  | Viva Valenzuela! : Fernandomania erupts in Los Angeles Author: Alonso, Nathalie | |
| Price: $23.98 | ||
Summary:
Fernando Valenzuela was just barely out of his teens when he came to America from Mexico to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers. In the 1980s, Latinos rarely followed baseball. But after Fernando pitched eight winning games, the entire country was talking about him. A rookie on a historic streak, Fernando became an international star and opened doors for other marginalized players. And the fans gained something too, a hero they could call their own.
| Illustrator: | Parra, John |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (02/15/26)
School Library Journal (+) (01/01/26)
Booklist (01/01/26)
The Hornbook (00/03/26)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 01/01/2026 Gr 2–5—It's April 9, 1981. On the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers is 20-year-old Fernando Valenzuela, the first rookie pitcher to start opening day for the club. A southpaw with a mean screwball, he not only shuts out the Astros but will also go on to win his first eight starts. Short, squat, with long hair, the youngest of 12 children from a farming family in northern Mexico, he seemed an unlikely candidate for the "Fernandomania" that erupted. He excited a wild fandom not only among Mexican Americans in Los Angeles, who had felt segregated from baseball, perceived as a white man's game, but became a hero across Mexico for fans who started listening to games on the radio. After a lengthy player's strike, Fernando helped the Dodgers beat the Yankees for their first World Series title since 1965. Lavish, visually rich illustrations by Parra are done in a folk style with flat colors and figures that appear almost like cutouts. Back matter includes a bibliography, author and illustrator's notes, sidebars on Latinos and the Dodgers, and more. VERDICT Beautifully presented, written with deep admiration; recommended for elementary libraries, especially where baseball is popular. - Copyright 2026 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
Booklist - 01/01/2026 April 9, 1981, was opening day for baseball in Los Angeles, where 50,000 fans gathered in Dodger Stadium. Like the opposing team, they were in for a surprise: because the Dodgers’ starting pitcher had been injured, Fernando Valenzuela was chosen to pitch. Few batters had seen this rookie, but when he walked up to the mound, lifted his right knee high, and launched a left-handed screwball into the catcher’s glove, he astonished everyone. Short and rotund, Valenzuela didn’t fit the mold of a major league pitcher, but that mattered less than his incredible pitching record. Mexican Americans and Latinos soon became avid Dodgers’ fans, cheering their unassuming hero by shouting “¡Viva Valenzuela!” Siebert Honor Book author Alonso highlights not only Valenzuela's impressive career but the positive impact he had on Latino Angelenos, who loved seeing a Mexican player who felt like one of them. Illustrated with Parra's bright, blocky artwork, the book focuses mainly on Valenzuela’s rookie year and fittingly concludes with a World Series Game against the Yankees. An informative, visually engaging picture book for baseball fans. - Copyright 2026 Booklist.
