Steve Wilson (3)

I have to confess that I wanted this book badly for many reasons. The story takes place in the great Northwest (God's country!) and its main theme is the struggle of Hispanic teens in America, both the challenges to those here recently and the ones that have lived all their lives in the United States. All of this revolves around the issue of the game of soccer, which I played for all of half a season in high school but which is the one sport I feel I can actually watch and enjoy.

Anyhow, despite all of this I managed to pick up this book about five times before finally finishing it. Sadly, the experiences of the players just did not resonate with me. I don't know why since I have so much in common with many of the players depicted here.

So while I cannot say I enjoyed the book I hate to suggest that nobody else would enjoy it. So if those themes I mentioned are ones you are particularly interested in, by all means pick up a copy and read it. I hope you get more out of it than I did. Hopefully, in a year or so, I will pick it up again and give it another try. If I like it more at that time then I will revise this review.… (més)

The main reason why I wanted to read this book is straightforward, really: I love soccer. [It sounds stupid but it's true. ;)]

This particular book by Steve Wilson is a bit different than some of the other soccer books that I've read in the past. It uses one of the most hotly debated political issues in America (immigration and its legal aspects) as a focal point in the book. The "boys" of Woodburn are, in a sense, immigrants from Mexico who may or may not have arrived here with a document to their names. They play against teams mostly made of students who are, in essence, legal U.S. citizens. The distinction is somewhat obvious throughout the book.

Aside from the immigration issue, the book also touches upon the typical sport story aspect as the Woodburn players and their coaches try hard to win the one thing that has eluded them for a past couple of seasons: a state championship. The players build some sort of friendly rapport with their coaches and themselves in a sport that can test such things. They go through many highs and lows throughout the season (Note: Read the book to find out how their season ends).

The Boys from Little Mexico is an amazing book that does well to humanize a hot-button political issue by weaving it with a lengthy narrative of an important season for a high school soccer team.… (més)