While you’re stuck inside and can’t play or watch sports – Read about them! To suggest titles for addition, contact Meghan C.
For a printable copy of this list, click here: Sports Fiction for Teens & Tweens
Booked
Kwame Alexander
New York Times Bestseller ∙ National Book Award Longlist ∙ ILA-CBC Children's Choice List ∙ ALA Notable Children’s Book ∙ Book Links’ Lasting Connections ∙ Kirkus Best Book ∙ San Francisco Chronicle Best Book∙ Washington Post Best Book∙ BookPage Best Book "A novel about a soccer-obsessed tween boy written entirely in verse? In a word, yes. Kwame Alexander has the magic to pull off this unlikely feat, both as a poet and as a storyteller. " — The Chicago Tribune Like lightning/you strike/fast and free/legs zoom/down field/eyes fixed/on the checkered ball/on the goal/ten yards to go/can’t nobody stop you/ can’t nobody cop you… In this follow-up to the Newbery-winning novel THE CROSSOVER, soccer, family, love, and friendship, take center stage as twelve-year-old Nick learns the power of words as he wrestles with problems at home, stands up to a bully, and tries to impress the girl of his dreams. Helping him along are his best friend and sometimes teammate Coby, and The Mac, a rapping librarian who gives Nick inspiring books to read. This electric and heartfelt novel-in-verse by poet Kwame Alexander bends and breaks as it captures all the thrills and setbacks, action and emotion of a World Cup match!
Read More View in CatalogCrossover
Brett Stevens
Brett is intense. Intense as a youth piecing together the world. Intense as an undersized point guard, middle child, and student. Intense as a professional poker player, manager, and problem solver. But most notably, intense as an unaware manic mind set free in the world. Crossover: A Look inside a Manic Mind is a personal memoir detailing the evolution of psychotic thoughts and how they influenced Brett’s behavior during the three manic episodes that spanned the past decade of his life. Through basketball, poker, and work, Crossover offers a firsthand account of how the world looks and feels as a person with Bipolar I from childhood traits to adult expression. Brett’s recall of these incidents is so detailed because he has a rare condition called hypermnesia, an unusually enhanced, vivid, and precise memory. His perspective sheds light on the progression of bipolar disorder and will enhance your ability to learn and empathize with those affected by the illness. Suicide among people with bipolar disorder is thirty times higher than the general population, yet the cause and prevention remain a mystery. Brett’s story is educational and inspiring for anyone who suffers from or has been affected by mental illness. It is a must read for medical professionals, therapists, students, and teachers.
Read More View in CatalogRebound
Kwame Alexander
New York Times bestseller ∙ ALA Notable Book * "An eminently satisfying story of family, recovery, and growing into manhood."—Kirkus, starred review From the New York Times bestselling author Kwame Alexander comes Rebound, a dynamic novel in verse and companion to his Newbery Award-winner, The Crossover, illustrated with striking graphic novel panels. Before Josh and Jordan Bell were streaking up and down the court, their father was learning his own moves. In this prequel to Newbery Medal winner The Crossover, Chuck Bell takes center stage, as readers get a glimpse of his childhood and how he became the jazz music worshiping, basketball star his sons look up to. A novel in verse with all the impact and rhythm readers have come to expect from Kwame Alexander, Rebound will go back in time to visit the childhood of Chuck "Da Man" Bell during one pivotal summer when young Charlie is sent to stay with his grandparents where he discovers basketball and learns more about his family's past.
Read More View in CatalogTen Seconds to Play!
Clair Bee
Chip takes a job at a summer camp and meets a talented athlete who may be joining him on the football team at State University, and whose arrogance hides a secret problem.
View in CatalogGutless
Carl Deuker
With both good speed and good hands, wide receiver Brock Ripley should be a natural for the varsity team, but he shies away from physical contact. When he gets cut from varsity, he also loses his friendship with star quarterback Hunter Gates. Now a t
View in CatalogGym Candy
Carl Deuker
Football is the only thing that has ever really mattered to Mick Johnson, who works hard for a spot on the varsity team his freshman year, then tries to hold onto his edge by using steroids, despite the consequences to his health and social life.
View in CatalogHeart of a Champion
Carl Deuker
Jimmy Winter is a born star on the baseball field, and Seth Barnam can only dream of being as talented. Still, the two baseball fanatics have the kind of friendship that should last forever. But when Seth experiences an unthinkable loss, he's forced to find his own personal strength--on and off the field. An ALA Best Book for Young Adults An ALA Best Book for Reluctant Readers A New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Book of the Year
Read More View in CatalogHigh Heat
Carl Deuker
Like the game of baseball, life is quirky and unpredictable, as Shane Hunter discovers in the spring of his sophomore year. Suddenly and without warning his life of privilege is turned upside down. And just as suddenly, life begins to seem utterly without fairness or purpose to him. Exciting, well-written sports scenes transport readers right into the stands while complex issues engage their hearts and minds. For here is a novel of loss, of morality, and of the rare, redemptive power of baseball. Can speaking the truth really determine lives? Just how does one accept, move on, and begin doing the right thing?
Read More View in CatalogNight Hoops
Carl Deuker
A gripping new novel by the author of such successful sports fiction as Painting the Black and On the Devil's Court.
View in CatalogOn the Devil’s Court
Carl Deuker
What would you give to be your school's superstar? After reading Dr. Faustus, Joe considers the merits of selling his soul to the devil. Suddenly, he finds himself changing from a lousy basketball player and a C student to the star athlete he always dreamed he could be. Even though he isn't sure if he actually made a deal with the devil, he can't help but enjoy the benefits that come with his newfound abilities. But is achieving his dreams worth what he may have given up? In this coming of age sports novel, Joe learns the power of belief and that the only goals worth attaining are the ones that you earn -- on your own.
Read More View in CatalogPainting the Black
Carl Deuker
In his senior year of high school, late bloomer Ryan Ward has just begun to feel the magic of baseball - the magic of catching a wicked slider, of throwing a runner out, of training hard and playing hard and pushing his limits. Giving up baseball would be like getting off the most exciting ride of his life. But when one of his teammates clearly pushes the limits too far, Ryan is faced with a heartbreaking dilemma: he must choose between his love for the game and his sense of integrity - two things that, in his mind, baseball should bring together.
Read More View in CatalogPayback Time
Carl Deuker
Hoping to land the first real story of his career by interviewing reluctant cornerback Angel Marichal, high school journalist Mitch True attempts to learn why Coach McNulty appears to be holding back the promising young athlete. By the award-winning author of Gym Candy.
Read More View in CatalogRunner
Carl Deuker
When a new job falls his way, Chance jumps at the opportunity, becoming a runner who picks up strange packages on a daily route and delivers them to a shady man at the marina. Chase knows how much he will earn—what he doesn’t know is how much he will pay. Suspenseful, fast-paced, and timely, this novel avoids easy answers as it examines issues of terrorism and patriotism, fear and courage, and lives of privilege and poverty. This edition includes a Q and A with author Carl Deuker.
Read More View in CatalogSwagger
Carl Deuker
Levi was simple, like a child. It was the best thing about him, and it was the worst, too. When high school senior Jonas moves to Seattle, he is glad to meet Levi, a nice, soft-spoken guy and fellow basketball player. Suspense builds like a slow drumbeat as readers start to smell a rat in Ryan Hartwell, a charismatic basketball coach and sexual predator. When Levi reluctantly tells Jonas that Hartwell abused him, Jonas has to decide whether he should risk his future career to report the coach. Pitch-perfect basketball plays, well-developed characters, and fine storytelling make this psychological sports novel a slam dunk.
Read More View in CatalogBeanball
Gene Fehler
It's the last inning of a high school baseball game between arch-rivals Oak Grove and Compton. Center fielder Luke "Wizard" Wallace steps up to the plate--and is hit by a beanball, a wild pitch that shatters his skull, destroys the vision in his left eye, and changes his life forever. In this riveting novel, the events surrounding this pivotal moment are recounted through free-verse monologues by 28 different voices, including those of Luke and his Oak Grove teammates; the pitcher, Kyle Dawkins, and other Compton players; the two coaches; Luke's family members and teachers; and Sarah Edgerton, a new classmate who seems more affected by Luke's injury than his girlfriend is. With its unusual format, gripping subject matter, and economy of language, Beanball is a thought-provoking, fast-paced read.
Read More View in CatalogNever Blame the Umpire
Gene Fehler
Kate is having the best summer a sports-loving eleven-year-old could possibly have. Baseball. Tennis. And to top it off, Kate has just started a three-week class where she's discovering a new love: poetry. Then comes the news that tears Kate's world apart. In her close-knit family, Kate has always felt God's love and protection. But how can she trust God now? Do sports or poetry matter when tragedy strikes? In Kate's darkest hour, her mother's faith shines its brightest, helping Kate to see that life is still beautiful and God is still good. Always, no matter what.
Read More View in CatalogThrow Like a Girl
Jennie Finch, Ann Killion
Throw Like a Girl inspires, motivates, and answers questions on issues that are specific to being a female athlete. Finch's book addresses the entire life of today's girl--not just fitness or physical preparation, but how to integrate the lessons of sports into life.
Read More View in CatalogFootball Genius
Tim Green
Twelve-year-old Troy uses his gift of seeing football plays before they happen to help his favorite local team, the Atlanta Falcons, turn its season around and start winning.
View in CatalogNew Kid
Tim Green
New York Times bestselling author and former NFL defensive end Tim Green delivers another baseball tale that will keep kids on the edge of their seats. Perfect for fans of Mike Lupica or Dan Gutman's Baseball Card Adventure series. Tommy's the new kid in town, like he's been so many times before. Now he goes by the name Brock, and he's having a hard time fitting in, especially when his new friend is the bully from the wrong side of the tracks. Thanks to a prank gone wrong, the baseball coach notices Brock and offers him a place on his failing baseball team. But can Brock prove himself on and off the field before he becomes a new kid…again?
Read More View in CatalogHeat
Mike Lupica
The #1 Bestseller! Michael Arroyo has a pitching arm that throws serious heat along with aspirations of leading his team all the way to the Little League World Series. But his firepower is nothing compared to the heat Michael faces in his day-to-day life. Newly orphaned after his father led the family’s escape from Cuba, Michael’s only family is his seventeen-yearold brother Carlos. If Social Services hears of their situation, they will be separated in the foster-care system—or worse, sent back to Cuba. Together, the boys carry on alone, dodging bills and anyone who asks too many questions. But then someone wonders how a twelve-year-old boy could possibly throw with as much power as Michael Arroyo throws. With no way to prove his age, no birth certificate, and no parent to fight for his cause, Michael’s secret world is blown wide open, and he discovers that family can come from the most unexpected sources. Perfect for any Little Leaguer with dreams of making it big--as well as for fans of Mike Lupica's other New York Times bestsellers Travel Team, The Big Field, The Underdogs, Million-Dollar Throw, and The Game Changers series, this cheer-worthy baseball story shows that when the game knocks you down, champions stand tall.
Read More View in CatalogMillion-Dollar Throw
Mike Lupica
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of HEAT and TRAVEL TEAM. Everyone calls Nate Brodie "Brady" because he's a New England quarterback, just like his idol, Tom Brady. And now he's got a chance to win a million dollars by throwing one pass through a target at halftime in the Patriots; Thanksgiving night game. More than anything, Nate's family needs the money—his dad's been downsized, his mom's working two jobs, and they're on the verge of losing their house. The worry is more weight than a 13-year-old can bear, and it's affecting his playing for his own football team. Suddenly the boy with the golden arm is having trouble completing a pass . . . but can he make the one that really counts? From the Trade Paperback edition.
Read More View in CatalogTravel Team
Mike Lupica
The #1 Bestseller! Twelve-year-old Danny Walker may be the smallest kid on the basketball court -- but don't tell him that. Because no one plays with more heart or court sense. But none of that matters when he is cut from his local travel team, the very same team his father led to national prominence as a boy. Danny's father, still smarting from his own troubles, knows Danny isn't the only kid who was cut for the wrong reason, and together, this washed-up former player and a bunch of never-say-die kids prove that the heart simply cannot be measured. For fans of The Bad News Bears, Hoosiers, the Mighty Ducks, and Mike Lupica's other New York Times bestselling novels Heat, The Underdogs, and Million-Dollar Throw, here is a book that proves that when the game knocks you down, champions stand tall.
Read More View in CatalogQB 1
Mike Lupica
From the #1 New York Times best-selling author of Travel Team, Heat and Million Dollar Throw comes a cheer-worthy, family-friendly novel about 14-year-old Jake Cullen, who lives in the shadows of his father and older brother until he becomes the starting quarterback for the high school football team and finally gets his chance to shine.
Read More View in CatalogFantasy League
Mike Lupica
The ESPN Radio host and best-selling author of Million-Dollar Throw finds 12-year-old fantasy football guru Charlie elevated to the status of media sensation after convincing the owner of an NFL team to take a chance on an aging quarterback. Simultaneous eBook.
Read More View in CatalogForward Pass
Lorna Schultz Nicholson
Parmita Kapoor: the soccer player who won't keep a secret that crosses the line
View in CatalogRookie
Lorna Schultz Schultz Nicholson
Fresh off the plane from Vancouver, sixteen-year-old hockey player Aaron Wong is excited to be starting his first year at Podium, the Calgary school for top teen athletes. Aaron has to make friends and fit in at a new high school, while also adjusting to a new home and a family with a different culture than his own. Luckily, he finds a tight-knit group of friends who are elite athletes in their own sports to help show him the ropes. Things seem to be going well for the rookie - but the hockey team captain has it in for him. Aaron's world is turned upside down when the captain makes him the target of a brutal hazing at the team's first party. To turn his year around, Aaron has to overcome his embarrassment about the incident and confide in friends and coaching staff.
Read More View in CatalogRoughing
Lorna Schultz Schultz Nicholson
Fast-paced sports action novels that get kids reading. In this sequel to Interference, Josh is off to an elite hockey camp for the summer, where he shares a room with a talented player from the Northwest Territories named Peter Kuiksak. Peter is skilled enough to give Kevin, the star junior player, some serious competition, which creates trouble on and off the ice. In Roughing, differences and special challenges lead to some tough team dynamics that will take strength, understanding, and courage to overcome. [Fry Reading Level - 3.8]
Read More View in CatalogVegas Tryout
Lorna Schultz Schultz Nicholson
Toronto synchro swimmer Carrie Munroe is Podium Sports Academy's team flyer and the school's best prospect for making it at the upcoming Vegas tryouts -- fulfilling her dreams of being in a glitz-and-glamour professional show. Carrie feels there's only one thing holding her back -- the weekly poolside weigh-ins. Her coach agrees, and Carrie is put on a special diet to control her weight. But the pressure to succeed while also dealing with troublesome family members back home lead Carrie to make some very risky decision about her health and eating habits. To come out on top, Carrie will have to accept that although she may not have the typical swimmer's body, she has the strength to be the best -- but only if she takes care of herself.
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