Kenny and the Little Kickers

`` `Soccer starts today!' said Kenny's dad. `Do you want to join the Little Kickers?' Kenny said no. He felt too big and fat to play soccer. Kenny's dad said, `Let's go see.' '' Timid and nervous, the young badger attends the first soccer practice. After several mishaps he asks to go home, but Dad encourages him to keep trying. Then Kenny scores an impressive goal and quickly begins to love the game. Soccer is popular among today's children, who will find themselves rooting for Kenny and building their own confidence--not in soccer but in reading. Marzollo's easy, repetitive text insures success in this regard. Rogers's high-spirited paintings adroitly capture the frolicking animals' antics. The perspectives of her illustrations vary to enhance the story: for example, one picture cleverly conveys Kenny's extreme fear when it's his turn to kick the ball. Ages 5-7. (May)