Socks off. Go!” And the fun continues until the Mamas call, and call! First graders can relate to this story’s excitement, enthusiasm for futbol, soccer, and the community. This is a quality children’s picture book that takes children inside a neighborhood game that many can relate to, while injecting cultural reference from Baptiste Paul’s own childhood including spending a lot of time with siblings and friends playing futbol. At the end of this book, Paul includes a dictionary of Creole words and phrases.
Educators can use this playful book in the classroom to communicate that in life things don’t always happen as we plan, but the way we “keep playing through the challenges, makes up who we are.” The collaboration of teammates, community to get the game going, as well as players on opposite teams drives home the lesson that sportsmanship is all about having fun.
The players from the neighborhood “Shoo!” away the cows for their game, and the man who was selling fresh fruit and drinks becomes their ref. Nothing can stop their fun, including the rain. In fact, the rain adds even more excitement as children are slip-sliding in the puddles, belly-flopping in the mud. They play on until…”Time-out! Shoes off. Socks off. Go!” And the fun continues until the Mamas call, and call! First graders can relate to this story’s excitement, enthusiasm for futbol, soccer, and the community. This is a quality children’s picture book that takes children inside a neighborhood game that many can relate to, while injecting cultural reference from Baptiste Paul’s own childhood including spending a lot of time with siblings and friends playing futbol. At the end of this book, Paul includes a dictionary of Creole words and phrases.
Educators can use this playful book in the classroom to communicate that in life things don’t always happen as we plan, but the way we “keep playing through the challenges, makes up who we are.” The collaboration of teammates, community to get the game going, as well as players on opposite teams drives home the lesson that sportsmanship is all about having fun.
April 26, 2018
Told in both Creole and English, this picture book tells the story of a group of children who want to play soccer together, but they have all sorts of obstacles to overcome. They have to move the cows and goats out of the field and then start to play. Once the game really gets going, the rain starts. They quickly decide to keep right on playing even in the wet and the mud. At the end of the day, they go home dirty and happy.
Set on the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia, the book invites readers to see connections between Creole and other languages. The text is simple and bold, poetic with its short lines. The entire book is filled with energy and action as the children take the initiative to create a field and play together. The illustrations convey this energy with deep colors that shine on the page. The green grass is nearly neon, the sunlight almost glows, and the color of the children’s clothes completes the rainbow-like palette. A great read that will appeal to young sports fans of any culture. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
Set on the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia, the book invites readers to see connections between Creole and other languages. The text is simple and bold, poetic with its short lines. The entire book is filled with energy and action as the children take the initiative to create a field and play together. The illustrations convey this energy with deep colors that shine on the page. The green grass is nearly neon, the sunlight almost glows, and the color of the children’s clothes completes the rainbow-like palette. A great read that will appeal to young sports fans of any culture. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
September 30, 2017
A little girl soccer-dances her way through a forest, finally arriving at a field with cows and goats. She gathers everyone she can find for a game, after setting up the goals and shooing the animals off the playing field.
It’s funny that it’s even a question as to whether the game would stop because of rain. Ask any kid and they’ll tell ya it’s more fun playing soccer in the mud. And like the professionals they get a long soothing bath once their dirty clothes are off.
At the end there’s a two-pager of every character playing with a ball, including the moms and the cows. This includes a little blonde girl, who is treated no differently by all the other inhabitants of what I assume to be a Caribbean island, from the Creole-looking version of French tossed in every once in a while (confirmed at the end, with a page of translations).
The artwork is broad, with no attempt at realism, but that’s fine. It’s colorful before the rain hits, and every character is drawn distinctively.
It’s funny that it’s even a question as to whether the game would stop because of rain. Ask any kid and they’ll tell ya it’s more fun playing soccer in the mud. And like the professionals they get a long soothing bath once their dirty clothes are off.
At the end there’s a two-pager of every character playing with a ball, including the moms and the cows. This includes a little blonde girl, who is treated no differently by all the other inhabitants of what I assume to be a Caribbean island, from the Creole-looking version of French tossed in every once in a while (confirmed at the end, with a page of translations).
The artwork is broad, with no attempt at realism, but that’s fine. It’s colorful before the rain hits, and every character is drawn distinctively.
May 18, 2018
The Field by Baptiste Paul follows one Creole girl in her efforts to start a pick-up soccer game. The girl walks around the village with her younger brother eagerly gathering up their friends. They have to shoo the cows out of the field before they can play.
The game escalates quickly. Feet become a blur. Suddenly, the sky opens up turning the field into a muddy mess. Will the girl's soccer game be ruined?
I thought this was a fun read. Paul's incorporation of Creole words is educational as well as entertaining. The text is minimal, yet still impactful with a powerful lesson hidden within.
Jacqueline Alcantra's illustrations are simply stunning. The scenes are vibrant and bursting with life. Children will be drawn to the eye-catching images. I especially love her use of a very dark background for the rain scenes. This really makes the rain pop on the page.
This is a great read for children ages 4-8 and for anyone who likes to learn about new cultures.
The game escalates quickly. Feet become a blur. Suddenly, the sky opens up turning the field into a muddy mess. Will the girl's soccer game be ruined?
I thought this was a fun read. Paul's incorporation of Creole words is educational as well as entertaining. The text is minimal, yet still impactful with a powerful lesson hidden within.
Jacqueline Alcantra's illustrations are simply stunning. The scenes are vibrant and bursting with life. Children will be drawn to the eye-catching images. I especially love her use of a very dark background for the rain scenes. This really makes the rain pop on the page.
This is a great read for children ages 4-8 and for anyone who likes to learn about new cultures.
December 5, 2018
A young islander kicks a soccer ball around for a bit until he ends up near a field. He rounds up friends and family for a game. First they must drive the cows from the field and create a game space with goal posts. The game is on! Neither rain nor mothers calling them home can stop the youth or the referee once it has begun. They play and play until the mothers have had enough! Even in bed these young boys dream of football.
The story is told mostly in English with bits of Creole vocabulary thrown in. The story is largely visual with very little text and the illustrations are vibrant colors and lots of motion. The pictures evoke the fun of long summer days when play is more important than work and bad weather is sure to pass well before enthusiasm wains. This is a wonderful picture book for anyone who loves a day spent at play, a good game of soccer (football), or who just wants an island escape!
The story is told mostly in English with bits of Creole vocabulary thrown in. The story is largely visual with very little text and the illustrations are vibrant colors and lots of motion. The pictures evoke the fun of long summer days when play is more important than work and bad weather is sure to pass well before enthusiasm wains. This is a wonderful picture book for anyone who loves a day spent at play, a good game of soccer (football), or who just wants an island escape!
January 13, 2018
With children's activities so organized and scheduled, it is nice to find a delightful book shwoing how kids can just play and have fun. The author bases this story on his own memories of childhood in Saint Lucia. It shows a group of kids who have been rounded up in the village to go out to the field and play soccer. The illustrations were wonderful and added so much to the story. I loved the use of Creole throughout the book and the little glossary and explanation of these words at the back. A wonderful book to be used to show diversity in sport, having fun and playing through some hardships (if you can call rain a hardship). A great addition to a school or class library. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.
April 19, 2018
For a satisfying virtual visit to the Caribbean, open the covers of THE FIELD.
Author Baptiste Paul grew up in St. Lucia, speaking Creole and playing with his siblings and neighbors at every opportunity. The spontaneous, free-wheeling, all-out "living in the moment" captured in this simple circle story lands the reader smack-dab in the scene: rounding up playmates, shooing the side-eye-ing cattle, and empathizing with every step, slip, slush, and GOOOOOOAAAAL along the way to exhaustion. The immersive experience of image, language (both English and Creole), and action make it clear that the author and illustrator, Jacqueline Alcantara, drew on densely familiar and memorable island life in their own experience.
Author Baptiste Paul grew up in St. Lucia, speaking Creole and playing with his siblings and neighbors at every opportunity. The spontaneous, free-wheeling, all-out "living in the moment" captured in this simple circle story lands the reader smack-dab in the scene: rounding up playmates, shooing the side-eye-ing cattle, and empathizing with every step, slip, slush, and GOOOOOOAAAAL along the way to exhaustion. The immersive experience of image, language (both English and Creole), and action make it clear that the author and illustrator, Jacqueline Alcantara, drew on densely familiar and memorable island life in their own experience.
October 8, 2018
Some children meet in the field to play some futbol. They shoo off the cows and don't mind a little rain, and play until their moms call the game.
This is a very worldwide experience. It would take a very long time to list all the countries in which kids will gather in whatever space they have to play in and kick a ball around as long as they can. The words are simple, mixing a little Creole and English. The field displayed may seem exotic to some North American and European kids, but much of the world may find his field reminiscent of their favorite futbol spot down the street or around the corner. Make sure you read the author's note with more info about his inspiration for the book. Hand this to your favorite soccer/futbol fan.
This is a very worldwide experience. It would take a very long time to list all the countries in which kids will gather in whatever space they have to play in and kick a ball around as long as they can. The words are simple, mixing a little Creole and English. The field displayed may seem exotic to some North American and European kids, but much of the world may find his field reminiscent of their favorite futbol spot down the street or around the corner. Make sure you read the author's note with more info about his inspiration for the book. Hand this to your favorite soccer/futbol fan.
November 9, 2020
This book shows how sports, soccer (futbol) in particular, can bring communities together. As the kids start to play, not even the rain can stop them. The book is written like poetry. This allows the reader to feel the rhythm of the soccer game as the kids play. Another important quality to note about this book is that it includes diversity. Baptiste Paul is a Caribbean born author, so I believe that this book is meant to be set there. He allows children like himself to use this book as mirrors, while others can use them as windows or sliding glass doors. He makes this much easier for children all over the world as he uses soccer, the world's most popular sport, as a median to allow kids from all over to relate.
May 27, 2022
Picture book. I came across this book while collecting picture books on a sports theme. Despite the popularity of sports for all ages, there are not a lot of sporty picture books geared towards the preschool set. This book is a beautiful soccer book set in the Caribbean. The kids come together to get the field ready for soccer-- gathering goals and an adult to referee, then clearing the cows. The game ensues until the rain starts, but after pausing they decide to carry on in the mud. The illustrations are bright, filled with the rich colors of the islands. The text is interspersed with Creole, which is translated on the page but also appears in a glossary in the back. A note from the author discusses his childhood in Saint Lucia and shares information about the Creole language.
June 9, 2022
Genre: Fiction
Grade Level: Lower Elementary (K-1)
This is such a good book about sharing the love of a sport. It begins with a little girl playing soccer with her brother. Other children in the neighborhood eventually join in. It soon becomes a full game that not even bad weather can stop. Throughout the game, all of the children display passion and good sportsmanship-something that all children should learn. My favorite part about this book was the beautiful illustrations of the children of color. In addition, it includes traditional Creole words throughout the story. I am not someone who is familiar with this language, so I really appreciated the translations in the back of the book. Overall, I would give this book 3 stars.
Grade Level: Lower Elementary (K-1)
This is such a good book about sharing the love of a sport. It begins with a little girl playing soccer with her brother. Other children in the neighborhood eventually join in. It soon becomes a full game that not even bad weather can stop. Throughout the game, all of the children display passion and good sportsmanship-something that all children should learn. My favorite part about this book was the beautiful illustrations of the children of color. In addition, it includes traditional Creole words throughout the story. I am not someone who is familiar with this language, so I really appreciated the translations in the back of the book. Overall, I would give this book 3 stars.
March 27, 2018
A vibrant pickup game of soccer is set against a lush Caribbean backdrop. The young girl at the heart of the story brings a community together for soccer. They have a few obstacles to their came: cows in the field, a rainstorm overhead, Mams calling them home for the evening, but the kids in this story push the limits and stretch the fun!
The text combines Creole words with English. The meanings are simple and easy to understand, and a glossary in the back helps with pronunciation.
This story will appeal not just to young soccer players but to anyone who enjoys community play and impromptu fun. Kids will get a kick out of this book.
The text combines Creole words with English. The meanings are simple and easy to understand, and a glossary in the back helps with pronunciation.
This story will appeal not just to young soccer players but to anyone who enjoys community play and impromptu fun. Kids will get a kick out of this book.
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