¡Viva Valenzuela! (Spanish) by Nathalie Alonso - ISBN: 9781662681363
Hardcover
Fernando Valenzuela: a Mexican hero who made baseball love him.

¡Viva Valenzuela! (Spanish)

La Fernandomanía se apodera de Los Ángeles

$40.82

  • Hardcover

    40 pages

  • Release Date

    22 April 2026

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Summary

Conozcan a Fernando Valenzuela, el lanzador de los Dodgers que se convirtió en un símbolo del orgullo mexicano, en este libro de béisbol en español para niños de 7 a 10 años.

Fernando Valenzuela era un adolescente cuando llegó a Estados Unidos desde México para jugar con los Dodgers de Los Ángeles. En los años 80, la población mexicoestadounidense de Los Ángeles rara vez seguía el béisbol. Pero cuando Fernando ganó sus primeros ocho juegos como abridor novato, despertó en ellos un amo…

Book Details

ISBN-13:9781662681363
ISBN-10:1662681364
Author:Nathalie Alonso, John Parra
Publisher:Astra Publishing House
Imprint:Calkins Creek
Format:Hardcover
Number of Pages:40
Release Date:22 April 2026
Weight:567g
Dimensions:254mm x 229mm
Audience Age:7-10
What They're Saying

Critics Review

★ “Lavish, visually rich illustrations by Parra are done in a folk style with flat colors and figures that appear almost like cutouts… beautifully presented, written with deep admiration; recommended for elementary libraries, ­especially where baseball is popular.”—School Library Journal, starred review

“Siebert Honor Book author Alonso highlights not only Valenzuela’s impressive career but the positive impact he had on Latino Angelenos, who loved seeing a Mexican player who felt like one of them. Illustrated with Parra’s bright, blocky artwork, the book focuses mainly on Valenzuela’s rookie year and fittingly concludes with a World Series Game against the Yankees. An informative, visually engaging picture book for baseball fans.”—Booklist

“…this book is a grand slam for young baseball fans. Parra’s acrylic illustrations have a retro Americana feel, using muted, dusty pastels balanced with a few bold, primary-adjacent accents, giving them a sun-faded warmth that complements Fernando’s inspirational journey. A well-pitched celebration of talent, perseverance, and the power of representation.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Alonso (Call Me Roberto!, rev. 9⁄24) here highlights another significant Latino Major League Baseball player: Mexican-born left-handed screwball pitcher Fernando Valenzuela (1960–2024), who made his rookie debut for the L.A. Dodgers in 1981… Alonso’s prose is straightforward and uplifting. Parra’s (recently Engle’s Eloísa’s Musical Window, rev. 9⁄24) illustrations, done in his signature style of acrylic on board with matte hues, feature saturated spreads that fill the pages, with baseball action taking center stage.”—The Horn Book

About The Author

Nathalie Alonso

Nathalie Alonso is a Cuban American bilingual writer and journalist based in Queens, NY. A seasoned baseball reporter, her writing has appeared in National Geographic, Outside, and Refinery29, among other outlets. She is currently a reporter and producer at MLB.com’s Spanish-language sister site, LasMayores.com. Call Me Roberto! was her debut nonfiction picture book.

John Parra is an award-winning artist, illustrator, author, and educator, best known for his Latino-themed children’s picture books. His illustrations for Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos, written by Monica Brown, was a New York Times Best Illustrated Book, and Green Is a Chile Pepper: A Book of Colors by Roseanne Thong, received a Pura Belpre Honor and the Americas Book Award.

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