Teamwork, problem-solving, self-regulating under pressure – these are just a few of the skills that can be taught through sports and the stories behind them. Check out these exciting sports titles from our premier publishing partners that exemplify the great benefits of athletics, team community, and a little healthy competition.
Audience: Lower Elementary
Created by veteran sports journalist Lisa Bowes, the Lucy Tries Sports series aims to promote inclusive physical literacy and encourage young readers to get involved in sports. Endorsed by elite athletes, the series focuses on participation and the importance of play. All titles are available in English, with select titles also offered in Spanish and French.
Audience: Lower Elementary
Third grade student Aven Green is an expert soccer player. She even has her own top secret moves! But when her friend Sujata joins the team, Aven has a hard time learning to help the new player shine. When the time comes to choose a new team captain, will Aven learn to share the spotlight and understand what it means to be a team player?
Audience: Lower Elementary
In this empowering picture book perfect for young feminists, a gutsy baseball-playing girl and her bricklaying mom celebrate when love and hard work triumph over nerves. School Library Journal calls it “an appealing story with a simple message of equality, as mother and daughter challenge gender stereotypes on the baseball field and on a construction project.”
Audience: Upper Elementary
From the No. 1 New York Times best-selling author Nic Stone comes this challenging and heartwarming coming-of-age story about a softball player looking to prove herself on and off the field. Shenice Lockwood, captain of the Fulton Firebirds, is hyper-focused on leading her team to the U12 fast-pitch softball regional championship. But life has thrown some curveballs her way.
Audience: Upper Elementary
Inspired by a true story, Matt Tavares’ debut graphic novel dramatizes the historic struggle for gender equality in high school sports. It is 1975, and a high school girls’ basketball team plays to empty bleachers in homemade uniforms made from t-shirts and electrical tape. But with help from a committed female coach, they push through one improbable victory after another. This underdog story rings with honesty, bravery, and heart.
Audience: Upper Elementary
From winning the championship ring to hoisting the Stanley Cup, sports teams give fans plenty to celebrate. This action-packed hi-lo series showcases eight of the world’s biggest sports events, describing their history and growth, the path teams and athletes take to reach them, and some of their most exciting moments. Each book pairs short paragraphs of easy-to-read text with plenty of colorful photos to make reading engaging and accessible.
Audience: Upper Elementary
What makes a sport extreme? More than a regular one, an extreme sport usually involves a higher level of risk and challenges. This exciting series shows readers the styles, equipment, moves, and heroes of adventurous sports on land and in the water. Every book also includes comprehension questions for reading at home.
Audience: Upper Elementary
Do your readers know Major Taylor? Or Wendell Scott? If not, you need these titles on your shelf! Rourke’s Leaders Like Us series of biographies features the stories of amazing leaders in sports and more. Spanning sports, science, and art, this growing, well-reviewed, and representative series includes the biographies of admirable leaders your readers should know.
Audience: Upper Elementary
Get to know the G.O.A.T.s! Read about the world’s greatest athletes who play some of the most important positions in sports. The amazing stats, thrilling moments, and record-breaking performances packed into each book will fascinate sports fans. Spanish editions are also available.
Audience: Upper Elementary
Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Title IX, the law that opened the door for greater opportunities for girls and women, with this refreshed edition of Let Me Play. School Library Journal says “nothing out there comes close to [this] portrait of the emergence of women athletes in our society,” which includes bibliographical references and an index.
Audience: Middle School
The Big Game series gives readers the inside scoop on the biggest sporting events – including tennis, soccer, baseball, football, horse racing, and basketball. Written with reluctant readers in mind, this series includes considerate vocabulary, engaging content, fascinating facts, clear text and formatting, and compelling photos.
Audience: Middle School
In the Sports Encyclopedias four-item book set, learn about MLB, the NBA, the NFL, and the Olympics. Each book has an in-depth history section, statistics and records, well-known players, and information on the greatest seasons. This encyclopedia set is sure to leave readers with all they need to know about their favorite sports and teams.
Audience: Middle School
Now in graphic novel format, Kwame Alexander’s best-selling and award-winning series includes Rebound, The Crossover, and Booked – three explosive novels in verse about sports and family. Celebrate this masterful, rhythmic, and heartfelt contribution to middle grade literature, and watch for the adapted streaming series, coming soon to Disney+!
Audience: Middle School
From trick shots to mind-bending stunts to setting absurd records, this book offers a full-color, at-home, screen-free adventure for young people eager to accept the challenge of performing the same unbelievable maneuvers that has made Dude Perfect a cultural phenomenon.
Audience: Middle School
Don’t miss this 2023 Pura Belpré Author Honor Book from the award-winning author of The First Rule of Punk and Strange Birds. Tumble is a dazzling novel about a young girl who collects the missing pieces of her origin story from the family of legendary luchadores she’s never met.
Audience: Middle School
Give students more choice by offering sports titles in an accessible large print format. Large print books have been proven to increase student engagement, elevate reading comprehension, and support the development of positive, lifelong reading habits.