Freddie Ramos Rules New York

By David O'Connell and Miguel Benítez

Freddie and his mom are visiting Uncle Jorge in New York City! Just before they leave, Mr. Vaslov gives Freddie a new pair of zapatos to replace the ones that were getting too small. But Freddie worries if his new zapatos will work as well as his old ones. Will Freddie be able to save the day when Uncle Jorge misplaces an engagement ring in the middle of a New York City traffic jam?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
• Release date: Oct 1, 2016
• ISBN: 9780807594988

David O'Connell

David O’Connell is a writer and illustrator living in London, UK. His favourite things to draw are monsters, naughty children (another type of monster), batty old ladies and evil cats!

Book preview

1. Ready for New York

I was all dressed for my trip to New York. Except for my sneakers. Getting my feet into my purple zapatos took extra time. First, I had to put on band-aids to cover my blisters. Then I had to push and pull and stomp.

Mom watched me from the doorway of my room.

Freddie? she asked. Are your sneakers too tight?

That was not a question I wanted to answer. My feet had gotten bigger. But the last thing I wanted was a new pair of shoes. The ones I had were special. They gave me super speed and super bounce. I couldn’t give them up.

New York City has great stores, Mom said. We can buy new shoes on our trip to see Uncle Jorge.

That’s okay, Mom, I said, stomping each foot again. These are fine.

I’m not so sure. Mom folded her arms and frowned.

We can worry about my shoes when we get home, I answered. In New York, I want to see the things Uncle Jorge told us about on the phone. The huge Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center and the lights of Times Square.

"Yo también. Mom smiled. Are you ready?"

Almost. Can I say good-bye to my friends?

Mom held up one finger. We’re leaving in an hour.

I’ll be fast.

With my super zapatos, I could leave 29G and go clear across Starwood Park Apartments in a

Reviews for Freddie Ramos Rules New York

[veragodley · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is my first exposure to Freddie Ramos and his wonderful shoes. This early chapter book has just the amount of text in the vernacular that will engage the young reader, especially boys, and a sprinkling of pen drawings.I love the positive attitude portrayed in the character of Freddie Ramos and his desire to be helpful. But this is not an overtly sweet, do good to others book. No, this is a fun book about a young boy who perceives he has super powers from the wonderful wristband (previously given to him by his friend, Mr. Vaslov) and his Zapato shoes.If you've every truly watched a small child when they have a brand new pair of colorful sneakers, especially those with flashing lights, you know the personality lift the shoes seem to impart. Well, Mr. Vaslov has previously given Freddie a pair of purple Zapatos and now they are too small. Almost magically, Mr. Vaslov brings a new pair to Freddie just before Freddie and his mother leave for a trip to New York.His adventures in New York with his "superpowers" are fun to read. The story flows smoothly. There is a tiny sprinkling of Spanish words or phrases which enriches the reading. Gently the words are re-said in English in the flow of the text without appearing to be "teachy."I'd love to see the entire set of these positive, well done books in elementary libraries across the country.I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review. Opinions are my own and given without compensation.