If I Were A... Soccer Star Book

Great new Board Book with touch-and-feel elements throughout. Also in series is "If I Were a ... Ballerina." For ages 2-5.

Children's Literature

Touch and feel features appear on every page of this board book. A boy is dressed for his soccer match and his shirt has a silky feel. In the next scene the team is shown practicing on the field and there are tufts of grass that feel rough to the touch. The soccer ball itself feels "leathery" and the net feels "stringy." The latter shrikes me as quite an unusual word choice to describe the feel of a net. The concluding spread shows that the team has won their match and has a gold cup to show off. It has a shiny surface and it is not described, but the team feels great—a switch from concrete tactile items to an intangible. Not a compelling book, but if your child has an interest in soccer it might be interesting. A companion book is entitled If I Were a Ballerina. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot