Foot 2 Rue #9

Based on the animated TV series seen on France 3, this ninth volume of Foot 2 Rue — subtitled Les Ours Blancs — bursts with the street-football energy the series is known for, by Mariolle and Cardona. The cover charges forward with a confident young player at the center, soccer ball at his feet, while a crew of teammates fans out behind him against a snowy, wintry backdrop that hints at the chilly challenges ahead. It's a lively, action-packed image that captures exactly why this franco-Belgian series won over young readers and TV viewers alike in 2009.