Football (and other sports) for kids

Looking for books on sports for kids can be frustrating during the fall months. Football takes center-stage in most schools (and stores) -- here are some other fiction and non-fiction sports books for young fans of tennis, wrestling, and soccer, as well as some new football fiction novels. Look for these titles using the World Catalog and Amazon.com search boxes here on BookBag.

National Geographic Extreme Sports Kids' Series: Bike! / Climb! / Dive! / Skate! / Skateboard! / Ski! / Snowboard! / Surf! These high-speed introductions to extreme sports showcase the skills and share the secrets of these sports. These are ideal books to have on hand for any youngster with an interest in sports. Showcasing safety tips and proper equipment, these books are informative and action-packed.

The Wrestling Drill Book, by Bill Welker (Human Kinetics).A wrestler’s ability to execute his moves quickly and instinctively is often the difference between winning and losing a match. Drills are the most effective practice activities to use to ingrain the instinctive actions and reactions essential for wrestling success. The Wrestling Drill Book includes match-tested drills, carefully chosen by coaches who are experts in the specific techniques and tactics they cover.

When No One Was Looking, by Rosemary Wells (Puffin) Kathy is a young tennis player with enough drive, attitude, and talent to go right to the top. And it seems that everyone around her has a stake in her success. So, when Kathy is presented with an opponent she can't beat, and a tragedy occurs, everyone's motives are questioned. They all want victory badly-but would anyone really kill for it?

Venus and Serena Williams: Grand Slam Sisters, by Terry Morgan (LernerSports).Venus and Serena Williams are talented athletes who challenge the traditions of professional tennis. The African-American sisters turned pro at only fourteen years of age. With their braided hair, muscular physiques, and unapologetic attitudes, the two raised a racket in the world of women's tennis.

Football Genius, by Tim Green. (Harper Teen) Green takes the idea of football analysis as the science of patterns and grants the gift of “seeing” those patterns to 12-year-old Troy White. Although Troy has a unique talent and is usually a good kid, frustration and peer pressure force him to make some not-so-smart choices that land him in trouble but also exactly where he has always wanted to be --- on the sidelines of a National Football League team.

Raiders Night, by Robert Lipsyte (Harper Teen) The Nearmont High School football team and the adultswho support it see winning as the ultimate goal, even if it means resorting to illegal steroids. The players are the toast of the town, enjoying wild parties, drugs and alcohol, and girls who offer casual sex. Matt Rydek, one of the team's popular stars and a cocaptain, is torn between two girls and deals with a pushy father who lives vicariously through him.

Deadline, by Chris Crutcher (Harper Teen). After being

diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia, 18-year-old Ben Wolf elects to forgo treatment and keep his illness secret from his family and friends in an attempt to have a "normal" senior year at his small Idaho high school. Free from long-term consequences, he connects with his crush, frustrates his biased U.S. Government teacher, and tries out for football.

Tennis Ace, by Matt Christopher. (Little, Brown) Steve wishes he had as much drive to win at tennis as his older sister, Ginny. He knows that nothing would please his father more. But the truth is, Ginny is the real tennis ace in the family. It's frustrating for both children that their father ignores Ginny's talents while pushing a reluctant Steve harder. Will brother and sister finally get up the courage to tell him how they feel?

Fairway Phenom, by Matt Christopher. (Little, Brown) Malik Edwards never had any intention of playing golf. In his mind, golf is a game played by old, flabby men wearing funny pants and hats. Then one day while channel surfing he sees a young black golfer being cheered on by a crowd of adoring fans. Suddenly golf's image changes for Malik. Yet, even if he wanted to play, where would he get the gear or the money? And where is a kid living in Brooklyn, New York, supposed to play golf? Malik's growing desire to learn the game of golf helps him overcome these obstacles-but the biggest obstacle, the ridicule of his friends, still sits in his path.

Tangerine, by Edward Bloor (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). Living in surreal Tangerine County, Fla., a legally blind boy begins to uncover the ugly truth about his football-hero brother. Publishers Weekly praised Bloor for "wedding athletic heroics to American gothic with a fluid touch and flair for dialogue."

Everything Kids Soccer Book, by Deborah W. Crisfield (Adams). Soccer player and coach Deborah W. Crisfield gives you lots of advice on stretching, endurance building, and strength training. Along the way, she includes some amazing facts on the World Cup and American soccer stars, such as Landon Donovan and Mia Hamm, and offers dozens of puzzles and games.