!Viva Valenzuela!: Fernandomania Erupts in Los Angeles

By: Nathalie Alonso, John Parra - illustrator

Meet LA Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela, the rookie who became a symbol of Mexican American pride and a hero to Latinos everywhere. Celebrate Latino sports history in this inspiring, stunningly illustrated baseball book for kids ages 7-10, from an award-winning baseball reporter and a Pura Belpré Honoree. Fernando Valenzuela was just barely out of his teens when he came to America from Mexico to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In the 1980s, Mexican Americans rarely followed baseball. But after Fernando pitched eight winning games, the entire country was talking about him. People in Mexico began listening to games on their radios, and more Mexican Americans in LA began coming to games. A rookie on a historic streak, Fernando became an international star! And the fans gained something too: a hero they could call their own. Baseball reporter Nathalie Alonso and author of Call Me Roberto! joins Mexican American illustrator John Parra to celebrate this sensational player who was known for his signature pitching style.

©2026 Nathalie Alonso (P)2026 Recorded Books