Lola Levine Is Not Mean!

Drawing from her own Peruvian and Jewish backgrounds, Brown kicks off a chapter book series starring second-grader Lola Levine, a highly competitive soccer player who earns a reputation for being “mean” after she accidentally injures another student with a slide tackle during a recess match. Lola’s vivacious personality spills out over the pages, and her relationships with her younger brother, Ben, and best friend, Josh, are especially well-developed. Dominguez’s b&w spot illustrations are in step with the upbeat mood, and beyond the soccer theme of this book, Brown highlights Lola’s blended heritage (she signs off the letters she writes with “Shalom”), love of animals, and interest in writing, introducing plenty of material to explore in future books. Ages 6–10.