Yeah, Freddie! Freddie Ramos is an engaging boy who receives a remarkable present out of the blue--a pair of purple sneakers with silver wings that allow him to go so fast he can outrace a train. Freddie, like all superheroes, uses to powers to do good. In this first book of the series, he retrieves a classmate's library book, tracks down an underage graffiti artist, and rescues a lost puppy.
Written by
Jacqueline Jules, this early chapter book features a Latino child who lives in Starwood Park Apartments, an apartment complex a few short blocks from his elementary school. Freddie recently moved there with his mother, a single parent who struggles to make ends meet. Freddie's father, a war hero, died two years earlier. The text is sprinkled with Spanish words, but their meaning is always put in context, making them easy for beginning readers to figure out. Miguel Benitez's black-and-white illustrations lend a comic-book style that fits in perfectly with the superhero theme.
Freddie Ramos Takes Off recently won a
Cybils Award in the short chapter book category. A second book,
Freddie Ramos Springs into Action, shows Freddie learning to control his superpowers in a responsible way. The third book in the series,
Freddie Ramos Zooms to the Rescue, is due out next month. Viva la Freddie!
Zapato Power: Freddie Ramos Takes Off
by Jacqueline Jules
illustrations by Miguel Benitez
Albert Whitman and Company, 88 pages
Published: 2010
Albert Whitman & Company has been located in the Chicago area for most of its 90-plus years in business. As such, we’ve been blessed – both professionally and personally – with a wonderful assortment of independent bookseller for decades. Happily, this remains true today. In a semi-regular blog series, we will visit “Chicagoland Indies” for your information and enjoyment.
I walked into Anderson’s Bookshop on a sunny, summer Friday afternoon – and the children’s section was hopping! Kids and parents were perusing the shelves, playing together, reading, and having fun.
After checking out the Boxcar shelf (my first stop in every store), I met up with Jan Dundon, Anderson’s Children’s Coordinator.
Jan has been with Anderson’s for many years and has produced some of the best children’s book events in the country. Among her big projects is their Mock Newbery program – schools from all over the area participate. We exchanged thoughts on this year’s crop of contenders – which I can’t share with you, but the list is looking pretty good.
Which brings me to my favorite part of talking to booksellers – the recommendations. The staff read as much as they possibly can before the books hit the shelves, so they can do more than just hand you the latest bestseller (although they’ll do that too). Jan made a point of telling me that ALL of the staff members really just work there to feed their book habits.
That’s when I asked her the tough question: What are you favorite Albert Whitman books to handsell? Jan immediately answered, “MISS FOX! I love her.” She also mentioned The Buddy Files and Zapato Power, our two new early chapter book series.
I rarely (well, really, almost ne
Thanks for drawing attention to this series. I just checked, and my library system has book 1 and 2. I wondered if the child's background would be too "heavy handed," instead of being interwoven with the story line. School Library Journal reviewed the second book favorably, but had reservations about the first book (two different reviewers). I'll be reading them myself to decide what I think. I like the idea of a child becoming a superhero.