I like an early chapter book with a nice character, facing trouble with friends. The writing is a little forced feeling, which is to be expected from an early chapter, and i warmed up to it as the character developed a little. The family relationships are good, and supportive and there is good modeling for siblings. Super sweet problem solving and nice kids abound. ( )

A story about Lola who gets deemed Mean Lola Levine after her slide tackle of the principle's son. Lola is not your typical girl, she loves sports and different clothes, and doesn't quite fit in. Lola loves words and writes notes to everyone in her life. She particularly loves blending Spanish words into her vocabulary and notes. A story about self-love and acceptance. The first book in a series about a soccer and word loving second grader. ( )

I did not care for this book one bit. Lola accidentally hurts a classmate while playing soccer after she got a little too competitive. After that, it really feels like she has no agency in her own story. She more or less sits around and worries and it's her male friend that ends up setting the record straight when Lola starts getting bullied. While I like that her friend sticks up for her, I hate that Lola's story happens TO her and not BECAUSE of her. Couple that with a bad case of "not like others girls" and some token Jewish representation (her latino heritage though I think is well represented) and this book is a big pass for me. ( )

This is good fun -- soccer facts, interesting family dynamics, and a winning main character. Hooray for diverse and fun! ( )

I enjoyed reading this book because I too played soccer growing up and even in school. Growing up Mexican, cafe in the morning were a must. I really enjoyed reading the story of Lola and her friendships, family, and hobbies.