I Kick the Ball/Pateo el bal%C3%B3n

In this bilingual outing, soccer-obsessed To%C3%B1ito exuberantly relays his love of the game. To%C3%B1ito's outdoor practice is interrupted by homework and dinner, but soon enough he's playing again while he dreams. Unlike its protagonist, Zepeda's story loses some steam, with spreads devoted to chores, watching TV, and imagining future chores and TV watching. Torrecilla's characters are lithe and expressive, especially To%C3%B1ito and his competitors at play. The book's design, though, weakens the art's impact: spot art separates the English and Spanish text at left, but uses the same images that appear opposite, making the spreads feel like a sort of clip art assemblage. Ages 4%E2%80%938. (June)