Messi or Ronaldo? Readers of this compelling title match are the true winners.
After years of facing off on the pitch, soccer legends Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo go head-to-head on the page.
Oldfield and Burkett—friends and fans of the beautiful game—each argue in favor of their own favorite; Oldfield contends that Messi’s the greatest, while Burkett believes that title goes to Ronaldo. Breaking down the stars’ careers into four categories—character, skills, stats, and contributions—the authors argue their sides compellingly while also offering background information on each, such as the medical issues both faced in their youth. Well-developed portraits of both men emerge as Oldfield and Burkett compare the athletes’ personalities, mindsets, and leadership styles. Showboating Ronaldo (“Yes, Cristiano Ronaldo certainly loves Cristiano Ronaldo”) is nevertheless brave enough to ask for help when needed; though Messi was so shy that he used to change in the hallway rather than the locker room, he’s always been bold on the field. The authors also break down the players’ technical and tactical skills and analyze key stats, including goals, assists, and trophies. Offering vivid accounts of key matches, the authors make their cases till the bitter end. With their thoughts fully on the table (and the opinions of some of the football world’s biggest stars brought in as food for thought), Oldfield and Burkett leave readers to decide for themselves.
Messi or Ronaldo? Readers of this compelling title match are the true winners. (Nonfiction. 10-14)Pub Date: May 5, 2026
ISBN: 9781536252941
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
A breezy, bustling bucketful of courageous acts and eye-popping feats.
Why should grown-ups get all the historical, scientific, athletic, cinematic, and artistic glory?
Choosing exemplars from both past and present, Mitchell includes but goes well beyond Alexander the Great, Anne Frank, and like usual suspects to introduce a host of lesser-known luminaries. These include Shapur II, who was formally crowned king of Persia before he was born, Indian dancer/professional architect Sheila Sri Prakash, transgender spokesperson Jazz Jennings, inventor Param Jaggi, and an international host of other teen or preteen activists and prodigies. The individual portraits range from one paragraph to several pages in length, and they are interspersed with group tributes to, for instance, the Nazi-resisting “Swingkinder,” the striking New York City newsboys, and the marchers of the Birmingham Children’s Crusade. Mitchell even offers would-be villains a role model in Elagabalus, “boy emperor of Rome,” though she notes that he, at least, came to an awful end: “Then, then! They dumped his remains in the Tiber River, to be nommed by fish for all eternity.” The entries are arranged in no evident order, and though the backmatter includes multiple booklists, a personality quiz, a glossary, and even a quick Braille primer (with Braille jokes to decode), there is no index. Still, for readers whose fires need lighting, there’s motivational kindling on nearly every page.
A breezy, bustling bucketful of courageous acts and eye-popping feats. (finished illustrations not seen) (Collective biography. 10-13)Pub Date: May 10, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-14-751813-2
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Puffin
Review Posted Online: Nov. 10, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2015
A tragic, gripping, and inspiring story.
In 1979, 11-year-old Norman was the only survivor of a plane crash in Southern California: This is his true story.
This book for middle-grade readers, co-authored with Kiely, covers much of the same material as Ollestad’s 2009 memoir for adults, Crazy for the Storm. Flying in a four-seater Cessna with his father, his father’s girlfriend, Sandra, and the pilot, Norman was excited to reach Big Bear to receive his ski-racing trophy. (As a vivid example of his busy childhood, they’d driven the 300 miles there yesterday for Norman to compete—and then driven back to Topanga Canyon in the evening for his hockey game.) But the plane tragically crashed on a mountain in a blizzard. Nothing is sugarcoated; readers encounter graphic descriptions of the pilot and Norman’s dad, who died, and Sandra, who suffered a gaping head wound. Eventually accepting that he had to figure things out on his own, Norman drew upon the extreme training his father had put his “Boy Wonder” through—training that had bullied Norman into facing difficult physical and mental challenges that he feared and resented. During his trek to safety, Norman performed incredible mental and physical feats and encouraged the barely functioning Sandra—until she fell to her death. Norman’s conflicted feelings about the father he’d both idolized and resented are nuanced and satisfyingly resolved. Readers who enjoy nail-biting wilderness stories will be riveted.
A tragic, gripping, and inspiring story. (Nonfiction. 10-14)Pub Date: Oct. 28, 2025
ISBN: 9780374392611
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Aug. 29, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2025
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