El Jersey

by Jennifer Degenhardt

Matías is a typical 7-year-old boy. He is huge fan of the professional soccer teams in Europe, especially the teams in the Spanish league, La Liga. When Matías is not playing soccer, he is watching soccer videos on the iPad. He always looks the part, too, as he can mostly be found wearing uniforms of players on his favorite team, FC Barcelona. He focus on the ball continues as when he travels to Guatemala with his family on an annual trip where he meets Brayan. Brayan is a 6-year-old Guatemalan boy who also loves soccer. Like Matías he plays every chance he gets. Also like Matías, Brayan idolizes his favorite player on the Barça team, Lionel Messi, #10. He wants nothing more than to wear a jersey with the famous forward’s name and number, but those are difficult to find where he lives on Lake Atitlán. In this level 1 book, readers will learn about the culture of Guatemala and how a soccer jersey further connects two soccer-obsessed boys from two different countries. depending on your students this can be a level 1 or a level 2 book.

76 pages, Paperback

Published December 8, 2017

Reviews

[Cassie C · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an easily accessible book for novice level readers of Spanish. It had some nice inclusion of Guatemalan culture as well.

[Addie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jennifer I love you but this book is so damn boring

[Phillip · Rating 1 out of 5]

i had to read this for my spanish class. it was fine? i did not like it, and every sentence felt like it was tearing away at my sense of self. you can quickly figure out what’s going to happen at the end of the story, but my GOD it drags out for so much longer than anyone would have ever wanted. my spanish teacher is chill though. just please assign something that actually interests your students pleaseee, they will thank you for it

[Riley · Rating 1 out of 5]

i have to read this for school and istg NOTHING happens until, i kid you not, the very last chapter. i dont hate it completely because its the easiest spanish book ever, but it sucks and everytime i walk into spanish class i think about getting hit by a car before entering a building. luckily its short, but i will be tearing it to pieces and burning it with glee once finished. but also its easy so wtv, but god its so boring

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story! A little bit white savior-y at the end, but I think overall it tries to paint a good picture of Guatemala and the happiness there.

[Sadie · Rating 5 out of 5]

englightening life changing spiritual blue steel chocolate covered oreoa with apribkles oh themisery everybody wants to be my enemy