S p o r t s    B o o k l i s t

BASEBALL | BASKETBALL | BOWLING | FENCING | FOOTBALL | GYMNASTICS | HOCKEY | MARTIAL ARTS | PING-PONG | RACING (AUTOMOBILES) | RACING (MOTORCYCLES & MINI-BIKES) | SKATING & SKATEBOARDING | SKIING | SOCCER | SOFTBALL | SWIMMING | TENNIS | TRACK AND FIELD | WRESTLING |

BASEBALL

FICTION

Brooks, Bruce.

Throwing Smoke. When his teammates on the Breadhurst Newts baseball team continue their losing ways, Whiz uses an unusual printing press to create several star players in hopes of winning a game.

Carter, Alden R.

Bull Catcher. Pete and Jeff continue their friendship and love of baseball as they progress from ninth grade through high school in their small Wisconsin town.

Christopher, Matt.

Baseball Turnaround. Sandy is drawn unknowingly into a shoplifting incident, but when his community service involves his beloved baseball, he meets people who help him finally put the past behind him.

The Fox Steals Home. Already troubled by his parents' divorce, Bobby Canfield is further distressed when he learns that his father, who has coached him in running bases, intends to move away.

Prime-time Pitcher. When Koby Caplan, pitcher for Monticello Middle School, becomes star of a local TV documentary, he must deal with the problem of being a celebrity.

Corbett, Scott.

The Baseball Trick. A potion from Kerby's chemistry set designed to combat the ringers on the opposing baseball team yields surprising results for Kerby and his friends.

Corbett, Sue.

Free Baseball . Gr 4-7-An engaging, well-written story with a satisfying ending. As the son of a Cuban superstar, 11-year-old Felix Piloto has baseball in his blood. He would give anything to be like his father, or know more about him, but his mother won't reveal anything beyond the fact that he risked his life and career to get his wife and baby to America.

Dygard, Thomas J.

Infield Hit. After transferring to a new high school during his junior year, Hal tries to make friends, gain a starting position on the baseball team, and hide the fact that his dad is a famous ex-major leaguer.

The Rookie Arrives. Cocky Ted Bell moves from being star of his high school baseball team directly into playing in the major leagues and finds that he has a lot to learn before becoming the world's greatest third baseman.

Elish, Dan.

Jason and the Baseball Bear. Fourth-grader Jason, the only member of his Little League team who can talk with animals, improves his team's chances to win the championship with the help of an elderly polar bear named Whitney.

Farrell, Mame.

Bradley and the Billboard. When thirteen-year-old Brad, a baseball hero, gets a job as a fashion model, he must come to terms with his ideas of what it is to be a real guy.

Gorman, Carol.

Stumptown Kid. In a small Iowa town in 1952, eleven-year-old Charlie Nebraska, whose father died in the Korean War, learns the meanings of both racism and heroism when he befriends a black man who had played baseball in the Negro Leagues.

Gutman, Dan.

Abner & Me: A Baseball Card Adventure. With his ability to travel through time using baseball cards and photographs, thirteen-year-old Joe and his mother go back to 1863 to ask Abner Doubleday whether he invented baseball, but instead find themselves in the middle of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Babe & Me: A Baseball Card Adventure. With their ability to travel through time by using vintage baseball cards, Joe and his father have the opportunity to find out whether Babe Ruth really did call his shot when he hit that home run in the third game of the 1932 World Series against the Chicago Cubs.

Honus & Me: A Baseball Card Adventure. Joey, who loves baseball but is not very good at it, finds a valuable 1909 Honus Wagner baseball card and travels back in time to meet Honus.

Jackie & Me: A Baseball Card Adventure. With his ability to travel through time by using baseball cards, Joe goes back to 1947 to meet Jackie Robinson, turning into a black boy in the process. Sequel to: Honus and Me.

Micky & Me: A Baseball Card Adventure. When Joe travels back in time to 1944, he meets the Milwaukee Chicks, one of the only-female professional baseball teams in the history of the game.

Satch & Me: a Baseball Card Adventure. Gr 4-7-When 13-year-old Joe Stosh's coach brings a radar gun to practice, it prompts a discussion of who was the fastest pitcher in baseball history. Able to use baseball cards to go back in time, Stosh clocks the fastball of famous Negro League pitcher Satchel Paige.

Shoeless Joe & Me: A Baseball Card Adventure. Joe Stoshack travels back to 1919, where he meets Shoeless Joe Jackson and tries to prevent the fixing of the World Series in which Jackson was wrongly implicated.

Haven, Paul.

Two Hot Dogs with Everything. Although everyone credits him and his superstitions for the Slugger's first winning streak in 108 baseball seasons, eleven-year-old Danny Gurkin believes that his discovery of a secret from the team's past may be the real reason behind the ball club's success.

Heymsfeld, Carla.

Coaching Ms. Parker. Mike and his friends try to help their fourth-grade teacher learn how to play baseball before the annual teacher-student game.

Hughes, Dean.

Play Ball! Having failed to get their applications in for the middle school summer baseball league, Robbie and Trent scramble to find a sponsor, a coach, and enough players to form their own team.

Jennings, Patrick.

Outstanding in My Field. Although fifth-grader Ty Cutter is named after baseball great Ty Cobb, he is the worst player on the Brewer's team--which happens to be coached by his overly-competitive father.

Johnson, Scott.

Safe at Second. Paulie Lockwood's best friend Todd Bannister is destined for the major leagues until a line drive to the head causes him to lose an eye and they both must find a new future for themselves.

Kline, Suzy.

Herbie Jones and the Monster Ball. Despite their poor ball playing, Herbie's friend, Ray, volunteers them both for the baseball team coached by Herbie's Uncle Dwight. But as their skills improve, other problems crop up.

Orp Goes to the Hoop. All-star baseball pitcher Orp goes out for basketball in the seventh grade and finds that the skills he has developed in his old sport can be effectively transferred to his new one.

Koertge, Ron.

Shakespeare Bats Cleanup. When a fourteen-year-old baseball player catches mononucleosis, he discovers that keeping a journal and experimenting with poetry not only helps fill the time, it also helps him deal with life, love, and loss.

Korman, Gordon.

The Toilet Paper Tigers. When his little Lague team gets a coach who knows nothing about baseball seventh-grader Corey is dismayed to see the team taken over by the coach's pushy twelve-year-old granddaughter.

Lupica, Mike.

The Big Field. When fourteen-year-old baseball player Hutch feels threatened by the arrival of a new teammate named Darryl, he tries to work through his insecurities about both Darryl and his remote and silent father, who was once a great ballplayer too.

Heat. Pitching prodigy Michael Arroyo is on the run from social services after being banned from playing Little League baseball because rival coaches doubt he is only twelve years old and he has no parents to offer them proof.

Mackel, Kathy.

MadCat. Fast-pitch softball catcher MadCat Campione's love for the sport--and her relationship with her best friends--is strained when her team competes on a national level.

Myers, Walter Dean.

Mop, Moondance, and the Nagasaki Knights. After T.J. and his younger brother are adopted, the biggest problems they face are winning an international baseball tournament, held in their New Jersey hometown, and helping a homeless teammate.

Patneaude, David.

Haunting at Home Plate. After they hear stories about their baseball field being haunted by the ghost of a boy who died there many years ago, twelve-year-old Nelson and his teammates start finding mysterious messages written in the dirt..

Rallison, Janette.

Playing the Field. Thirteen-year-old McKay tries to keep up his algebra grade to stay on the baseball team, while dealing with his attraction to a girl named Serena.

Ritter, John H.

The Boy who Saved Baseball. The fate of a small California town rests on the outcome of one baseball game, and Tom Gallagher hopes to lead his team to victory with the secrets of the now disgraced player, Dante Del Gato.

Over the Wall. Thirteen-year-old Tyler, who has trouble controlling his anger, spends an important summer with his cousins in New York City, playing baseball and sorting out how he feels about violence, war, and in particular the Vietnamese conflict that took his grandfather's life.

Roberts, Ken.

Thumb on a Diamond. 2006. Leon (now known by his new nickname, Thumb) and his best friend Susan love their tiny, remote fishing village of New Auckland. Wedged between the sea and the mountains, it is beautiful, peaceful -- and getting a little boring. So Thumb and Susan come up with an ingenious plan to form a baseball team, win the regional title, and qualify to be sent to the provincial championships in Vancouver, courtesy of the school board. But what will happen when they get to Vancouver?

Robinson, Sharon.

Safe at Home. 2006. Ten-year-old Elijah Breeze, a.k.a. Jumper, moves with his mother to her childhood home in Harlem. Jumper struggles in his new life, but he's encouraged by the support of his baseball coach and his grandma's wisdom.

Schnur, Steven.

The Koufax Dilemma. Angry when he cannot pitch in the season's opening game because of Passover, Danny finally makes some important decisions about loyalty to his divorced parents, his team, his heritage, and himself.

Slote, Alfred.

Finding Buck McHenry. Eleven-year-old Jason, believing the school custodian Mack Henry to be Buck Henry, a famous pitcher from the old Negro League, tries to enlist him as a coach for his Little League team by revealing his identity to the world.

Smith, Robert Kimmel.

Bobby Baseball. Ten-Year-old Bobby is passionate about baseball and convinced that he is a great player. The only problem is to get a chance to prove his skill, especially to his father.

Strasser, Todd.

Close Call. A group of fifth and sixth graders find a way to deal with personal differences, family problems, and some rock-throwing high school boys so that they can play the game they love.

Testa, Maria.

Some Kind of Pride. Named after the greatest baseball player of all time, eleven-year-old Ruth dreams of becoming a major league baseball player until she overhears her father lamenting the fact that she is a girl.

Tosher, Timothy.

Chief Sunrise, John McGrow, and Me. In 1919, fifteen-year-old Hank escapes an abusive father and goes looking for a chance to become a baseball player, accompanied by a man who calls himself Chief Sunrise and claims to be a full-blooded Seminole.

Wallace, Rich.

Curveball. Eddie Ventura is the first baseman for the Hudson City Hornets seventhgrade baseball team. The team is off to a rough start, but finally begins to win some games. Not exactly thanks to Eddie. Hes a good enough player, but hes a better writer, and soon hes recruited by the sports editor of the school newspaper to write about the teams games.

Southpaw. After moving to New Jersey following his parents' divorce, Jimmy Fleming tries out for the seventh-grade baseball team while also trying cope with his new life and dealing with his overly-competitive father.

Zinnen, LInda.

Holding at Third. When thirteen-year-old Matt's older brother Tom moves to a different hospital to receive a "treatment of last resort" for his cancer, Matt tries to adjust to a new home and school, a new baseball team, and his feelings about his brother.

EASY FICTION

Allen, Alex.

No Place for Baseball. The whole neighborhood baseball team works together to pay for the window they broke during practice and to find a new place to play so the accident won't happen again.

Christopher, Matt.

The Hit-away Kid. Barry McGee, hit-away batter for the Peach Street Mudders, enjoys winning so much that he has a tendency to bend the rules; then the dirty tactics of the pitcher on a rival team give him a new perspective on sports ethics.

EASY READERS

Christopher, Matt.

Jinx Glove. Chip's poor fielding using the new glove he buys with his own money soon makes him regret having thrown his father's old mitt away.

Johnny no Hit. Threatened by a beating if he hits against Roy's pitching, Johnny almost loses a ballgame for his team.

Hoff, Syd.

The Littlest Leaguer. Littlest of all the little leaguers, Harold has a hard time finding some way to really help his team.

PICTURE BOOKS

Hoff, Syd.

Baseball Mouse. Bernard, a field mouse who lives in a baseball park, helps win an important game and is made a member of the team.

Tavares Matt,.

Oliver's Game. Oliver's grandfather tells him the story of how he almost joined the Chicago Cubs baseball team. (Picture book.)

BASKETBALL

FICTION

Baskin, Nora Raleigh.

Basketball (or something like it.). Hank, Nathan, Jeremy, and Anabel deal with the realities of middle school basketball, including family pressure, a series of coaches with very different personalities and agendas, and what it means to be a team--and a friend.

Bledsoe, Lucy Jane.

Hoop Girlz. When eleven-year-old River, who is crazy about basketball, is not chosen to play in the tournament set up in the town of Azalea, Oregon, she decides to organize a team of her own and accepts the help of her older brother.

Gutman, Dan.

The Million Dollar Shot. Eleven-year-old Eddie gets a chance to win a million dollars by sinking a foul shot at the National Basketball Association finals.

Hallowell, Tommy.

Jester in the Backcourt. Nick has to learn to control his own antics on the basketball court if the Alden panthers are going to win the championship.

Harkrader, Lisa.

Airball: My Life in Briefs. Uncoordinated Kansas seventh-grader Kirby Nickel braves his coach's ire and becomes captain of the basketball team in order to help him prove that NBA star Brett McGrew is the father he has never known.

Hughes, Dean.

The Trophy. Ten-year-old Danny struggles to improve his play during his first year on the basketball team and to deal with the moods of his alcoholic father.

Lupica, Mike.

Travel Team. After he is cut from his travel basketball team--the very same team that his father once led to national prominence--twelve-year-old Danny Walker forms his own team of cast-offs that might have a shot at victory.

Myers, Walter Dean.

Slam! Seventeen-year-old "Slam" Harris is counting on his noteworthy basketball talents to get him out of the inner city and give him a chance to succeed in life, but his coach sees things differently.

Russo, Marisabina.

House of Sports. Through a series of triumphs and tragedies at home, at school, and on the basketball court, plus time reluctantly spent with his elderly grandmother, twelve-year-old Jim Malone learns that there is a lot more to life than basketball.

Telander, Rick.

String Music. An unlikely friendship develops between a lonely eleven-year-old boy and the professional basketball star whom he idolizes.

Wallace, Rich.

Dunk Under Pressure. 2006. Free throw specialist Cornell "Dunk" Duncan joins the YMCA summer basketball league all-star team, but after losing his confidence in an important game the seventh-grader makes some decisions about becoming an all-around player. BOOK 7, WINNING SEASON series.

Second-String Center. 2007. Cornell Dunk Duncan is thrilled to make the school basketball team, though as a secondstring center, he may mostly be warming the bench, since Jared, the starting center, is the best player on the team. But when Jared begins both missing practice and shots, Dunk gets to cover for him. Hes playing better than ever, but will that jeopardize his friendship with Jared? BOOK 10, WINNING SEASON series.

Technical Foul. Jared, a high-scoring member of the Hudson City Middle School basketball team, gets angry when the point guard accuses him of being responsible for their string of losses, but finally realizes they can win only if he becomes a team player.

Yee, Lisa.

Stanford Wong Flunks Big-Time. After flunking sixth-grade English, basketball prodigy Stanford Wong must struggle to pass his summer-school class, keep his failure a secret from his friends, and satisy his academically demanding father.

EASY READERS

Christopher, Matt.

Power Play. A magic candy bar improves Rabbit's basketball game more than really desirable.

BOWLING

FICTION

Gutman, Dan.

The Million Dollar Strike. Best friends Ouchie and Squishy, who love bowling and horror movies respectively, meet the eccentric owner of a local bowling alley and try to help him save Bowl-A-Rama from the wrecking ball and a destructive psychotic lunatic.

FENCING

FICTION

FOOTBALL

FICTION

Attanas, John.

Eddie and the Jets. Eddie Paulsen, sixth-grade football fanatic, is having the worst time of his life -- his father moves out, his football team is not coming together, he likes his best friend's sister, and his friends think he's a jerk. Eddie and his father learn together what life's real priorities are.

Christopher, Matt.

Football Nightmare. Having dropped a pass and made his football team miss having an undefeated season, thirteen-year-old Keith fears that he will continue to make bad mistakes and wonders if he should continue playing football.

The Great Quarterback Switch. Twelve-year-old Michael, confined to a wheelchair after an accident, uses mental telepathy to communicate football plays to his quarterback twin brother Tom, then suddenly finds himself on the field in his brother's place.

Dygard, Thomas.

Second Stringer. When Kevin replaces the quarterback and football hero who suffers a knee injury, the second stringer needs to prove that he can do the job and is not just a substitute.

Running Wild. When Coach Wilson and Officer Stowell encourage him to join the high school football team, Pete no longer believes that "nobody does anything for nothing."

Green, Tim.

Football Genius.Harper Collins, 2007. Troy, a sixth-grader with an unusual gift for predicting football plays before they occur, attempts to use his ability to help his favorite team, the Atlanta Falcons, but he must first prove himself to the coach and players.

Korman, Gordon.

The Zucchini Warriors. Roommates Bruno and Boots filnd obstacles in their way as they attempt to lead the MacDonald Hall Zucchini Warriors to a victorious football season and earn the reward of a new recreation center.

Lantz, Francess Lin.

The Day Joanie Frankenhauser Became a Boy. Fifth-grader Joanie Frankenhauser loves sports, but she feels that the boys in her school don't give her an even chance when she plays football and other games with them. After she moves to a new school and discovers that her first name has been misprinted as John, Joanie decides not to correct her teacher.

Levy, Elizabeth.

Tackling Dad. When Cassie tries out for the middle school football team, she faces unexpected opposition from her father, a former professional football player.

Scholz, Jackson.

The Football Rebels. Unable to make the varsity football team at Midwestern University, freshman Clint Martin decides to buck the athletic organization by starting his own informal team made up of any students who want to play football.

Rookie Quarterback. A high-school dropout returns from the Navy, revives his dedication to football and is inspited to secure his future of using his acedemic as well as athletic abilities.

Wallace, Rich.

The Roar of the Crowd. After years of playing nothing but soccer in Hudson City, New Jersey, Manny has to work very hard to play on the middle school football team, using determination, speed, and smarts to make up for being small and inexperienced. Winning Season; #1.

EASY FICTION

Christopher, Matt.

The Dog that CAlled the Signals. During a crucial football game, Mike's unusual dog Harry is able to transmit plays from the ill, housebound coach. Sequel to "The Dog that Stole Football Plays"

The Dog that Stole Football Plays. A boy and his psychic dog are able to steal plays from the opposing football team.

EASY READERS

Christopher, Matt.

Glue Fingers. Reluctant to play football because he stutters, Billy Joe's first game discloses that he has no reason to fear ridicule.

Kessler, Leonard.

Kick, Pass, and Run. After observing a boy's football team, a group of animals organizes its own teams and game.

GYMNASTICS

EASY FICTION

Korman, Susan.

Megan's Balancing Act. Megan discovers the thrill of being a gymnast with star talent.

PICTURE BOOKS

Holabird, Katharine.

Angelina and Alice. Angelina and her best friend Alice discover the importance of teamwork when their acrobatics are the hit of the gymnastics show at the village fair.

HOCKEY

FICTION

Christopher, Matt.

Penalty Shot. Jeff, already worried about losing his place on the hockey team because of low grades, suddenly finds himself the victim of sabotage in the form of forged papers.

Roller Hockey Radicals. Newcomer Kirby Childs overcomes obstacles to find his spot on a new roller hockey team.

Fitzgerald, Dawn.

Getting in the Game. When everyone tries to get thirteen-year-old Joanna off the boys ice hockey team, including Ben, her best friend since kindergarten, Jo resolves to deal with the problems caused by her participation.

PICTURE BOOKS

Brownridge, William Roy.

Victory at Paradise Hill. Danny and his friend, Anita, have been turned out of the Maple Leaves, and Danny's brother Bob has come under mysterious circumstances. On the way back from a local tournament, Bob reveals his secret, and Danny must put aside his own troubles to seek a way to help his brother.

MARTIAL ARTS (JUDO & KARATE)

Stone, Jeff.

The Five Ancestors Series: Monkey, BOOK 1. As fans of Jeffrey Stone's Five Ancestors series might expect, the second book in his series, Monkey, takes up with Malao (which means "Monkey"), first introduced in his launch book, Tiger. This next installment retraces a bit of the same territory, leading up to the moment when the five orphans "scatter to the winds," and fills in the gaps of Malao's whereabouts while he and Fu ("Tiger") were separated in the previous novel.

The Five Ancestors Series: Tiger, BOOK 2. Set in 17th-century China (aka "4348-Year of the Tiger"), Stone's debut novel launches his riveting Five Ancestors series. Five orphans live at Cangzhen Temple with their Grandmaster, and consider themselves brothers; "each had mastered a style of animal kung fu that reflected both his personality and his body type."

FICTION

Barnes, Dawn.

Seven Wheels of Power. Four youngsters from a hometown karate school are secretly part of an elite club that must defend the world against an evil power.

Orr, Wendy.

Peeling the Onion. Following an automobile accident in which her neck is broken, a teenage karate champion begins a long and painful recovery with the help of her family.

PICTURE BOOKS

Faulkner, Matt.

Black Belt. After hiding in a karate school to escape a bully, Bushi wakes up in another time and learns from a karate master that intelligence can be more powerful than mere strength.

Hellman, Gary.

The Karate Way. A boy describes his experiences learning karate, especially how it has increased his self-confidence.

Pinkney, J. Brian.

Jojo's Flying Side Kick. Everyone gives Jojo advice on how to perform in order to earn her yellow belt in tae kwon do class, but in the end she figures it out for herself.

PING-PONG

FICTION

Winkler, Henry.

My Secret Life as a Ping-Pong Wizard. With the help of his grandfather, underachieving fifth-grader Hank Zipzer finally discovers that he is good at ping-pong, but he is afraid to tell his classmates for fear of being ridiculed. (Hank Zipzer, the world's greatest underachiever; 9)

RACING (AUTOMOBILES)

FICTION

Reilly, Matthew.

Crash Course. Fourteen-year-old Jason Chaser races hover cars. Jason and his brother, "the Bug," have been accepted to the International Race School, where they race against great difficulties. With his brother navigating, Jason, the fourteen-year-old hover car racing phenom is geared up to take the world by storm.

EASY READERS

Herman, Gail.

The Race Car Monster. Scooby and the gang are going to the racetrack for a day of fun and excitement. But they hear roaring! Then they see flashing teeth! Is there a monster lurking at the racetrack? Only Scooby-Doo can solve the mystery.

PICTURE BOOKS

Miranda, Anne.

Vroom, Chugga, Vroom-vroom. Race cars numbered from one to twenty battle to the finish line to win the golden cup.

Seymour, Tres.

The Smash-up Crash-up Derby. While visiting the fair, a child describes the most exciting event -- the demolition derby and its surprise winner.

EASY READERS

Reese, Bob.

The Critter Race. The desert animals have a race for fun.

SKATING & SKATEBOARDING

Christopher, Matt.

Skateboard Tough. When Bretts' skateboarding abilities dramatically and inexplicably improve after using The Lizard, a skateboard mysteriously unearthed in his backyard, his friends start to wonder if the skateboard is haunted.

EASY FICTION

Kline, Suzy.

Molly Gets Mad. Third grader Molly is jealous of Florence's superior ice skating ability but makes an interesting discovery about teamwork when she joins the hockey team.

EASY READERS

Herman, Gail.

Slip! Slide! Skate! A young girl who wants to be the best ice skater in the whole class learns that it is just as important to have fun.

Schade, Susan.

Cat on Ice. Cat and Rat learn ice skating at an indoor rink and get to be Snowballs in a show there.

Schulz, Charles.

She's a Good Skate, Charlie Brown. Aided by her coach, Snoopy, Peppermint Patty prepares for a big ice skating competition.

PICTURE BOOKS

Kennedy, X. J.

Elephantina's Dream. With the help of Mozzarella Mouse, Elefantina the elephant trains hard to qualify for the Elympic ice skating team.

Stevenson, James.

Sam the Zamboni Man. Matt visits his grandfather, who operates the Zamboni at the hockey rink, and on his last night there, he becomes the youngest Zamboni driver of all time.

SKIING

FICTION

MacLean, John.

When the Mountain Sings. Thirteen-year-old competitive skier Sam experiences the excitement and intensity of preparing for his first championship race.

SOCCER

FICTION

Avi.

S.O.R. Losers Each member of the South Orange River seventh-grade soccer team has qualities of excellence, but not on the soccer field.

Bloor, Edward.

Tangerine. Twelve-year-old Paul, who lives in the shadow of his football hero brother Erik, fights for the right to play soccer despite his near blindness and slowly begins to remember the incident that damaged his eyesight.

Christopher, Matt.

Goal Keeper in Charge. Tina Esparza loves soccer, especially that it's a team sport where no one player is in the spotlight. Imagine her surprise when the trainer asks her to train as the team's goalkeeper. Will Tina overcome her shyness and accept a position that puts her in the spotlight?

Top Wing. Dana Bellamy searches for the truth behind the fire for which his father is blamed.

Esckilsen, Eric E.

Offsides. Tom Gray, a Mohawk Indian and star soccer player, moves to a new high school and refuses to play for the Warriors with their insulting mascot.

Fitzgerald, Dawn.

Soccer Chick Rules. 2006. While trying to focus on a winning soccer season, thirteen-year-old Tess becomes involved in local politics when she learns that all sports programs at her school will be stopped unless a tax levy is passed.

Gutman, Dan.

The Million Dollar Kick. Thirteen-year-old Whisper, who hates sports, is torn when she gets a chance to win a million dollars by kicking a goal against a local soccer hero.

Hoffius, Stephen.

Winners and Losers. When a heart condition threatens tocurtail his friend Daryl's track career, Curt finds himself taking Daryl's place as lead contender for the conference championship and as the new obsession of Daryl's driven father.

Little, Kimberly Griffiths.

Breakaway. Sixth grader Luke, who never got a chance to know his father, is convinced that he can follow in his footsteps as a great soccer player, but he finds that success takes more than good genes.

Napoli, Donna Jo.

Soccer Shock. When ten-year-old Adam discovers that his freckles can see and talk he plans to enlist their aid to get onto the school soccer team.

Peet, Mal.

Keeper. When acclaimed South American journalist Paul Faustino begins his interview with World Cup soccer star El Gato, he expects to be recording the thoughts of a goalkeeper at the height of his career. He never envisioned hearing about a young, lonely boy growing up in the middle of a rain forest, who wandered upon a mysterious soccer field and an apparition that appeared to him daily and trained him to become the greatest goalkeeper ever known.

Wallace, Rich.

Double Fake. Two friends look forward to a season of soccer with the YMCA summer league.

EASY FICTION

Auch, Mary Jane.

Angel and Me and the Bayside Bombers. Having been kicked off the third-grade soccer team, Brian challenges them to a match against his own team, a team which he and his cousin Angel hasten to create and whip into shape - if possible.

Levy, Elizabeth.

Rude Rowdy Rumors. Seven-year-old Brian enlists the help of his little sister Penny to discover which of his soccer teammates is spreading rumors about him.

Shreve, Susan.

The Goalie. Julie McNeil feels threatened both in the family and on the soccer field when her widower father begings to date the mother of her arch-rival Benji True.

PICTURE BOOKS

Foreman, Michael.

Wonder Goal. A boy describes what it feels like to score a goal that makes his soccer teammates stop teasing him.

Hoff, Syd.

Baseball Mouse. Bernard, a field mouse who lives in a baseball park, helps win an important game and is made a member of the team.

SOFTBALL

FICTION

Christopher, Matt.

Windmill Windup. Thirteen-year-old Kelly, softball star, has to face new challenges in her life, including assignment to a different softball team and her mother's new boyfriend.

Koss, Amy Goldman.

Strike Two. Gwen's hope of spending the summer playing softball and hanging out with her cousin Jess is ruined when her father and her uncle land on opposite sides of the local newspaper strike.

Mackel, Kathy.

A Season of Comebacks. Ten-year-old Molly competes for the attention of her father, who seems to be only interested in cultivating the talent of Molly's older sister, Allie, a star softball pitcher.

SWIMMING

FICTION

BUTLER, Dori Hillestad.

Trading Places with Tank Talbott. Jason, who would rather work on his horror movie screenplay than learn to swim, finds an unlikely ally in Tank, the class bully, who is being forced to take ballroom dance lessons.

EASY READERS

Kessler, Leonard.

Last one in is a Rotten Egg. Freddy is missing all the fun until he learns to swim in the deep end of the swimming pool.

TENNIS

FICTION

Christopher, Matt.

Tennis Ace. Steve and Ginny are frustrated because their father ignores her talent as a tennis player while pushing him harder and harder to win at the sport.

Feinstein, John.

Canishing Act. 2006. Eighth-grade sports reporters Susan Carol and Stevie reunite at the U.S. Open tennis championships where they investigate the mysterious disappearance of a top Russian player.

TRACK AND FIELD

FICTION

Christopher, Matt.

Run for It. Thirteen-year-old Theo, overweight and out of shape, finds that with his friend's support he just might be able to run in the race to raise money to help cancer patients like his aunt.

Hughes, Dean.

End of the Race. Two twelve-year-old boys, one black and one white, train for and compete in the 400-meter race, but find it hard to become friends because of racial differences and their fathers' past relationship.

Levy, Marilyn.

Run for Your Life. While living in a housing project in Oakland, California, thirteen-year-old Kisha joins a track team which helps her discover that she can be a winner.

Marsden, Carolyn.

Moon Runner . When Mina discovers that she can run faster than her athlete friend, Ruth, she thinks she must choose between running and friendship.

Wallace, Rich.

Fast Company . When sixth-grader Manny Ramos, one of the fastest runners on the youth football team, joins the new track club, he hopes that his light weight will be a benefit in racing against more experienced guys.

WRESTLING

Hayes, Daniel.

No Effect. An eigth grader joins the wrestling team and has his first crush on a teacher.

Spinelli, Jerry.

There's a Girl in My Hammerlock. Thirteen-year-old Maisie joins her school's formerly all-male wrestling team and tries to last through the season, despite opposition from other students, her best friend, and her own teammates.

Wallace, Rich.

Takedown. Viking 2006. Seventh-grader Donald, living with his parents in New Jersey, is determined to master wrestling but discovers that to win at the sport he must learn to control his temper. SERIES Winning Season: 8.

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First published on the Web: 1/26/1998
Last updated: 3/24/2008, 4:04 PM