(4) 4-6 Versus series. Each volume pits a present-day superstar against one from an earlier era. Comparisons include technical skills, statistics and records, and past or potential legacies. Sports fans will appreciate the many action photographs illustrating the choppy but accessible texts; side-by-side charts provide additional data. No attempt is made to name the superior athlete: that decision is left to the reader. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Versus titles: Lionel Messi vs. Pelé, Tiger Woods vs. Jack Nicklaus, Sidney Crosby vs. Wayne Gretzky, LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan, Serena Williams vs. Billie Jean King, and Tom Brady vs. Joe Montana.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(3) 4-6 Translated by Joe Johnson. Illustrated by Vincent Brascaglia. This biography of the Brazilian soccer star details his life, from his youth in Bauru, Brazil, to his rise to international stardom and through his later career. The comic-book style suits the subject matter, especially in action scenes from important games in Pelé's career. The narrative doesn't hesitate to explore Pelé's flaws and failures, providing a well-rounded look at his life.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) YA Ashline Wilde (Wildefire; Embers & Echoes), teen reincarnation of a Polynesian volcano goddess, teams up with her fellow demigods to stop her ex, Colt, from merging Ash and her two sisters into a single consciousness. A mash-up of the supernatural and mythological, the trilogy's final volume covers no new ground but provides a satisfying (if predictable) conclusion.

Reviewer: Barratt Miller

(4) YA Ashline Wilde leaves home after her sister, Eve, escalates a school fight. At isolated Blackwood Academy, Ash learns she is the latest incarnation of the goddess Pele. Ash must either help with Eve's dangerous quest or fight alongside her new friends, who are also deities. Eventually invoking a diverse range of mythologies, the story is slow to establish its supernatural roots.

Reviewer: Jenn Matters

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Frank Morrison. Celebrating his "love of the game," Pelé's brief, first-person text occasionally slides into didacticism ("Being a good sport is what really counts"). Throughout Morrison's lively illustrations, left-hand pages with sepia-toned backgrounds track Pelé from childhood to superstardom, while right-hand pages show a young boy learning the sport in a modern city. A brief biography of the Brazilian soccer phenom is included.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(3) K-3 Translated by Fernando Gayesky. Illustrated by Rudy Gutiérrez. In poetic bilingual prose, the text encapsulates the Brazilian soccer star's life in a way that goes straight to the essence of Pelé's enormous appeal. The story's climax is the scoring of his thousandth goal. Energetic color- and pattern-filled illustrations flow like the arc of a soccer ball cutting through the air. An author's note tells more about Pelé's later life.

Reviewer: Tim Wadham

(3) 4-6 City Trilogy series. A dragon attacks a museum exhibit in a magical alternate San Francisco, circa 1941. Three children, a miniature griffin, and a disguised dragon join forces and hunt the creature to avenge their personal losses. A capricious deity and a world-threatening subplot complete this projected trilogy opener. An artful blend of fantasy and history shapes the story. Bib.

Reviewer: Bethany Templeton Klem

(2) K-3 Illustrated by James E. Ransome. This picture book biography details young Pelé's love of soccer, his team loyalty, and his speed, agility, and remarkable eye. Cline-Ransome's text is focused and cohesive; she admirably sticks to the facts while pulling readers into the drama of Pelé's struggles and triumphs. Ransome's lush oil paintings nicely incorporate the blue and yellow of Brazil's team colors.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2007

(4) YA 20th Century's Most Influential Hispanics series. Hillstrom provides a comprehensive play-by-play of Pelé's legendary career, including his role in promoting U.S. soccer. Die-hard fans will enjoy the sportscaster-style recounting of matches and photos of Pelé in action; report writers may resort to skimming entire sections. Photos vary in style and quality. Reading list, timeline, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Pamela Mishkin

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Daniel Powers. On a trip to Hawaii, a woman and her granddaughter trade explanations for the magnificent volcanoes and their eruptions. The narrative weaves together descriptions of the geological processes with stories of the goddess Pele, ultimately illustrating their compatibility. The bright watercolors are more effective at illustrating the legend than the science.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford