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Lola Levine likes writing in her diario, sipping her mom’s cafe con leche, eating her dad’s matzo ball soup, and playing soccer with her team, the Orange Smoothies. So what if she doesn’t always fit in?

Lola is fierce on the field, but when a soccer game during recess gets too competitive, she accidentally hurts her classmate Juan Gomez. Now everyone is calling her Mean Lola Levine! Lola feels terrible, but with the help of her family, her super best friend, Josh Blot, and a little “pencil power,” she just might be able to turn it all around.

In this first book in a series, young readers will be inspired by Lola’s big heart and creative spirit as she learns to navigate the second grade in true Lola style!

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Table of Contents

A Sneak Peek of Lola Levine: Drama Queen

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Dear Diario,

I'm getting really tired of being teased by the girls in my class. Everyone laughed at my new haircut yesterday, so I put on my favorite Peruvian hat—the one with the flaps around the ears—to cover it up. Then they laughed even harder! What they don't understand is that I cut my hair because it kept falling in my face and getting in the way during soccer games.

Mom says to tell her next time I want a haircut and she'll bring me to a beauty salon. But the last time I went to a beauty salon, I sneezed and sneezed. I think I'm allergic.

Shalom,

Lola Levine

Chapter One

Hello, Good-Bye, and Peace

My name is Lola Levine, and the truth is I'd rather jump on the bed than go to bed. Who wants to sleep when there are so many fun things to do? I'd much rather be reading or painting or writing in my diary or playing soccer. But my parents disagree. "Lights-out at eight," they say, because no matter what time I go to bed, I'm wide-awake by six AM. Even on weekends. My parents also think that six AM on Saturday morning is too early to juggle a soccer ball. (I certainly didn't plan to knock over my lamp and wake everyone up last Saturday!)

Sleep is overrated, in my opinion, and I have lots of opinions. For example, I think soccer is the greatest sport in the whole wide world. Every year on the first day of soccer practice, I wear a T-shirt that says MY GOAL IS STOPPING YOURS! I am a goalie. That's the position where you guard the goal and stop the forwards from scoring. In my opinion, forwards can be a little obnoxious, which is why I like to stop them.

My little brother, Ben, is a forward. A month ago, Ben slammed into a defender while trying to get to the ball. He ended up with two chipped teeth, which I thought looked cool. Mom and Dad didn't agree, though, so now he has to wear a mouth guard when he plays, which is a big black plastic thing that you wear to protect your teeth. Ben doesn't mind. In fact, he thinks his mouth guard makes him look fierce, so he wears it all the time. Except in class, that is, because it was grossing everyone out when he talked.

Thwump! Ben is bouncing his soccer ball against my door. Again.

"Hey, Lola!" he yells from the other side. "Wanna hear a joke?"

"No," I say, knowing that won't stop him.

Thwump! I hear again. "What do you call a pig who plays soccer?" Ben asks.

"A ball hog," I say, rolling my eyes, even though Ben can't see me through the door.

"Duh," Ben says. "That was an easy one. How about this: Why are soccer players so smart?"

I open the door, which isn't such a good idea, since Ben is there with his soccer ball. He heads the ball over my shoulder before I have a chance to react.

"Goooooooooooooal!" he yells. "Soccer players are smart because we use our heads!" And he's off and running down the hall, screaming, "I scored on Lola! I scored on Lola!"

"Ben," I say, "Mom said no more doorway soccer!"

Doorway soccer is a game Ben and I made up one day when it was raining outside and we were bored. The hallway was the field, and the doors to our bedrooms were the goals. But after Ben fell down the stairs trying to get to the ball, Mom and Dad said, "No more!" and drove us to the rec center.

Genre:

* "Brown introduces a smart, young protagonist with a multicultural background in this series opener for chapter-book readers. Celebrate a truly accepting multicultural character."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"If you've never had a best friend, Lola Levine will undoubtedly become your first. Her appeal is boundless."—Rita Williams-Garcia, Coretta Scott King Author Award winner for One Crazy Summer
"Lola Levine is a joy, and even though she stops goals at soccer games, she could never stop readers from smiling as they eagerly wait for her next adventure."—Diana López, author of Confetti Girl andAsk My Mood Ring How I Feel
"Readers will cheer as Lola balances her troubles at school with the same smart skills that she uses to dominate the soccer field. A lovely bicultural character--and her richly drawn group of peers--promises a cherished new series."—Meg Medina, Pura Belpré winner for Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass
"Lola's vivacious personality spills out over the pages. Domiguez'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, love of animals, and interest in writing, introducing plenty of material to explore in future books."—Publishers Weekly
"This first entry in a smartly crafted new series introduces Lola, best friend Josh Blot, and her family. The appealing protagonist is energetic and enthusiastic [and] with as much about family and friends as about sports, this chapter book should have broad appeal."—Booklist
"Beginning chapter book readers will enjoy Lola's spunk and humor. A good choice for chapter book collections."—School Library Journal
"Lola's personality shines through here, with a vibrant first-person narration that matches her energetic spirit."—The Bulletin
"This book tackles common problems for young children using humor and good sense, resulting in peaceful solutions. Simple, expressive pictures are interspersed throughout, keeping the reader engaged. This first book in a proposed series is a great book for the beginning chapter book reader."—School Library Connection

On Sale: Nov 3, 2015
Page Count: 96 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
ISBN-13: 9780316258388

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Monica Brown

About the Author

Monica Brown, Ph.D. is the author of many award winning books for children, including Waiting for the Biblioburro and Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match/Marisol McDonald no combina. Her books have received starred reviews, Pura Belpre honors, an NCTE Orbis Pictus honor, Americas Awards, and a Christopher Award. Monica’s books are inspired by her Peruvian and Jewish heritage and her desire to bring diverse stories to children. Monica is a professor of English at Northern Arizona University, where she teaches multicultural literature. She lives in Arizona with her husband and two daughters, and she invites you to visit her website at lolalevine.net.

Angela Dominguez was born in Mexico City, grew up in the great state of Texas, and now lives in Brooklyn. She is the author of Knit Together, Let’s Go, Hugo!, Maria Had a Little Llama, and Santiago Stays.

Learn more about this author