3321 MON. NIGHT 26th AUTHOR

Young Pele is an inspiring story of how a poor Brazilian boy who kicked rocks down roads and dribbled balls made from rags went on to become the greatest soccer player of all time. This book as won the NAACP Image Awards nominee in 2008, the Starred Review, Book list Top 10 Sports Books for Youth in 2008 as well.
Young Pele is written by Lesa Cline-Ransome. Lesa Cline-Ransome has written a number of biographical books about young athletes. As well as a book about Helen Keller's life, and poetry. With illustrations by her husband James Ransome which are superb, Lesa Cline-Ransome books are a must to have for the youth. Young Pele is a Fiction and for the youth.

Lesa Cline grew up in Malden, MA, a suburb just outside of Boston, the daughter of two nurses and the youngest of three. She consider herself very fortunate to have grown up with a mother who loved to read. Each week her mother would take her to their local library so that her mother could stock up on books. As Cline grew older she ventured off into the children’s section and gather up her own collection of books to check out. Through her mother she realized that reading could become a wonderful escape and writing even more so. When Cline's mother gave her a diary as a gift, she first filled the pages with the “very important” details of her life adventures with her friends, secret crushes and the many ways in which her family drove her crazy. Then she began creating her own stories.

Lesa Cline became interested in children’s books the year she married James Ransome. He was working on illustrating his first book which allowed both of them to look at picture books in a new way. When they browsed through the books in bookstores, he studied the illustrations, and she read the stories. Lesa Cline-Ransome eventually completed a graduate degree in elementary education and through her coursework became truly immersed in children’s literature.

While at home and after the birth of their first child, James Ransome would constantly suggest that she start writing for children. He had tons of ideas for books. When he showed her a collection of stories about champion athletes. Lesa read the section on Satchel Paige, the Negro League pitcher, she was captured. Between her daughter’s naps and her another pregnancy, she read and researched and wrote for nearly a year before an editor at Simon & Schuster decided to take a chance on Satchel. Four years, four books and four children later and Lesa Cline-Ransome is still writing. Her husband does amazing illustrations for the books she writes as well. Check out their website to see more of her books, awards, his illustrations, and more.
http://www.jamesransome.com/