In the spirit of Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign, these sports and exercise-related books encourage children to keep active and avoid obesity. Students will find inspiration in titles about their favorite teams, players, competitions, or forms of exercise. Whether they deliver information about dance, martial arts, bike riding, or organized sports such as baseball or basketball, many of the sets cover topics that youngsters will enjoy reading about and action photos that they’ll love to linger over.

Preschool-Grade 4

GILBERT , Sara. Boston Red Sox. ISBN 978-1-60818-260-2. LC 2011051187.
––––. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. ISBN 978-1-60818-265-7. LC 2011051184.
––––. New York Yankees. ISBN 978-1-60818-269-5. LC 2012004263.
––––. St. Louis Cardinals. ISBN 978-1-60818-271-8. LC 2012004265.
ea vol: 24p. (World Series Champions Series). chron. glossary. index. photos. websites. Creative Education. 2013. PLB $25.65.
Gr 2-4–Focusing on the baseball organizations that have played in the World Series, these titles provide chronologically organized information about the featured teams. Key players are introduced in a few sentences. Some unique features of the set are the chapters on how each team got its name. Fans will be disappointed to see that in the sections about each team’s stadium, the spread-size photos do not always depict a full scene or the park at all. Red Sox, for example, presents only a corner of the famous Fenway Park; Yankee and Cardinals show helicopter views of each team’s city, but not the stadiums themselves. Otherwise, the photos are interesting and full of action. Young fans who want to relish the particulars will only want to read the book that represents their favorite team.

HOBLIN , Paul. Amazing Basketball. ISBN 978-1-61-473402-4. LC 2012946497.
––––. Amazing Football Records. ISBN 978-1-61-473403-1. LC 2012946498.
––––. Amazing Olympic Records. ISBN 978-1-61-473405-5. LC 2012946500.
HOWELL , Brian. Amazing Auto Racing Records. ISBN 978-1-61-473400-0. LC 2012946495.
––––. Amazing Baseball Records. reprods. ISBN 978-1-61-473401-7. LC 2012946496.
––––. Amazing Hockey Records. ISBN 978-1-61-473404-8. LC 2012946499.
ea vol: 32p. (Amazing Sports Records Series). charts. further reading. glossary. index. photos. websites. The Child’s World. 2013. PLB $27.07.
Gr 3-5–Each book begins with a brief history of its featured competition or sport before launching into a random selection of feats. For example, Olympic highlights the “Oldest Olympic Swimming Medalists” (Dara Torres and William Robinson) as well as “Most Summer Olympic Medals” (Michael Phelps). Numerous competitors are given sufficient attention; report writers will appreciate this set over Raintree’s all-too-brief “Fantastic Sports Facts.” Large, attractive, captioned, color and black-and-white photographs and reproductions are surrounded by sidebars of trivia on each spread. Even though the nature of the set’s content will quickly date it (records are broken all the time), this series could be used to prompt conversation and/or further research. Select individual titles for sports that need representation in a collection.

HURLEY , Michael. Baseball. ISBN 978-1-4109-5107-6; ISBN 978-1-4109-5114-4.
––––. Basketball. ISBN 978-1-4109-5104-5; ISBN 978-1-4109-5111-3.
––––. Football. ISBN 978-1-4109-5108-3; ISBN 978-1-4109-5115-1.
––––. Ice Hockey. ISBN 978-1-4109-5106-9; ISBN 978-1-4109-5113-7.
––––. Racing. ISBN 978-1-4109-5105-2; ISBN 978-1-4109-5112-0.
––––. Soccer. illus. ISBN 978-1-4109-5103-8; ISBN 978-1-4109-5110-6.
ea vol: 32p. (Fantastic Sports Facts Series). further reading. glossary. index. photos. websites. Raintree. 2013. PLB $29.32; pap. $7.99.
Gr 2-4–Hurley offers scattershot accounts of record-breaking trivia. Colorful photographs are of various sizes and shapes, creating a browsing or skimming effect to the facts. There is a six-question quiz as the final chapter. The statement at the conclusion of every book is: “Some of the answers can be found in this book, but you may have to find some yourself.” Only avid fans of the sport will want to glance at this random collection of facts. Disappointing.

MAURER , Tracy Nelson. Go-Kart Racing. ISBN 978-1-4296-9998-3. LC 2012033230.
––––. Stock Car Racing. ISBN 978-1-4296-9997-6. LC 2012033232.
POLYDOROS , Lori. Drag Racing. ISBN 978-1-4296-9996-9. LC 2012028360.
––––. Indy Car Racing. ISBN 978-1-4296-9995-2. LC 2012028359.
ea vol: 32p. (Blazers: Super Speed Series). diags. further reading. glossary. index. photos. websites. Capstone. 2013. PLB $25.99.
Gr 3-5–Each book covers safety features and racing rules; prominent figures are only briefly mentioned, if at all. Sometimes the titles introduce science principles, such as Go-Kart, which touches on “wind resistance.” The color photos are large and numerous; one special feature of each volume is the first-rate, two-page, labeled photo diagram of each vehicle. Readers will find the large font and sentence structure simple and direct. Words are highlighted in bold, colored font for easy referral to the glossary, but they are also defined at the bottom of the pages. “Fast Fact” text boxes contain trivia and safety facts. This series is exciting and approachable enough to interest reluctant readers and ESL students.

ROYSTON , Angela. Ballet. ISBN 978-1-4109-4920-2; ISBN 978-1-4109-4925-7. LC 2012019128.
––––. Ballroom. ISBN 978-1-4109-4921-9; ISBN 978-1-4109-4926-4. LC 2012019139.
––––. Hip-Hop. ISBN 978-1-4109-4922-6; ISBN 978-1-4109-4927-1. LC 2012019141.
––––. Tap. ISBN 978-1-4109-4923-3; ISBN 978-1-4109-4928-8. LC 2012019143.
ea vol: 32p. (Love to Dance Series). further reading. glossary. index. photos. websites. Raintree. 2013. PLB $29.32; pap. $7.99.
Gr 2-4–This series brings various forms of dance to life with a large-font text and simple sentences. Every book provides a short survey that includes information about popular stars, techniques, specific clothing or shoes, and moves that readers can try. Each volume ends with encouragement for aspiring dancers to “Give It a Try!” While this series is not as detailed as Lerner’s “On the Radar: Dance” (2011), which is for older students, the coverage is rewarding for younger children. The series will bring new meaning to words that readers may have heard (“quickstep,” “Lindy Hop,” “freeze,” etc.), but not fully understood. Vocabulary words are highlighted and often defined in the text as well as the glossaries. Bright photographs add drama to the pages. Suitable for ESL learners.

TIECK , Sarah. Biking. ISBN 978-1-61783-560-5; ISBN 978-1-61480-707-0. LC 2012023908.
––––. Dancing. ISBN 978-1-61783-561-2; ISBN 978-1-61480-708-7. LC 2012025989.
––––. Hiking. ISBN 978-1-61783-562-9; ISBN 978-1-61480-709-4. LC 2012032934.
––––. Skateboarding. ISBN 978-1-61783-563-6; ISBN 978-1-61480-710-0. LC 2012032932.
––––. Swimming. ISBN 978-1-61783-564-3; ISBN 978-1-61480-711-7. LC 2012025968.
––––. Yoga. ISBN 978-1-61783-565-0; ISBN 978-1-61480-712-4. LC 2012032933.
ea vol: 32p. (Move Your Body: A Kid’s Guide to Fitness Series). diags. glossary. index. photos. websites. ABDO. 2013. PLB $27.07; ebook $27.07.
Gr 2-4–These books promote a variety of sports to encourage readers to exercise. Unfortunately, the approach is cursory at best. For example, in Dancing, there are no details about types of dances or techniques. Students should turn to Raintree’s “Love to Dance” series for more specifics on this activity. Many of the same words and definitions are repeated throughout the volumes, such as “muscle,” “energy,” and “flexible.” The set as a whole focuses more on fitness than on specific sports. In addition, many of the same facts are duplicated in the final “Healthy Body Files” sections. Five out of the texts (Yoga is the exception) use the same illustration and very similar language in the “Let’s Get Physical” chapter. However, the large font and simple sentence structure will aid new readers. Colorful photographs show children participating in each sport. Select specific titles only to fill gaps in a collection.

WOOD , Alix. Aikido. chart. ISBN 978-1-4777-0315-1; ISBN 978-1-4777-0385-4. LC 2012033061.
––––. Judo. diags. ISBN 978-1-4777-0318-2; ISBN 978-1-4777-0388-5. LC 2012035220.
––––. Jujitsu. chart. ISBN 978-1-4777-0317-5; ISBN 978-1-4777-0387-8. LC 2012026856.
––––. Karate. chart. ISBN 978-1-4777-0314-4; ISBN 978-1-4777-0384-7. LC 2012020634.
––––. Kung Fu. chart. diags. ISBN 978-1-4777-0319-9; ISBN 978-1-4777-0389-2. LC 2012030865.
––––. Tae Kwon Do. chart. diags. ISBN 978-1-4777-0316-8; ISBN 978-1-4777-0386-1. LC 2012028710.
ea vol: 32p. (A Kid’s Guide to Martial Arts Series). further reading. glossary. index. maps. photos. websites. Rosen/PowerKids Pr. 2013. PLB $26.50; ebook $26.50.
Gr 3-5–Each title begins with an account of the history and equipment used and then moves into describing warm-up exercises, techniques, and styles. Most titles extend the cultural learning with charts that show how to count in the language of the country where the sport originated (for example, Korean in Tae Kwon Do), and introduce phrases with a pronunciation guide. High-energy, color photographs of various sizes move readers through the pages. Both children and adults are pictured enjoying the sport. If a more detailed look at the individual sport of karate is needed, Oliver Press’s “Karate Made Simple” (2013) would be preferred. This broad series can update an aging collection.

Grades 5 & Up

ANDERSON, Josh. Los Angeles Clippers. ISBN 978-1-61570-511-5; ISBN 978-1-61570-510-8.
––––. Miami Heat. ISBN 978-1-61570-501-6; ISBN 978-1-61570-500-9.
BERMAN , Ron. Los Angeles Lakers. ISBN 978-1-61570-503-0; ISBN 978-1-61570-502-3.
BIRLE , Pete. Chicago Bulls. ISBN 978-1-61570-505-4; ISBN 978-1-61570-504-7.
––––. Minnesota Timberwolves. ISBN 978-1-61570-507-8; ISBN 978-1-61570-506-1.
––––. San Antonio Spurs. ISBN 978-1-61570-509-2; ISBN 978-1-61570-508-5.
SKOGEN , J. M. Dallas Mavericks. ISBN 978-1-61570-513-9; ISBN 978-1-61570-512-2.
––––. Oklahoma City Thunder. ISBN 978-1-61570-515-3; ISBN 978-1-61570-514-6.
ea vol: 47p. (On the Hardwood Series). photos. MVP Books. 2013. PLB $27.93; pap. $8.95.
Gr 4-6–These titles offer histories of NBA teams, including information about changes within the franchise and well-known players. The lack of back matter limits the set’s use for report writers and classrooms trying to learn about the elements of nonfiction. However, established fans will pore over the energetic texts. For example, readers can learn about the San Antonio Spurs’s “Twin Towers,” David Robinson and Tim Duncan, and how they worked together toward a championship. Color photos (most of them action shots) illustrate the pages, and the simple, large font texts could draw in reluctant readers. News for the teams is current through 2012.

CAIN , Patrick G. BMX Street. ISBN 978-1-4677-0751-0; ISBN 978-1-4677-0999-6. LC 2012020762.
––––. BMX Vert. ISBN 978-1-4677-0750-3; ISBN 978-1-4677-1000-8. LC 2012033888.
––––. Moto X Best Trick. ISBN 978-1-4677-0752-7; ISBN 978-1-4677-1001-5. LC 2012025602.
––––. Moto X Freestyle. ISBN 978-1-4677-0753-4; ISBN 978-1-4677-1002-2. LC 2012033889.
––––. Skateboarding Street. ISBN 978-1-4677-0749-7; ISBN 978-1-4677-1003-9. LC 2012029415.
––––. Skateboarding Vert. ISBN 978-1-4677-0748-0; ISBN 978-1-4677-1004-6. LC 2012027293.
ea vol: 32p. (Extreme Summer Sports Zone Series). further reading. glossary. index. photos. websites. Lerner. 2013. PLB $26.60; ebook $19.95.
Gr 4-6–Cain covers the gear and skills needed to compete in six high-interest sports and adds in a little history as well. Within these titles, there are slight shades of variation between the books about skateboarding, BMX riding, and Moto X. For example, BMX Vert explains that riders use ramps, while BMX Street describes a more rebellious attitude that riders have with respect to tricks. BMX Street explains injuries and the reason why not all riders in the photographs are using safety equipment such as helmets. The font of the main texts is tiny, and the color photos are sometimes too small to relay the adrenaline of the action-shots. Final chapters offer advice for taking skills to new levels and briefly highlight those who have become prominent in the activity. All books end on a variation of this admonishment: “Trying to copy moves shown online can be a quick way to get injured.” Volumes on these topics are published every year, and this set offers nothing new.

COHN , Jessica. Base Jumping . illus. maps. ISBN 978-1-4339-8818-9; ISBN 978-1-4339-8821-9. LC 2012037752.
––––. BMX. illus. ISBN 978-1-4339-8822-6; ISBN 978-1-4339-8825-7. LC 2012023553.
––––. Free Running. ISBN 978-1-4339-8826-4; ISBN 978-1-4339-8829-5. LC 2012037754.
––––. Mountain Climbing. ISBN 978-1-4339-8830-1; ISBN 978-1-4339-8833-2. LC 2012037837.
––––. Rodeo. maps. ISBN 978-1-4339-8838-7; ISBN 978-1-4339-8841-7. LC 2012037749.
FLOUNDERS , Anne. Road Cycling. maps. ISBN 978-1-4339-8834-9; ISBN 978-1-4339-8837-0. LC 2012037750.
ea vol: 48p. (Incredibly Insane Sports Series). charts. chron. further reading. glossary. index. photos. websites. Gareth Stevens. 2013. PLB $31.95; ebook $31.95.
Gr 4-6–Centered around a theme of action-packed sports (some of which could be dangerous without proper precaution), these volumes draw upon science principles and introduce new vocabulary as well as information. Because many readers will not have experienced many of these sports, each title begins with a quick overview. “Test It!” text boxes mention a science principle and suggest simple experiments. For example, in Mountain Climbing, one sidebar explains how to determine the slope of a mountain using a protractor. Black-and-white photos, reproductions, and color action shots illustrate the spreads. Those that focus on language and jargon introduce popular phrases from each sport (short language quizzes help readers look for meaning in context), and final pages deliver charts and information about rick-taking stars. Children can expand their knowledge in these little-known areas by using this set. Consider purchasing if the  “Sports on the Edge!” series (Marshall Cavendish, 2011) is popular.

HAMILTON , S. L. America’s Cup. reprods. ISBN 978-1-61783-692-3; ISBN 978-1-61480-640-0. LC 201945702.
––––. Iditarod. maps. ISBN 978-1-61783-693-0; ISBN 978-1-61480-641-7. LC 2012945883.
––––. Indianapolis 500. ISBN 978-1-61783-694-7; ISBN 978-1-61480-642-4. LC 2012945884.
––––. Kentucky Derby. ISBN 978-1-61783-695-4; ISBN 978-1-61480-643-1. LC 201945885.
––––. Reno Air Races. diags. ISBN 978-1-61783-696-1; ISBN 978-1-61480-644-8. LC 201945703.
––––. Tour de France. maps. ISBN 978-1-61783-697-8; ISBN 978-1-61480-645-5. LC 201946021.
ea vol: 32p. (Xtreme Races Series). glossary. index. photos. ABDO. 2013. PLB $27.07; ebook $27.07.
Gr 4-6–After a short history of the individual race, the author launches into rules and traditions of the specific sport. The texts are attractively arranged around black-and-white and vibrant color photos. “Xtreme Fact” text boxes offer additional facts, e.g., “The Tour de France is also known as ‘The Big Loop.’” In each volume, a spread focuses on sports stars throughout history, and sometimes a spread is devoted to important animals or vehicles. For example, Kentucky Derby gives praise to famous horses and several jockeys; America’s Cup features well-known boats and skippers; and Iditarod praises the dogs as well as their mushers. In Tour de France, Lance Armstrong is mentioned along with the fact that “He was stripped of his wins in 2012 for drug use (doping).” Because it is difficult to find all this information gathered in one place, this set stands out and could be used for reports.

NAKASHIMA , Maiko with the Japan Karate Federation . Etiquette, Equipment, and the Dojo. vol: 1. ISBN 978-1-934545-17-1. LC 2012033028.
––––. Punching, Kicking, and Blocking. vol: 2. ISBN 978-1-934545-18-8. LC 2012033029.
––––. Practice, Sparring, and Competition. vol: 3. ISBN 978-1-934545-19-5. LC 2012033030.
––––. Karate Origins and Expansion. vol: 4. ISBN 978-1-934545-16-4. LC 2012033031 .
ea vol: 32p. (Karate Made Simple Series). charts. diags. glossary. index. photos. websites. Oliver. 2013. PLB $24.95.
Gr 4-6 –Nakashima, with the Japan Karate Federation acting as a consultant, covers four different areas of karate in detail, including information on the basics, techniques, competition, and history. Japanese vocabulary words pepper the texts, such as “rei,” “tatami,” and “dojo,” and all are defined in the glossary and pronunciation chart at the back of each book. Readers who are new to the sport will appreciate the instructions on how to wear the traditional uniform or “gi,” while intermediate participants will turn to the volume on basic forms or drills. Colorful photographs in a variety of sizes break up the texts. Instructions for exercises, training, etc. are accompanied by step-by-step photos. Both children and adults are shown performing the activities. Text boxes highlight important facts, such as codes of conduct. This set will be useful for readers or report writers who have some background knowledge but want to learn more.

Three series rate distinction. ABDO’s “Xtreme Races” is a strong overview of competitions seldom covered in children’s books. Gareth Stevens’s “Incredibly Insane Sports” grabs the interest of young readers by dramatically describing many activities that children have probably never tried or witnessed. Finally, PowerKids’s “A Kid’s Guide to Martial Arts” is an attractive survey of six forms of self-defense or popular exercises.

Able to Play: Overcoming Physical Challenges. By Glenn Stout. (Good Sports Series). Houghton/Sandpiper. 2012. pap. $5.99. ISBN 978-0-547-41733-2; ebook $5.99. ISBN 978-0-547-82283-9.

Gr 3-6—Well-written and fast-reading profiles introduce four individuals who overcame physical disabilities to make their dream of playing in the major leagues a reality: Mordecai Brown, who pitched his way into the Hall of Fame despite having lost most of his finger in a childhood accident; third-baseman Ron Santo, who played almost his entire career with type 1 diabetes; one-armed hurler Jim Abbott, who pitched a no-hitter for the New York Yankees in 1993; and deaf outfielder Chris Pride, veteran of 11 successful seasons. Play-by-play action blends with personal trials and triumphs in this uplifting and informative look at gutsy athletes who are true role models.

Becoming Babe Ruth. By Matt Tavares. illus. by author. Candlewick. 2013. RTE. $16.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-5646-1.

Gr 1-4—Tavares’s lively narrative and glowing sepia-toned paintings zoom in on George Herman Ruth’s early years, introducing a tomato-throwing troublemaker who landed in a Baltimore reform school at age seven, and was taken under the wing of the baseball-whacking Brother Matthias who helped him hone his skills. Later on, earning big-league fame as the Sultan of Swat, Ruth never forgot his roots, and when tragedy struck Saint Mary’s School, he proved that his heart was just as big as his bat. An entrancing introduction to an iconic figure.

Brothers at Bat: The True Story of an Amazing All-Brother Baseball Team. By Audrey Vernick. illus.by Steven Salerno. Clarion. 2012. RTE. $16.99. ISBN 978-0-547-38557-0; ebook $16.99. ISBN 978-0-547-82285-3.

K-Gr 3—Set during the 1930s and ‘40s, this charmer spotlights the history of the Acerras, a baseball-loving family with 16 children, 12 of them boys who formed their own semi-pro team in New Jersey with their father as coach. Over the course of an incredible 14-year career, the siblings faced many ups and downs, including small-town stardom and hardships spanning from injury to war-time service, but always stuck together. Illustrated with stunning tinged-with-nostalgia artwork, this enjoyable tale of brotherly camaraderie pairs entertaining baseball feats with plenty of heart.

Just as Good: How Larry Doby Changed America’s Game. By Chris Crowe. illus. by Mike Benny. Candlewick. 2012. RTE. $16.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-5026-1.

Gr 1-4—Crowe introduces an unsung hero, the first African American player to sign with the American League 11 weeks after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in the National League. Just 11 weeks after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier by joining the Brooklyn Dodgers, Larry Doby signed with the Cleveland Indians, becoming the first African American player in the American League. Crowe conveys this important bit of history through the eyes of a young boy, recently banned from his Little League team because of his race, who remains glued to the radio along with his dad as the action of a 1948 World Series game unfolds and Doby proves indisputably that African-American players are equal to anyone on the field. The first-person narrative adds immediacy and intimacy to the tale, and the expansive acrylic paintings effectively depict the action and emotion, both inside the ballpark and out.

Miracle Mud: Lena Blackburne and the Secret Mud that Changed Baseball. By David A. Kelly. illus. by Oliver Dominguez. Millbrook. 2013. RTE $16.95. ISBN 978-0-7613-8092-4; ebook $12.95. ISBN 978-1-4677-1052-7.

Gr 2-4—In this lushly illustrated, blithely told picture book, readers meet an early 20^th-century player who earned a place in the Baseball Hall of Fame not for his fielding or hitting abilities, but for devising a clever solution to a longstanding problem. For years, players had tried numerous ways to break in shiny and slick brand-new balls, everything from soaking them in dirty water to rubbing them with spit and tobacco juice, with disappointing—and often stinky—results. While visiting a fishing hole near his New Jersey home, Lena stepped in gooey mud, an experience that led to an epiphany…and a new business packaging and selling Baseball Rubbing Mud, still used in ballparks today.

Poem Runs: Baseball Poems and Paintings. By Douglas Florian. illus. by author. Houghton Harcourt. 2012. RTE.$16.99. ISBN 978-0-547-68838-1; ebook $16.99. ISBN 978-0-547-68843-5.

Gr 2-6—Florian hits the sweet spot with 15 dynamic offerings filled with bounce-to-first rhythms and ear-pleasing wordplay. Amusing first-person poems convey a kid’s-eye perspective, introducing a lineup that includes a long-ball-hitting superstar (“Our slugger can zing/Each pitch you may hurl./And one other thing:/Our slugger’s a girl”), a day-dreaming “Right Fielder” (“They say I’m lazy./But I know how/To pick a daisy”), and an ace “Pitcher” (“I’m the scourge of all hitters,/The starter of slumps./I make batters bitter,/Turn bats into stumps”). A grand-slam read-aloud, vibrantly illustrated with exuberant summer-hued paintings.

Something to Prove: The Great Satchel Paige vs. Rookie Joe DiMaggio. By Robert Skead. illus. by Floyd Cooper. Carolrhoda. 2013. RTE $16.95. ISBN 978-0-7613-6619-5; ebook $12.95. 978-1-4677-0954-5.

Gr 2-4—In 1936, the New York Yankees decided to test the potential of their latest prospect, a skinny 21-year-old named Joe DiMaggio, and called in the best pitcher in the country. Though a true marvel on the mound, Negro-League-star Satchel Paige was excluded from the majors “because of the color of his skin.” When DiMaggio (backed by a lineup of professional sluggers) and Paige (leading a “gang of semi-pro pickup players”) faced off in a ballpark in California, both men had something important to prove. Suspenseful play-by-play action, delightfully descriptive language, and dynamic artwork speckled with infield dirt and honest emotion introduce two of the game’s greatest players, while shining light on the injustices of segregation.

Take Me Out to the Yakyu. By Aaron Meshon. illus. by author. Atheneum. 2013. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-4177-4; ebook $12.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-4178-1.

K-Gr 2—An obsessed-with-baseball boy excitedly describes attending games with his two grandfathers on opposite sides of the world—Pop Pop in America and Ji Ji in Japan—and the many differences and similarities in cultural traditions that go along with the experience. The book’s straightforward text, clean design, and sky-bright acrylic illustrations touch upon transportation, souvenirs and snacks, variations in game play, and more, while conveying an appealingly childlike enthusiasm that transcends national borders. A list of English/Japanese words is appended, along with a brief history of baseball in both countries.

You Never Heard of Willie Mays?! By Jonah Winter. illus. by Terry Widener. Random/Schwarz and Wade. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-375-86844-3; PLB  $20.99. ISBN 978-0-375-96844-0; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-375-98782-3.

Gr 1-4—Dreaming of being the next Joltin’ Joe, a boy from Alabama relied on boundless talent and dogged perseverance to make his way to the majors, where he electrified the slumping NY Giants and eventually proved to a TV-watching America that a black player really could be “…like Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, and Joe DiMaggio all rolled into one.” Winter’s folksy text fairly hums as he describes one “jaw-droppin’” play after another. Beginning with a striking lenticular cover image of the Say Hey Kid swinging for the stands, Widener’s dusky artwork depicts game action along with Mays’s hard-playing grit. A real winner and worthy companion to You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?! (Random, 2009).

BIRMINGHAM, Maria. Weird Zone: Sports. illus. by Jamie Bennett. Owlkids. 2013. ISBN 9781926973616. JLG Level: SE : Sports Elementary (Grades 2–6).

Looking for baseball or basketball? You won’t find it here. Subtitled “The strangest, funniest, and most daringest events form the world of athletics and beyond!,” this book includes sports like bossaball ,which is a combination of soccer, volleyball, and gymnastics. It’s played on an inflatable court with a net like volleyball. Basic instructions are given for all kinds of sports, both team and solo. Readers can learn how to juggle and run―at the same time. Some of them are extreme―like roller-skating on a roller coaster or skate-boarding on a ramp as tall as an eight story building.

The author includes factual tidbits about sports dating as far back as .the early 11^th century.  An Englishman attached wings to his hands and feet and jumped from tower. (He broke his legs.) Also, when there was a cheese shortage in England, Cheese Rolling continued. Organizers built a wheel with representative cheese within it. In sidebars called “Invention Dimension,” kids discover different inventions related sports. Rules, quizzes, and vocabulary round out the text. A fascinating read―for the sports fan or not.

Davies, Nicola. Deadly!: The Truth About the Most Dangerous Creatures on Earth. illus. by Neal Layton. Candlewick. 2013. ISBN 9780763662318. JLG Level: NE : Nonfiction Elementary (Grades 2–6).

Davies’ latest nonfiction work focuses on killing techniques and defense mechanisms of a variety of animals. Suicidal ants explode to save their colony. Crocodiles perform the “death roll,” spinning in the water to twist off the limb (or head) it has clamped in its jaws. In spite of sometimes being as small as a fingernail, the box jellyfish may be the most toxic creature on the planet, according to scientists. A pack of wild dogs sometimes eats their victim before it’s completely dead. Readers will also learn to prevent attacks by not carrying food in their backpack (which draws bears) or avoiding a swim in the murky ocean water (where a shark might look for nourishment).

Though the material is far from being bedtime reading, Layton’s comic panel illustrations lighten the grim reality of animal survival skills. The author also points out that these dangerous creatures are important to our world. The cycle of life brings balance among plants and animals. Scientists have even found uses for lethal poisons: scorpion toxin is used in the fight against cancer; cobra venom can help relieve the pain of arthritis.

Readers may also enjoy the pairs’ companion books, Poop, Extreme Animals, and What’s Eating You.

GRIFFITHS, Andy. What Body Part Is That?: A Wacky Guide to the Funniest, Weirdest, and Most Disgustingest Parts of Your Body. Feiwel & Friends. 2012. ISBN 9780312367909.  JLG Level: HE : Humor Elementary (grades 2–6).

“Ninety-nine percent fact free” reads the cover. What may sound like a book that belongs in 612 is actually fiction. A diagram of the human body and all its parts precedes the chapters. Readers are encouraged to read only the parts they find interesting. Diagrams contribute to the humor of these quick chapters and tickle the funny bone. The author and illustrator offer “A & T’s Fun Body Part Facts” in each chapter. Kids can also read about how scars are formed (which will leave them in awe). The book even covers “Private Parts.” “Private parts are private. That is not all there is to know about private parts but that is all I can tell you because they are private.”

Readers who enjoy Lemony Snicket or Dav Pilkey would enjoy the humor (and the drawings) in this light comedy about the body.

JENSON-ELLIOTT, Cindy. The Most Famous Pirates. Capstone. 2013. ISBN 9781429686099. JLG Level: H35 : Series Nonfiction: History 3–5 (Grades 3–5).

“Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life for me,” might echo in readers’ minds as they peruse this tome of most famous pirates. Part of Capstone’s “Blazer” series (high interest, low vocabulary), Jenson-Elliott gives a brief introduction from the 1500s to 1730s. Sidebars feature highlighted vocabulary and facts for each chapter. The Barbarossa brothers often sold the crew and passengers of captured ships into slavery. Sir Francis Drake may have been the first to sail around the world, but he was also an English privateer―he was paid by his country to steal other ships and goods. Black Bart liked to dress in fancy clothing. One of Ireland’s most known pirates was a woman―Grace O’Malley. She owned at least five castles and all the land around them. Cheng Shih took her husband’s place on the sea and commanded more than 1,500 ships and 80,000 pirates. Nonfiction support material concludes the text.

For ideas about how to use these books and links to supportive sites, check out the Junior Library Guild blog, Shelf Life.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

Reading about recreational activities (not to be confused with “recreational reading,” though there can be overlap) is no substitute for actually getting outdoors or onto the field or court. However, it can enhance an understanding of, and appreciation for, sports’ and activities’ pleasures, hazards, specialized gear, and physical requirements. Falling well short of serving as practical handbooks but catering to basic assignment use and inspiring readers to explore and experience nature, most of the series present broad overviews of an array of outdoorsy pursuits. All of these titles are capped with leads to further relevant information in print or on the web, and the better ones also glance at conservation issues or otherwise expand the subjects. Covering related but more competitive activities, this year’s crop of surveys of professional sports records and national or international championships gives amateur and armchair athletes alike plenty to pore over.

Preschool-Grade 4

CHANDLER, Matt. Deer Hunting for Kids. maps. ISBN 978-1-4296-8425-5; ISBN 978-1-4296-9267-0. LC 2011051834.
HOWARD, Melanie A. Bowhunting for Kids. ISBN 978-1-4296-8424-8; ISBN 978-1-4296-9265-6. LC 2012006893.
–––– . Camping for Kids. ISBN 978-1-4296-8423-1; ISBN 978-1-4296-9266-3. LC 2012004671.
–––– . Freshwater Fishing for Kids. ISBN 978-1-4296-8422-4; ISBN 978-1-4296-9269-4. LC 2012006922.
OMOTH, Tyler. Duck Hunting for Kids. ISBN 978-1-4296-8616-7; ISBN 978-1-4296-9268-7. LC 2011051837.
–––– . Turkey Hunting for Kids. map. ISBN 978-1-4296-8615-0; ISBN 978-1-4296-9270-0. LC 2011051836.
ea vol: 32p. (Edge Books: Into the Great Outdoors Series). photos. reprods. further reading. glossary. index. websites. CIP. Capstone. 2012. PLB $27.32; pap. $7.95.
Gr 3-5–Despite repeated references to the “thrill of the hunt” in Deer and descriptive opening scenarios in every volume, these introductions for young anglers and hunters (Camping is the odd title out) fail to provoke real enthusiasm or provide sufficiently specific information. Though the color photos do show young people of both sexes in camouflage or blaze orange vests armed with guns, bows, or fishing rods as appropriate, the texts are skimpy. For example, in Deer readers are encouraged to field dress their kills but are not shown how, and in Bowhunting prospective hunters are left to guess what a “string silencer” might be. Coverage is not systematic either: a list of bow-hunted animals includes bears(!) but not fish even though fish are mentioned later, and the techniques in Fishing do not include fly fishing.

FRIESEN, Helen Lepp. Fishing. ISBN 978-1-61913-503-1; ISBN 978-1-61913-507-9. LC 2012005578.
GURTLER, Janet. Small Game. ISBN 978-1-61913-504-8; ISBN 978-1-61913-508-6. LC 2012005576.
MCDOWELL, Pamela. Birds. ISBN 978-1-61913-505-5; ISBN 978-1-61913-509-3. LC 2012005577.
MCNEICE, Connie-Lee. Big Game. ISBN 978-1-61913-502-4; ISBN 978-1-61913-506-2. LC 2012005575.
ea vol: 24p. (Outdoor Hunting Guide Series). photos. reprods. glossary. index. websites. CIP. Weigl. 2012. PLB $27.13; pap. $12.95.

Gr 2-4– “Hunting is pursuing animals in nature. People hunt animals for food or sport.” Like templates for Common Core instruction, these volumes survey their subjects with glances at history, techniques, and gear of their respective activities, along with profiles of the most common types of animals hunted and their habitats. They back up the informational content with color photos, discussions of responsible hunting or fishing, research suggestions for crafting a written report, brief mentions of relevant careers, and even generic but challenging recipes for turning game into roasts or other dishes. Supplementary audio, video, and other materials for each title are available on a dedicated website. The level of specific detail is thin, but the great diversity of the approaches used in this set certainly enhances its pedagogical potential.

HARASYMIW, Raymond. Kayaking and Rafting. ISBN 978-1-4339-7103-7; ISBN 978-1-4339-7106-8. LC 2011051419.
SHEA, Robert Kennedy. Hunting. ISBN 978-1-4339-7099-3; ISBN 978-1-4339-7102-0. LC 2011051099.
SISK, Maeve. Caving. ISBN 978-1-4339-7091-7; ISBN 978-1-4339-7094-8. LC 2011046302.
SNYDER, Adeline. Camping. ISBN 978-1-4339-7087-0; ISBN 978-1-4339-7090-0. LC 2011045635.
WEINGARTEN, A. J. Rock Climbing. ISBN 978-1-4339-7107-5; ISBN 978-1-4339-7110-5. LC 2011052947.
WEINGARTEN, E. T. Fishing. ISBN 978-1-4339-7095-5; ISBN 978-1-4339-7098-6. LC 2011047930.
ea vol: 24p. (The Great Outdoors Series). photos. further reading. glossary. index. websites. CIP. Gareth Stevens. 2012. PLB $22.60; ebook $22.60.
Gr 2-4–Though simply written, these guides offer cogent information and instructions about outdoor activities. Kayaking, for example, contains instructions (best learned before being needed) for rolling a capsized boat back over. Camping includes not only systematic advice about planning a trip and gathering supplies, but also mentions entertaining things to do, such as cooking and taking hikes, then ends with safety admonitions and a basic checklist. All volumes are illustrated with captioned color photos and most have value-adding features, such as a detailed account of how caves form in Caving and a page on overfishing issues in Fishing. No children are featured in the photos in Hunting except on the cover.

Grades 5 & Up

BRAR, Aneel. Super Bowl. ISBN 978-1-61913-061-6; ISBN 978-1-61913-623-6. LC 2012021769.
CHO, Alan. World Series. ISBN 978-1-61913-063-0; ISBN 978-1-61913-625-0. LC 2012021993.
DE MEDEIROS, Michael. NBA. ISBN 978-1-61913-060-9; ISBN 978-1-61913-622-9. LC 2012021768.
HOWSE, Jennifer. NASCAR Sprint Cup. ISBN 978-1-61913-616-8; ISBN 978-1-61913-618-2. LC 2012021767.
WEBSTER, Christine. The Masters. ISBN 978-1-61913-617-5; ISBN 978-1-61913-619-9. LC 2012021991.
WHITFIELD, David. World Cup. ISBN 978-1-61913-062-3; ISBN 978-1-61913-624-3. LC 2012021992.
ea vol: 32p. (Pro Sports Championships Series). charts. diags. map. photos. chron. glossary. index. websites. CIP. Weigl. 2012. PLB $28.55; pap. $13.95.
Gr 4-6–Constructed on such a rigid framework that all volumes have entries on women in their respective sports, even though all but the NASCAR races are men-only, these portraits of championship competitions and games offer fans and non-fans alike generous quantities of background information. This includes not only historical developments and highlights, but also labeled views of playing fields and competition sites, discussions of basic rules of play, official equipment descriptions, sections on “Famous Firsts,” galleries of legendary stars, maps, quizzes, and even, on a dedicated website, multimedia material. A mix of labeled images and action photos provides information and visual energy.

CARPENTER, Tom. Big Game Hunting: Bear, Deer, Elk, Sheep, and More. diag. reprods. ISBN 978-1-4677-0222-5; ISBN 978-1-4677-0225-6. LC 2012004461.
–––– . Freshwater Fishing: Bass, Trout, Walleye, Catfish, and More. diags. ISBN 978-1-4677-0219-5; ISBN 978-1-4677-0226-3. LC 2011050535.
–––– . Saltwater Fishing: Snapper, Mackerel, Bluefish, Tuna, and More. diags. reprods. ISBN 978-1-4677-0220-1; ISBN 978-1-4677-0227-0. LC 2012007053.
–––– . Small Game Hunting: Rabbit, Raccoon, Squirrel, Opossum, and More. diags. reprods. ISBN 978-1-4677-0224-9; ISBN 978-1-4677-0228-7. LC 2012002264.
–––– . Upland Bird Hunting: Wild Turkey, Pheasant, Grouse, Quail, and More. diags. reprods. ISBN 978-1-4677-0223-2; ISBN 978-1-4677-0229-4. LC 2012012214.
–––– . Waterfowl Hunting: Duck, Goose, and More. diags. reprods. ISBN 978-1-4677-0221-8; ISBN 978-1-4677-0230-0. LC 2012002263.
ea vol: 32p. (Great Outdoors Sports Zone Series). photos. further reading. glossary. index. websites. CIP. Lerner. Nov. 2012. PLB $26.60; ebook $19.95.
Gr 4-7–Regardless of a certain amount of boilerplate, such as safe gun practices and a general focus on northern climes that excludes such prey as alligators and wild pigs, these profiles of North American game hunting and fishing are valuable for their breadth of coverage. Along with providing general pictures of recommended gear and garb, Carpenter devotes spreads to each type of activity’s historical techniques and importance, ethical attitudes and practices, and even (with adult help required) how to dress and cook various kills. Color photos feature both hunters (adults more often than children) and animals in the wild, and each volume closes with both multimedia resources and a link to downloadable material from the publisher’s site.

CHAMPION, Neil. Wild Biking: Off-Road Mountain Biking. map. ISBN 978-1-59920-811-4. LC 2012004781.
–––– . Wild Rock: Climbing and Mountaineering. ISBN 978-1-59920-807-7. LC 2011047432.
–––– . Wild Snow: Skiing and Snowboarding. ISBN 978-1-59920-808-4. LC 2011051487.
–––– . Wild Trail: Hiking and Camping. map. ISBN 978-1-59920-809-1. LC 2011048316.
–––– . Wild Underground: Caves and Caving. map. ISBN 978-1-59920-810-7. LC 2012002526.
–––– . Wild Water: Canoeing and Kayaking. map. ISBN 978-1-59920-812-1. LC 2011047436.
ea vol: 32p. (Adventure Outdoors Series). diags. photos. further reading. glossary. index. websites. CIP. Smart Apple Media. 2012. PLB $28.50.
Gr 4-6–Despite some instructional information, such as how to tie useful knots in Rock and Underground and how to repair a flat in Biking,these introductions to adventuresome activities are designed more to pique early interest in readers than to serve as handbooks. Along with photos of unexceptional quality depicting mostly teenagers and adults modeling the requisite gear in outdoor settings and schematic views of important required equipment, the short blocks of expository text are accompanied by text boxes of “True Survivors” anecdotes and relevant “Amazing Facts.” A warning in Biking aside (“You should expect to take some falls–they’re all part of the fun.”), safety measures are fairly prominent. Each volume closes with a multiple choice quiz.

FREDERICK, Shane. The Ultimate Collection of Pro Football Records. ISBN 978-1-4296-8578-8; ISBN 978-1-4296-9432-2. LC 2012006162.
–––– . The Ultimate Collection of Pro Hockey Records. ISBN 978-1-4296-8579-5; ISBN 978-1-4296-9434-6. LC 2012006163.
OMOTH, Tyler. The Ultimate Collection of Pro Basketball Records. ISBN 978-1-4296-8653-2; ISBN 978-1-4296-9430-8. LC 2012009310.
WACHOLTZ, Anthony. The Ultimate Collection of Pro Baseball Records. ISBN 978-1-4296-8714-0; ISBN 978-1-4296-9428-5. LC 2012016718.
ea vol: 64p. (Sports Illustrated Kids: For the Record Series). charts. photos. further reading. index. websites. CIP. Capstone. 2012. PLB $33.99; pap. $8.95.
Gr 4-9-Consisting largely of top-ten lists with brief anecdotal accounts of particular highlights and small color action photos, these browsing items will rivet confirmed fans. Each book is organized into gatherings of individual, team, and postseason records (Basketball includes a separate chapter for the WNBA) and closes with an index of names and leads to relevant print and Web resources. Though most of the cited feats are positive ones, some (such as most “Penalty Minutes” in Hockey and “Personal Fouls” in Basketball) track less laudable behavior. Quick nearby descriptions give non-fans clues about what specialized stats (“3-Pointers,” “Hat Trick”) mean, and with rare exceptions, such as a table of “Coldest Games” in Football, the chosen data is significant. The fly in the ointment, of course, is that though the statistics include the 2011 seasons, much of the information will be out of date by the time these volumes arrive on shelves.

In sum, the two pro sports series are likely to be popular with browsers, though Capstone’s “Sports Illustrated Kids: For the Record” will start showing its age almost instantly. Gareth Stevens’s “The Great Outdoors” and Lerner’s “Great Outdoors Sports Zone” are both well designed for classroom use, but will also give prospective young vacationers and hunters informative onceovers. Even at an elementary level of discourse, Capstone’s “Edge Books: Into the Great Outdoors” leaves out too much and is too skimpy with specifics. The other series offer quick but at least systematic surveys of their topics along with generous quantities of supplementary material, making them acceptable additions where interest or local culture warrant.

WHEELER, Lisa. Dino-Football. illus. by Barry Gott. Carolrhoda. 2012. ISBN 978076136394. JLG Level: SE: Sports Elementary (Grades 2-6)

For a fun look at sports for the younger set, try Dino-Football. This rhyming tale of the plant-eating Greenblade Snackers (appropriately dressed in green and gold) versus the carnivorous Redscales pulls readers straight onto the field of action. Full of sports terms and nail-biting plays, one can only guess the outcome of the big game. Pair this with this team’s Dino-Soccer (Carolrhoda, 2009) for a solid double header.

BOELTS, Maribeth. Happy Like Soccer. illus. by Lauren Castillo. Candlewick. 2012. ISBN 9780763646165. JLG Level: SE: Sports Elementary (Grades 2-6)

“Nothing makes me happy like soccer- picked for this new team, with these shiny girls…But nothing makes me sad like soccer, too, because the restaurant where my auntie works is busy on Saturdays and she can’t take time off for something like a soccer game.” Sierra never complains that she is the only girl who has no one watching her play. Though she usually keeps her sadness to herself, a postponed game causes Sierra to speak up with a solution. Her courage will remind even adults to think outside the box- even when they feel “low around the edges.” A must-read.

Readers may also enjoy Madlenka Soccer Star by Peter Sis.

HOLM, Jennifer L. & Matthew Holm. Squish: Captain Disaster. Random. Sept. 2012. ISBN 9780375937866. SE: Sports Elementary (Grades 2-6)

The team that brought us “Babymouse” (Random) is back with the fourth book in the “Squish” graphic novel series. Squish is the new captain of the soccer team. While playing soccer is supposed to be fun, losing is not. When Squish finds the key to winning, he forgets that it’s supposed to be fun. Fans of graphic novels and sports fans alike will be satisfied with the amoeba’s latest adventures.

Kids may also like Soccer Sabotage: A Graphic Guide Adventure by Liam O’Donnell or Goal!: The Fire and Fury of Soccer’s Greatest Moment by Mark Stewart.

SANDLER, Michael. Eli Manning and the New York Giants: Super Bowl XLVI. Bearport. 2012. ISBN 9781617725784. JLG Level: SE: Sports Elementary (Grades 2-6)

For your nonfiction sports fans, Bearport releases a new biography in their “Super Bowl Superstars” series. Down two points with less than four minutes in the game, Manning needs to lead his team down the field to score a win. Knowing the outcome takes away some of the suspense, but readers will enjoy the large photographs sprinkled with informative caption boxes. Additional chapters give the Manning family’s background history and illuminate Eli’s path to professional football.

Fans may want to also pick up Goal Line by Tiki Barber or Able to Play. (Good Sports Series) by Glenn Stout.

STOUT, Glenn. Against All Odds. (Good Sports Series). Houghton Harcourt/Sandpiper. 2012. ISBN 9780544051201. JLG Level: E: Sports Elementary (Grades 2-6)

Stout tells the story of five comeback events from 1929 to 2011. These sports heroes were on the brink of defeat, but didn’t give up and led their teams to victory. Illustrated with black and white photographs, these short stories will be just the ticket for your sports readers. Interestingly enough, Glenn Stout is the author of 39 sports biographies- under the name of Matt Christopher.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

Related TeachingBooks.net resources »»»

Storytellers venturing into the mines of Metaphor frequently fill their literary hoppers with Sports to enhance the thematic underpinnings of their tales. There is probably no richer ore. Not even Heroic Fantasy—though generally played for higher stakes and offering a comparably glittering variety of challenges, situations, and opportunities—can match it for direct, everyday parallels with the actual lives and experiences of readers. After all, who hasn’t (for better or worse), at least tried out some athletic activity at one age or another? Better writers exploit these parallels, and, rather than just shoehorning occasional references to some organized sport into tales that actually have an entirely different focus, deliver cogent insights into how the game (and, by extension, life) is, has been, or should be played. Here are some of this past year’s more memorable high scorers in the genre.

Though neither invented in this country nor, by many measures, our most popular sport (anymore), baseball occupies uniquely important niches in our nation’s history and psyche. Matt Tavares’s picture-book biography There Goes Ted Williams, the Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived (Candlewick, 2012; Gr 1-4) profiles a complex American hero whose ego and ability to hold a grudge were matched only by seemingly superhuman talent and an indomitable will to excel both on the field and in wartime military service. Readers who don’t understand how high racial and religious barriers to many chosen careers used to be will be both educated and inspired by Chris Crowe’s Just As Good: How Larry Doby Changed America’s Game, illustrated by Mike Benny (Candlewick, 2012; Gr 1-3). The book makes a case for regarding the second African American to play in the modern Major Leagues as much a hero and a groundbreaking star as Jackie Robinson was, as well as Shelley Sommer’s Hammerin’ Hank Greenberg, Baseball Pioneer (Calkins Creek, 2011; Gr 4-6), about one of the greatest sluggers of all time and our country’s first Jewish sports superstar.

Students of baseball history will be enlightened by John Thorn’s account of the sport’s earliest days in First Pitch: How Baseball Began (Beach Ball Books, 2011; Gr 5-9), and entertained by Audrey Vernick’s Brothers at Bat, illustrated by Steven Salerno (Clarion Books, 2012; Gr 1-3), the true story of an all-sibling semiprofessional team. Students of the game itself will be delighted by the droll verse and art in Douglas Florian’s Poem Runs: Baseball Poems and Paintings (Houghton Harcourt, 2012; Gr 1-3), and the decidedly peculiar experiences of young Alex, who finds himself playing on the Oz Cyclones against other teams of literary characters in Alan Gratz’s Fantasy Baseball (Dial, 2011; Gr 4-7). Young gamers will identify with a Little Leaguer’s fear of standing at the plate after he’s beaned by a pitch in Michael Northrop’s Plunked (Scholastic, 2012; Gr 4-6) and the struggles of a teenage slugger to adapt to his team’s change from metal to wooden bats in M.G. Higgins’s all-baseball-all-the-time Power Hitter (Lerner, 2012; Gr 4-8, with hi/lo appeal)…not to mention the efforts of a very talented cow to make her dreams come true in Robert Kinerk’s Clorinda Plays Baseball!, illustrated by Steven Kellogg (S & S, 2012; PreS-Gr 2).

Football, the other contender for the title of America’s Game, anchors a lighthearted account of the renowned blooper commemorated in Dan Gutman’s The Day Roy Riegels Ran the Wrong Way, illustrated by Kerry Talbott (Bloomsbury, 2011; Gr 1-3), and pro defensive end turned novelist Tim Green’s Deep Zone (HarperCollins, 2011; Gr 4-7), in which gifted young players from the author’s previous tales go head-to-head in a suspenseful gridiron contest before a national audience.

Suggesting that football isn’t just a game for guys, sports journalist Mike Lupica chronicles the struggles of a team with a female kicker to stay together in a rapidly shrinking Pennsylvania small town in The Underdogs (Philomel, 2011; Gr 4-7), and in Miranda Kenneally’s Catching Jordan (Sourcebooks Fire, 2011; Gr 8 Up) a star quarterback on a team contending for a Tennessee state title battles distractions—such as conflicting feelings about her (yes, her) hunky new teammate’s ball skills.

The other “football,” also known (in English-speaking countries at least) as soccer, takes Center Circle on the pitch in Carol Nevius’s rhymed Soccer Hour (Marshall Cavendish, 2011; Gr K-2), illustrated with photorealistic acrylic and color pencil scenes of children practicing and playing by Bill Thomson, and in Sarah Aronson’s Beyond Lucky (Dial, 2011; Gr 4-8), in which a young goalie is rewarded for spectacular play but forced to make some tough choices when his best friend is implicated in the disappearance of his lucky playing card.

On a different scale of tough, 14-year-old Deo’s love of soccer leads to hard-fought contests and first steps to emotional recovery after a massacre drives him from his home village in Zimbabwe to a refugee camp in South Africa in Michael Williams’s Now is the Time for Running (Little Brown, 2011; Gr 7 Up). Trevor Kew’s Breakaway (Lorimer, 2012; Gr 5-7) features both soccer and hockey action, as Adam’s delight in excelling at the latter sport begins to fade as his interest in the former rises despite his father’s displeasure, and other obstacles.

And speaking of ball skills, younger fans will whoop at the hoops prowess on display when herbivores square off against carnivores in Lisa Wheeler’s Dino-Basketball, illustrated by Barry Gott (Carolrhoda, 2011; PreS-Gr 2), while in Greg R. Fishbone’s hilarious Galaxy Games: The Challengers (Lee & Low, 2011; Gr 5-7) the place of all humanity in interstellar society comes down to a game of 21 between 11-year-old Tyler Sato and a massive but talented alien made of stone.

Older readers will be drawn into the powerful—sometimes agonizing—personal and moral issues driving the experiences of a high school point guard in Matthew Quick’s Boy 21 (Little Brown, 2012, Gr 10-12) when both a more talented rival and violence to a loved one come crashing into his life. Equal parts character study and fast-break b-ball action, Paul Volponi’s The Final Four (Viking, 2012; Gr 7 Up) frames explorations of the distinctive characters, backgrounds, and expectations of two pairs of players on opposing squads within an unforgettably tense and exciting NCAA play-off contest.

The skills and challenges at the heart of fighting sports make up central elements in Ying Chang Compestine’s Crouching Tiger, illustrated by Yan Nascimbene (Candlewick, 2011; Gr K-2), a tale of a frustrated child who finds the martial arts’ true foundation in the discipline and slow movements of his grandfather’s tai chi, and also John “Red” Shea & Michael Harmon’s gritty, semi-autobiographical A Kid from Southie (WestSide, 2011; Gr 8 Up), about an amateur boxer with anger issues who becomes a mob “enforcer.”

Though other themes and issues are folded in, it’s the riveting details of fencing technique and strategy that turn Joseph Lunievicz’s Open Wounds (WestSide, 2011; Gr 6-10) into an unusually compelling read. Colorful, sometimes tongue-in-cheek views of the not-always-as-violent-as-it-seems sport of professional wrestling animate 11-year-old Max’s close-up encounter with his Lucha Libre idol in Xavier Garza’s bilingual Maximilian and the Mystery of the Guardian Angel (Cinco Puntos Press, 2011; Gr 6-9), and Ray Villareal’s Body Slammed! (Piñata Books, 2012; Gr 5-7), in which young Jesse finds himself pulled in different directions by his hard working celebrity father, who plays the masked “Angel of Death,” and an up-and-coming wrestler with a taste for fast living.

Track and field triumphs climax Jane Barclay’s tale of a small boy with outsized dreams, Jojo the Giant (Tundra Books, 2012, Gr 1-2), illustrated by Esperança Melo, and Relay Race Breakdown (Stone Arch Books, 2012, Gr 2-3), by Thomas Kingsley Troupe (as “Jake Maddox,” a collective pseudonym) and illustrated by Eduardo Garcia—the story of a reluctant member of a relay team who ends up a winner even though he doesn’t cross the finish line first in the big race. Older readers will be drawn into James Riordan’s Blood Runner (Frances Lincoln, 2012; Gr 6-8), a harrowing, but ultimately uplifting story, about a boy orphaned in a South African massacre who grows up to be an Olympic marathoner.

Interest in the Olympics never really disappears, but the upcoming Summer Games in London will certainly spark a fresh wave. John Feinstein’s Rush for the Gold (Knopf, May 2012; Gr 5-8) artfully catches that wave with a suspenseful tale featuring a young reporter, his best friend—a World Champion swimmer competing on Team U.S.A.—and high-level chicanery that takes place, in part, at those future Games. Olympic dreams drive four focused young women in the new “Go-For-Gold Gymnasts” series, written by gold medalist Dominique Moceanu and Alicia Thompson. The first episode, Winning the Team (Hyperion/Disney, 2012; Gr 5-7), features Brittany, a talented but sharp-tongued newcomer to the group whose narrative offers a blend of personal issues (from making and alienating friends to an eating disorder) with technical talk about gymnastics practice and techniques.

For children too young to remember what all the hoopla is about, Brad Herzog’s alphabetic survey of past Olympic events and high spots, G is for Gold Medal (Sleeping Bear, 2011; Gr 2-4), illustrated by Doug Bowles will fill in some of the historical background, and both Deloris Jordan’s Dream Big: Michael Jordan and the Pursuit of Olympic Gold (S & S, 2012; Gr 1-3), illustrated by Barry Root and Ann Malaspina’s Touch the Sky: Alice Coachman, Olympic High Jumper (Albert Whitman, 2011; Gr 1-3), illustrated by Eric Velasquez, provide inspirational profiles of athletes who made significant marks at the Games.

The modern Olympics’ organizer, Pierre de Coubertin, established “Citius, Altius, Fortius” (“Faster, Higher, Stronger”) as an official motto for the Games but the sentiment has wider applicability because the words in Latin are not adjectives, but adverbs—promoting and valuing not competition but effort, not beating others but playing (working, living) to the best of one’s ability. Fictional or otherwise, most of the athletes in these stories learn that lesson, and perhaps readers will, too.

Related TeachingBooks.net resources »»»

For an in-depth look at nine sports titles, and information on the standards addressed, extension activities, and related websites, read Sharon Grover and Lizette Hannegan’s “Score!: Lessons On and Off the Playing Field.”

This article originally appeared in School Library Journal’s enewsletter Curriculum Connections. Subscribe here.