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Title details for Luigi and the Barefoot Races by Dan Paley - Available

Luigi and the Barefoot Races

by Dan Paley
Aaron Boyd
ebook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available

On Regent Street in Philadelphia, stories are still told of Luigi, who could run faster than anybody and never lost a race on those long-ago summer evenings when neighbors would gather on front stoops to watch. They say Luigi always ran barefoot. And they speak of his greatest challenge—the race nobody thought he could win, not even Luigi himself.

They say Luigi always ran barefoot. And they speak of his greatest challenge—the race nobody thought he could win, not even Luigi himself.

Maybe it's urban legend, or maybe the true events have acquired added luster in Dan Paley's memory. After all, a story this amazing couldn't possibly be true, could it?

  • Suffused with nostalgia for soft summer evenings in a city neighborhood, with kids playing in the street, neighbors visiting, twilight seeming like it would never end....
  • A tall tale that kids will never tire of.
  • Aaron Boyd's colorful illustrations vividly recreate an urban Philadelphia street and its houses, shops, and memorable people.
    • Fountas & Pinnell Level M

    • Creators

    • Publisher

    • Release date

      October 8, 2015

    • Formats

      • Kindle Book

      • OverDrive Read

        • ISBN: 9780884484745
      Kindle restrictions

    • Languages

      • English

    • Reviews

      • Kirkus

        August 15, 2015
        Luigi isn't the biggest or strongest boy in his city neighborhood, but he is most certainly the fastest. Summer on Philadelphia's Regent Street means enjoying barefoot racing, a favorite activity, possibly unique to the neighborhood. Children race each other endlessly, and Luigi is the acknowledged and unbeaten champion. When Mikey Muldoon, a kid from another neighborhood, loses to Luigi, he is angry in defeat and proposes another contest, this time against his unnamed best friend. The anticipation turns to disbelief and shock when Mikey's best friend turns out to be everyone's worst nightmare, Mean Max, who is so scary he doesn't even appear in the illustrations. A terrified Luigi will not go back on his word, and the race is on. It is very close, with first one then the other in the lead. And the winner is Luigi. He has beaten the fiercest opponent of all, but the race spawns a new rule, one that will have readers wondering whether this really happened, or is it a tall tale? Paley sets a breathless pace that keeps readers guessing. The tale is told by a nostalgic witness, and it captures a strong sense of neighborhood pride. Boyd's bright illustrations move right along with the action and depict a multicultural community from a variety of panoramic and close-up perspectives. An afterword tells of the author's Philadelphia childhood and provides information about tall tales. Cheers for Luigi. (Picture book. 4-9)

        COPYRIGHT(2015) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

    Formats

    • Kindle Book
    • OverDrive Read
    Kindle restrictions

    subjects

    Languages

    • English

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