The Sock Thief
Here’s my selection for Perfect Picture Book Friday:
The Sock Thief
Author Ana Crespo
Illustrator Nana Gonzalez
Albert Whitman & Company, 2015
Fiction
Suitable for: Ages 4-7
Theme/Topic: Resourcefulness, Soccer/Futebol, Portuguese, Brazil
Opening Spread: In a small Brazilian town, Felipe leaves home earlier than usual. He walks a long way to school.
Brief Synopsis: From author’s website: Felipe doesn’t have a soccer ball. So, when it’s his turn to take one to school, he uses a little bit of creativity…and a few socks. Felipe is the sock thief, but finding socks is not that easy and the neighborhood pets make it even harder. “Au, au, au!” a dog barks in Portuguese. Along the way, Felipe leaves delicious mangoes in exchange for the socks he steals. After he swipes each pair, he twists and turns them into an ever-growing soccer ball.
Resources: Instructions on How to make a Sock Ball. Go out and play soccer with your own sock ball. Read the Author’s Note and share a story from your own childhood. A Portuguese glossary is included. Please check Ana’s website as more resources may be added.
Why I Like This Book: I like that Felipe is a bit naughty in his efforts to make a soccer ball. Of course, this sock thief leaves mangoes and even returns the socks. You’ll see at the end, the sock owners know what’s happening to their socks too.
I know Ana through SCBWI. She’s super talented and nice. And, I get to hang out with her and several ladies at a weekly critique meeting. The book has a March 2015 publication date, but I pre-ordered her book (that’s what writers do, right?) and it magically arrived this week. If your library doesn’t have it yet, be sure to put in a request. I did that with our local library.
Ana is giving away several copies of The Sock Thief on Goodreads. Check out the giveaway.
For more PPBF books, visit Susanna Leonard Hill’s Blog.