April, Biel and Emma form a difficult triangle to reconcile, or maybe not so much. You will see there are three children in those ages when they 'start to face the world' without the need for parents to always be on top, and live a summer vacation that promised to be boring (at least for April), and become one of those exciting adventures that can only be lived when one is between 10 and 14 years old.
April is Biel's younger sister, although she becomes the true protagonist of the story: She is an observant and clever girl who solves the most important problem the group has (increased after arriving at the summer resort). I do not lie to you that what hooked me to this story is this phrase in the first chapter of the book '… I have an older brother named Biel and that, in addition, he is a monster that does not stop making my life bitter.' Why did it catch my attention? Perhaps it was the curiosity to know if this fraternal relationship would resemble what my children may have in a few years ..., you know, if I anticipate it, I can be more prepared.
The book is called 'The Japler Ball', it is written by Jordi Cervera and edited by Edebé in the Tucán collection (for children from 10 years old). It is a story that it is easy to read and children will not find it difficult to approach, precisely because of that need for adventures and 'independent life' that they begin to have after eight and a half years or so.
When the parents of April and Biel head to the small coastal town where they will spend a few weeks, they also take Emma, April's best friend, whose parents are too busy working to be able to afford a few days off. Despite the friendship, the prospect of being together does not seem very hopeful because Emma seems to have fallen in love with Biel (with that of boys who are there, right ?, has had to choose the person who annoys her friend daily).
Everything changes when they meet their new soccer and adventure companions: 9 children from different backgrounds who accept them only because they are three, and so they can make two teams of six to hit the ball. This way April achieves its main objective, Biel will stop teasing her in exchange for her agreeing to continue in the groupotherwise he will abandon it, and with it he will lose the opportunity to do what he likes best.
Football matches followed by a cool horchata in the town square, and the discovery that they are 12 !, and in this way they can challenge the people next door to measure their strength in the professional football field that belongs to the Japler mansion, it is one of those unwritten rules that mark relations between neighboring towns.
But the Japler mansion hides one of those secrets that hardly anyone talks about since its owner mysteriously disappeared, curiosity can more than good sense (it has happened to all of us at that age), and once inside, they can no longer go out to Not being…
It is a fantastic adventure that none of the 12 will forget, and that you will remember all those who lived in childhood, and that you would also want for your children, although they would prefer to have different experiences.
I really can't tell you any more because what I want is for you to propose this book as reading for your children, summer is near, and it can take many hours. That, and also that when they begin to meet friends to go alone through the town, remind them to better tell you where they are going ...
UPGRADE: The book is also available in Catalan
