The Field - by Baptiste Paul

About the Book

The world's most popular and inclusive sport has found its spirited, poetic, and authentic voice in Paul's debut picture book, highlighting its universal themes: teamwork, leadership, diversity, and acceptance. Creole words (as spoken in St. Lucia, the author's birthplace island in the Caribbean) add spice to the story. Full color.

Book Synopsis

Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of 2018
School Library Journal Best Book of 2018
The Horn Book Best Picture Book of 2018
Shelf Awareness Best Children's Book of the Year
Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year

Soccer fan or not, the call of The Field is irresistible.

"Vini! Come! The field calls!" cries a girl as she and her younger brother rouse their community--family, friends, and the local fruit vendor--for a pick-up soccer (futbol) game. Children-young and old-players and spectators come running--bringing balls, shoes, goals, and a love of the sport. "Friends versus friends" teams are formed, the field is cleared of cows, and the game begins! But will a tropical rainstorm threaten their plans? The world's most popular and inclusive sport has found its spirited and authentic voice in Baptiste Paul's debut picture book-- highlighting the joys of the game along with its universal themes: teamwork, leadership, diversity, and acceptance. Creole words spoke in Saint Lucia, the book's setting, create a bilingual text that reminds readers of the sport's world fame. Bright and brilliant debut illustrations by children's book illustrator Jacqueline Alcántara--winner of the We Need Diverse Books Illustration Mentorship award--capture the grit and glory of the game and the beauty of the island setting that inspired this field.

Review Quotes

*STARRED REVIEW. The excitement of the game overflows from the pages and the children, from the beautiful greenery that surrounds them and the brightness of their clothing, to the dynamic movement in Alcántara's artwork...Staccato phrases match high energy of the impromptu game.-- "Booklist"

The children's elongated, exaggerated movements create an almost constant sense of motion in Alcántara's vividly colored paintings, and their enthusiasm for futbol is infectious. -- "Publishers Weekly"

*STARRED REVIEW. Gather around for a boisterous game of futbol in Paul and Alcántara's excellent picture-book debut...Irresistible fun. --Vicky Smith "Kirkus Reviews"

*STARRED REVIEW. Vibrant illustrations, full of movement and saturated with color, match the vigor and excitement of the text. --Martha V. Parravano "The Horn Book"

The only thing you have to bring to this story is a love of good books, and a capacity to be wowed when a debut team pulls out a book as cool as this. A story so good you'll be half tempted to pull your own soccer ball out of the shed and take it to the nearest muddy park for a spin. A true original.--Elizabeth Bird "School Library Journal, A Fuse #8 Production"

This is a wonderful debut picture book for both the author and the illustrator. It is sure to be one that will be begged for over and over again, whether soccer fan or not.--Maria Marshall "The Picture Book Buzz"

About the Author

Baptiste Paul is the award-winning author of The Field, Peace, To Carnival, and I Am Farmer: Growing an Environmental Movement in Cameroon. His works have garnered many starred reviews from Kirkus, Booklist, and School Library Journal, and several titles have been translated into multiple languages. He loves writing stories inspired by his childhood in Saint Lucia and sharing his island culture and Kweyol/Creole language with anyone who will listen. He lives and works in the US, but will travel just about anywhere to talk about his books and St. Lucian culture as long as there is a way to get there. To learn more about Baptiste Paul, please visit www.baptistepaul.net.

Jacqueline Alcántara is the award-winning and critically acclaimed illustrator of The Field by Baptiste Paul which received 3 starred reviews and won the Sonia Lynn Sadler Award, was a Junior Library Guild selection, and also appeared on the Horn Book Fanfare Best of 2018, the School Library Journal Best of 2018, and the CCBC 2018 Choices lists. Her other books include Freedom Soup by Tami Charles, Jump at the Sun by Alicia D. Williams, and Jam, Too? by JaNay Brown-Wood. You can find her online at www.jacquelinealcantara.com, or follow her on Instagram @_jacqueline_alcantara