Sunakali the “Messi of the Himalayas”

In dialogue-heavy prose, Vorms-Le Morvan uses a radio show framework to profile 14-year-old Nepalese soccer player Sunakali Budha, nicknamed the “Messi of the Himalayas” for her speed and skill, in addition to her admiration of the famous scorer. In the small village of Mugu, Nepal, 12-year-old girl Sunakali and her friends play soccer recreationally while tending goats. Soon, they are recruited by a coach from the capital, and from there, they must compete against other villages in their first soccer tournament, despite reservations from their parents and community. Wild’s brightly colored, finely inked illustrations, done in a dynamic, comics-esque style, evoke Nepalese culture in this lightly fantastical portrayal of the Himalayan landscape. Though radio show framework results in some stilted verb tenses, this biography is encouraging in its portrayal of a team that fought to improve. Front matter includes a brief author’s note. Ages 8–12. (May)