Great insight into the career and achievements of Lionel Messi. I love the appropriate style of writing for younger audiences.

Lionel "Leo" Messi was a talented soccer player from the time he started walking. His path to soccer of football greatness was not easy as he had a growth issue which required daily injections. When he did become famous, he never forgot his roots and was very generous with his time. I suspect there may be some confusion as Americans know this person as Lionel, not Leo.

Leo Messi is the 106th book in the Little People, Big Dreams series. Even if you don't follow soccer, chances are you have heard of Leo Messi, one of the best soccer players in the world. Leo lived in Rosario, Argentina and played soccer in the streets. His grandmother was his number one supporter, and got him to play on some local teams. When he was nine, the doctors diagnosed him with a problem with his growth hormones. He needed injections which were very expensive, but luckily, his soccer team helped pay for them and they worked. By the age of thirteen, he was invited to Spain and earned a place at FC Barcelona's Youth Academy. He only improved and moved up from there. He won many awards with FC Barcelona and even led Argentina to the World Cup. Never forgetting where he came from, he supports vulnerable children with his foundation and works with UNICEF.

I love this series as it shows children that anyone can overcome things to follow their dreams. Little Leo had a talent, but without the support of his grandma and hard work, he wouldn't have achieved what he did. This series is made up of child friendly biographies, to show children that dreaming big is something everyone can do and you might just be able to be what you have envisioned. For young children who may be smaller than others on their team or in their class, it gives them hope and something to strive for. My grandson played soccer this past summer for the first time, so he enjoyed this book very much. I read it to them, then he read it by himself. We also checked out images on the internet to see more, which is a goal of this series. Another great addition to the Little People, BIG DREAMS series.

This is a wonderful children's book from the Little People, Big Dreams series, which is an amazing, educational series of books, focusing on inspirational people in the world.

This book focuses on Leo Messi, the footballer. When Leo was young, he played football in the streets with his brother and cousins. He then joined a football team at the age of four, and after that he made it into his favourite hometown football club. When he was nine, he had to have injections to help him to grow. When he was thirteen, he signed a contract with Barcelona Football Club. When he was sixteen, he made his debut for the first team, and for twelve years he was his team's icon, winning many matches and becoming an inspiration to many. He went on to join Paris Saint-Germain, he lead the Argentina team to victory at the World Cup, and today he is with the US club Inter Miami CF.

I found this book really interesting, and I really loved looking at the beautiful illustrations in the book, as well as the informative text sections and photographs at the end of the book.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book.

Who doesn't know Leo Messi, the G.O.A.T (Greatest Of All Time)? He won so many football games, wanted by international clubs, makes people fear Argentinian squad on World Cup. But his life is not as smooth as we thought. He worked hard to reach his place now, and with supports from his family, he can earn his place now. What an encouragement for young children who wants to be like him.

This book is perfect for kids who are fans of messi. Not only do they get to see him play but can now learn about his life in a way they can understand. Absolutely love this series and cant wait to ses what they do next

Even people who don’t know much about soccer are probably familiar with the name Leo Messi. He is probably the (or certainly one of the) greatest soccer players ever. Messi serves as an inspiration to all kids who enjoy this game.

In this latest entry in the Little People, Big Dreams series find out about Messi’s early years and his route to greatness. It is an inspiring story. In addition, those who are interested will find additional resources at the end of the book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this title. All opinions re my own.

Another excellent addition to the series. Again, I'm not the biggest football fan so a lot of this I didn't know about his early football days and personal life/charity work. It was really interesting to see his roots, where he came from and his journey to becoming one of the best footballers of all time. I really loved the illustrator's style in this one, and I think I've said before but I like that they all seem to match but have a lot of different illustrators with their own unique styles. The only thing I wish is that it had been called Lionel Messi because although I don't know much about him, I've watched World Cups and seen him talked about a lot but I've never heard him referred to as Leo before?

Leo Messi by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara was another brilliant book. As a child, Leo developed his passion for soccer playing games with his brothers and cousins in the streets of Rosario, Argentina. He later honed his skills on the pitch as part of the local youth team, Newell's Old Boys – who famously won every tournament whilst Leo was with them. But life wasn't without its challenges. Aged 9, he was diagnosed with Growth Hormone Deficiency, which meant he had to inject himself with hormones from the doctor every day to help him grow. But nothing was going to stop Leo from following his dreams. He debuted with FC Barcelona in 2004 and across the next 17 years scored 672 goals for the club and helped them to win 35 trophies. Leo has also received seven Golden Ball awards, more than any other soccer player in history, and won 4 trophies with Argentina's national football team, including the 2022 World Cup, where he captained the team to victory. Messi's next chapter will be spent training under the Florida sunshine, having joined the U.S. team Inter Miami CF.

Today, he is considered by many to be 'The Greatest of All Time' – and is a hero off the pitch, too, as a committed ambassador for UNICEF and founder of his own children's charity. This inspiring book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of Messi's incredible story.

WoW! Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara books must be one of the best little books to purchase for children, these are the best-selling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.

I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are my own opinions.

Even myself, a non fan of any sports, know the name Messi. It is fascinating to learn his story, which in Little People Big Dreams fashion includes both the ups and down of his life. I love this series and the people it has introduced not only students to, but all the people I got to become more familiar with as well.

My students love Messi, but until read this book I didn't realize how little I know about him. they will love this book and it is a great way to get them to read nonfiction.

Charming illustrations as always, and an easily understandable summary of Messi’s life. A great read for smaller readers.

sometimes it's hard to fathom that iconic people were once just kids, including this famous football player. even though i still think that some people were truly gifted with special talent, it's still inspirational.

Me and my children enjoyed this story with all the characters within. It about life of  a celebrated soccer player. It start out when the soccer player is young and go to adulthood.

This was a fun story to read. It had action and adventure throughout. It had a few giggles within. The illustrations went well with the story and were colorful.

I received a complimentary copy via Netgalley. This is my honest unbiased opinions.

My son is a HUGE Messi fan so we had to read this one. This is a terrific addition to this terrific series. The illustrations are super cute as always.

Leo Messi - is the original GOAT (Greatest of All Time) footballer.
He grew up in South America where he played football on the streets with his friends and family. He was successful in every match he played for his youth team but as he was growing, he had to inject himself with a growth hormone which was a challenge for a young child. This did not stop Leo from following his dream where he received many accolades for his footballing abilities. He became Argentina's captain in the World Cup and his football career took him to Inter Milan - David Beckham's team.
The series is accessible to young children but the book appeals to all age ranges - especially those who are interested in learning more - they can look at the timeline at the rear of the book.

I love this series of books and think they are brilliant for kids to learn more about people they may or may not have already heard of. This story is a great introduction to the life of Lionel Messi and his incredible achievements from the streets of Argentina and throughout his impressive career.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review.

This was a nice biography. It did not wow me as much as some other books in this series, but it was cute and may inspire some kids.

I got this on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

I love this series so much, and this was no different! I love hearing about Messi's story, and this really showcased the many different sides of him in a great way! Perfect for kids that want to learn more about Messi, and have a love for football!

Pros: I adore this series of biographies. I think in every review I mention how much I love the illustrations because they are so detailed and inclusive (when historically they can be). I loved the detail in this book of one child wearing a hearing aid while playing soccer. I know these books are for children, but I enjoy reading them to learn more about the person featured. Before reading this book, the only thing I knew about Leo Messi is that he plays soccer for Miami (and that him playing there is a big deal). I was interested to learn why he is such a popular player!

Cons: None! I can't wait to see who is featured next in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group - Frances Lincoln Children's Books for the opportunity to read this book.