MMGM- Ready, Set, Dough! and José and Feliz Play Futbol

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Unleashing Readers

Baptist, Kelly J. Ready, Set, Dough!

October 17, 2023 by Crown Books for Young Readers

E ARC provided by Netgalley

When Zoe Spark's family computer goes on the fritz, she's hoping that her parents will finally get her a Horizon WordPro GT so that she can do more writing, which is her passion. After all, her brother  Mark is interested in music, and her parents have helped him with the assets he needs for that. Unfortunately, her father is the manager of a grocery store that is going to be shut down, and her mother works at a florist shop, so there's not a lot of extra money. The school lets students use Chromebooks, but since some students tried to sell school devices on eBay (!!), they can't be taken home. When the school newspaper announces a fundraiser, Zoe is very interested in the top prize-- it's the computer that she wants. The downside? She has to sell at least fifty units of frozen cookie dough in order to be in the running. She takes her job VERY seriously, going to neighbors near her, calling relatives, canvassing neighborhoods where her friends live, and even going to her friend Felix's church and taking orders there. Her quest becomes all consuming, and she forgets plans that she has made with Felix several times, which doesn't make him happy. Not only that, but she loses over $200 of the money that she needs to turn in. When classmate Amaya mentions that she has already sold fifty tubs, Zoe is worried and redoubles her efforts. Of course, there is her newspaper writing and school work that she still has to do, and one of her articles gets a lot of attention. She writes about how not everyone has a computer or WiFi at home, but mentions that all of the teachers expect that students have these technologies when they assign projects. This causes the staff to rethink a lot of their practices.  Luckily her brother loans her the money that she is missing. While she has the most sales in her homeroom, the contest is for the whole school. Will she manage to sell the most and get the coveted lap top?

Strengths: There are so many books about class elections and school newspapers (neither of which occur at my school), but only one other about a fundraising sale; Anderson's Me and My Big Mouth. While we haven't had a traditional fundraiser since the Pandemic hit, in my twenty years at the school they've sold magazines, flowers, candy, gift wrap, and several other things I can't even remember. I vividly remember fundraisers when I was in school, and the prizes are a big motivation for some students. Since Zoe really wants a new computer, it makes sense that she throws herself into sales. Baptist CLEARLY knows the world of fund raisers really well, because this is all done realistically. I also liked seeing Zoe's family life, and how her parents balance the needs of the family against the things life throws at them. Mark is a slightly annoying but ultimately helpful older brother who occasionally has to drag Zoe along with him. I'd love to see more of that kind of sibling relationship in middle grade books. The relationship with Felix, and the thoughtless way she treats her friend is so common in middle school. This is a great example of Kids Doing Things, and I loved that the whole vibe was generally upbeat. The cover is fantastic. 
Weaknesses: While Zoe really wants the computer, I had trouble believing that her writing depended on having one. Writing is definitely one of those things kids can do without technology. Also, I still wish we would see middle grade students who want to pursue careers that are more science based rather than so many careers like writing, music, dance, or sports. There can't possibly be enough jobs for all of the eleven year olds who want to be famous singers or novelists!
What I really think: I will definitely purchase this title, and it will be a good choice for readers who like upbeat, realistic fiction, like Papdemetriou's Squad Goals, Schroeder's It's Raining Cupcakes, or Greenwald's Absolutely, Positively Natty. 

Rose, Susan and Lopez, Silvia, Felix, Gloria (illus.) José and Feliz Play Futbol

November 7, 2023 by Penguin Workshop

Copy provided by the publisher

José lives with his Mami, Papi, little sister Sofi, and his best friend and dog, Feliz. Because José's family is bilingual, Feliz knows commands in both English and Spanish. After José is picked to be on the school soccer team, his parents surprise him with a goal and orange cones in the back yard, so that he can practice. When Feliz sees José practicing, he tries to fetch the ball at first, but after watching his boy play for a while, shows that he, too, can dribble handily around the cones. At practice, José meets his teammates and coach, and concentrates on learning new skills... until Feliz jumps onto the field and starts playing as well. José is concerned that his coach will be angry, but everyone laughs. Feliz even gets a vest in the team colors so that he can be the team mascot. When José has a game, his parents and sister bring Feliz, but José makes sure to tell the dog to stay so that he doesn't interrupt the game. Feliz behaves himself, and is there to congratulate his owner when his team wins. 

Children love dogs and sports, so this is a great combination. The close bond between José and Feliz is very apparent, and it's good to see a young child giving enough attention to an animal, and making sure that the dog is trained properly. While Feliz's soccer skills might be a bit unbelievable, they make for a very entertaining story, as well as some very cute pictures. 

The text is in English, but there are many Spanish words used as well. Given the context, it is easy to follow the story even without knowing Spanish, and there is a glossary at the back of the book. As a former Latin teacher, I would have put the list in alphabetical order, but having the words listed in the order they appear makes this easy to consult while reading through the book. 

This sequel to José and El Perro is a great follow up, since José spent the first book teaching Feliz commands and tricks, and it's good to see an update on how the two are getting along, and how ell Feliz is learning Spanish. This is a great choice for emerging readers who have enjoyed other heavily illustrated beginning chapter books like Butler's King and Kayla, Lyons' Jada Jones, or Faruqi's Meet Yasmin!