World Cup, Lionel Messi Books Score with Young Readers

The 2014 World Cup, the globe's premier international soccer tournament, began with the excitement of a brilliant Lionel Messi goal. The Argentine striker, considered among the world's best soccer players, is among the Latin stars appearing in the month-long event. Messi is also appearing in two Enslow Publishers' titles this season. Our Speeding Star imprint, designed to encourage young boys to read, features the 48-page Soccer Star Lionel Messi. Author John Albert Torres' well-written text, amplified by excellent color photographs, is an ideal choice for reluctant readers and for those young readers searching for an exciting, quick read on the player.

Enslow's repertoire also features a biography of the South American soccer sensation titled Lionel Messi: A Soccer Star Who Cares. Author Kimberly Gatto's 48-page, full-color biography includes Messi's positive activities in "giving back," as well as fascinating details about his early life and current career.

Both titles are available in library-bound, paperback, and e-book formats. Buy them now from Enslow Publishers, from your preferred vendor, Barnes & Noble, or Amazon.com.

ESPY Awards

The ESPY awards will be given out on Wednesday, July 17. ESPY stands for Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award and is sponsored by the cable channel ESPN.  This award recognizes individual and team athletic achievement and other sports-related performance during the calendar year before the annual ceremony.

One of the categories, Best International Athlete, gives voters the choice of five athletes, including Lionel Messi.

This title, part of Enslow's Sports Stars Who Care series, is written for the upper elementary reader. This 48-page book talks about his athleticism on the soccer field, his early years in Argentina, as well as his foundation, the Leo Messi Foundation, which builds parks and schools in poor areas, as well as provides treatment for sick children.

For those elementary soccer fans and players, this book is a great motivator!

All of the titles in this series emphasize charitable work done by particular sports stars. Other titles include Albert Pujols, Dwight Howard, Kevin Garnett, Shaun White, and Tom Brady.