Play Ball: Sports Titles for Teens

Baseball

Fiction

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seventh grader Matt Pin is a child of war. Airlifted out of Vietnam by American soldiers and adopted by a loving American family, he carries within him inescapable visions of chaos: “the smell and the smoke and the sound of someone crying,” his mother’s “thin, shrill staccato” voice when she urged him away from her to safety “through sounds of whirring helicopters and open prayers,” and his 3 yr. old brother’s burned, dismembered body. At the center of these visions is a dark secret, one Matt keeps tightly wound up inside. Luckily, he has baseball, a talent for the piano, and a new, supportive family to see him through. This is an exceptionally beautiful novel that captures the physical and emotional wreckage left in the wake of the Vietnam War.

 

 

Carlson, Ron. The Speed Of Light. 2003. (YA Fiction Carls.R)

Larry spends the summer before junior high school with his best friends, Witt and Rafferty, playing different forms of baseball and discovering the secrets of the universe.

 

 

Chabon, Michael. Summerland. 2002. (YA Science Fiction Chabo.M  & YA CD Fiction Chabo.M)

Ethan Feld, the worst baseball player in the history of the game, finds himself recruited by a 100-year-old scout to help a band of fairies triumph over an ancient enemy.

 

 

Cochrane, Mick. The Girl Who Threw Butterflies. 2009. (YA Fiction Cochr.M)

Molly's ability to throw a knuckleball earns her a spot on the baseball team, the "boy's" baseball team. Molly knows a thing or two about baseball thanks to many years of baseball practice with her recently deceased father, and she begins to redefine her relationships with her family and friends over the course of the baseball season.

 

 

Fehler, Gene. Beanball. 2008. (YA Fiction Fehle.G)

Relates, from diverse points of view, events surrounding the critical injury of popular and talented high school athlete, Luke "Wizard" Wallace, when he is hit in the face by a fastball.

 

 

Gratz, Alan. Samurai Shortstop. 2006. (YA Fiction Gratz.A & YA CD Fiction Gratz.A)

While obtaining a Western education at a prestigious Japanese boarding school in 1890, 16-year-old Toyo also receives traditional samurai training which has profound effects on both his baseball game and his relationship with his father.

 

 

Jenkins, A.M.. Out Of Order. 2003. (YA Fiction Jenki.A)

Sophomore Colt Trammel loves baseball and his girlfriend Grace, but he hates the rest of high school and maintains a tough facade to hide his feelings of inferiority.

 

 

Johnson, Scott. Safe At Second. 1999. (YA Fiction Johns.S)

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.

 

 

King, Stephen. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. 1999. (YA Fiction King.S & Fiction King.S)

While hiking the Appalachian Trail, nine-year-old Trisha tires of the constant bickering between her mother and brother and decides to wander off. Lost in the forest, she draws comfort from tuning her radio to Boston Red Sox broadcasts and following her hero, relief pitcher Tom Gordon. When the reception fades, she imagines Tom is with her. He is her key to surviving the unseen enemy.

 

 

Koertge, Ron. Shakespeare Bats Cleanup. 2003. (YA Fiction Koert.R)

When a 14-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.

 

 

Kogler, Jennifer. Ruby Tuesday. 2005. (YA Fiction Kogle.J)

Ruby Tuesday Sweet keeps a battered Webster's by her side -- but when her dad tunes in to eight baseball games at a time on his wall of TVs, his talk of parlays and chalks and spreads keeps Ruby mystified. Then the Dodgers win the World Series, Ruby Tuesday's dad wins a bet, and his bookie is murdered. Ruby finds herself on the run to Las Vegas with her long-lost rock-n-roll mom in a race against the thugs who want Mr. Sweet's winning ticket.

 

 

 

Leitch, Will. Catch : A Novel. 2005. (YA Fiction Leitc.W)

Teenager Tim Temples must decide if he wants to leave his comfortable life in a small town and go to college.

 

 

Lupica, Mike. The Batboy. 2010. (YA Fiction Lupic.M)

Even though his mother feels baseball ruined her marriage to his father, she allows fourteen-year-old Brian to become a bat boy for the Detroit Tigers, who have just drafted his favorite player back onto the team, leading to an uncommon friendship. Lupica's most powerful work to date.

Lynch, Chris. Gold Dust. 2000. (YA Fiction Lynch.C)

Nonfiction

 

Dickson, Paul. The Hidden Language Of Baseball : How Signs And Sign-stealing Have Influenced The Course Of Our National Pastime. 2003. (796.35709 Dicks.P)

During a nine-inning game, more than 1,000 silent instructions are given-from catcher to pitcher, coach to batter, fielder to fielder, umpire to umpire-and without this speechless communication the game would simply not be the same. Baseball historian Paul Dickson examines for the first time the rich legacy of baseball's hidden language, offering fans everywhere a smorgasbord of history and anecdote. Whether detailing the origins of the hit-and-run, the true story behind the home run that gave "Home Run" Baker his nickname, Bob Feller's sign-stealing telescope, Casey Stengel's improbable method of signaling his bullpen, the impact of sign stealing on the Giants' miraculous comeback in 1951, or the pitches Andy Pettitte tipped off that altered the momentum of the 2001 World Series, Dickson's research is as thorough as his stories are entertaining.

 

 

Goodwin, Doris Kearns. Wait Till Next Year : A Memoir. 1997. (B Goodw.D Goodw.D)

Set in the suburbs of New York in the 1950s, Wait Till Next Year is Doris Kearns Goodwin's touching memoir of growing up in love with her family and baseball. She re-creates the postwar era, when the corner store was a place to share stories and neighborhoods were equally divided between Dodger, Giant, and Yankee fans. We meet the people who most influenced Goodwin's early life: her mother, who taught her the joy of books but whose debilitating illness left her housebound: and her father, who taught her the joy of baseball and to root for the Dodgers of Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, Pee Wee Reese, Duke Snider, and Gil Hodges. Most important, Goodwin describes with eloquence how the Dodgers' leaving Brooklyn in 1957, and the death of her mother soon after, marked both the end of an era and, for her, the end of childhood.

 

 

Hample, Zack. Watching Baseball Smarter : A Professional Fan's Guide For Beginners, Semi-experts, And Deeply Serious Geeks. 2007. (YA 796.357 Hampl.Z)

"Professional fan" Hample, who falls squarely in the "deeply serious geek" category, has put together an invaluable resource for armchair fans. A former college shortstop, four-time attendee of Bucky Dent's Baseball School and an obsessive baseball collector, Hample covers basics like what to watch for in pitchers, catchers, hitters, fielders and base runners; he also provides answers to such nagging questions as why spectators stretch in the seventh inning and why most ballplayers grab their crotches. He explains the difference between a change-up and a split-finger fastball, breaks down a box score and offers an extensive glossary of baseball slang that defines both a "courtesy trot" and a "dying quail." Hample hits the equivalent of a reference-book homerun with this witty, loose and readable book that doesn't hide his enormous depth of knowledge. Highly recommended for baseball watchers.

 

 

Macy, Sue. A Whole New Ball Game : The Story Of The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. 1993. (x796.357 Macy.S)

Describes the activities of the members of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, the women's professional baseball league that existed between 1943 and 1954.

 

 

Robinson, Sharon. Promises To Keep : How Jackie Robinson Changed America. 2004. (xBiog Robin.J Robin.S)

A biography of baseball legend Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play in the major leagues, as told by his daughter.

 

 

Weber, Bruce. As They See 'em : A Fan's Travels In The Land Of Umpires. 2009. (796.3573 Weber.B)

In "As They See 'Em: A Fan's Travels In The Land Of Umpires," journalist Bruce Weber ventured into the little-known world of foul balls and face masks. Over the course of three years, Weber trained to be a baseball umpire, learning the finer points of calling a game and conducting over 200 interviews with other umpires along the way. Weber gives readers an insider's perspective on the dedicated men (and women) who choose to face angry fans, disgruntled coaches and poor pay in service to the game they love.

 

 

Whiting, Robert. The Meaning Of Ichiro : The New Wave From Japan And The Transformation Of Our National Pastime. 2004. (796.35709 Suzuk.I Whiti.R)

Ichiro...Nomo...Sasaki...Hasegawa...Hideki Matsui...one by one they have come to America and made their mark - not as novelty items but as incredibly gifted ballplayers whose skills and styles have defied critics and earned the admiration of millions of fans. Led by the charismatic, whippet-like right fielder for the Seattle Mariners, Ichiro Suzuki, whom many refer to as baseball's best all-around player, this new wave of athlete is the tip of a fascinating iceberg: a deep and very different tradition of baseball the Japanese way. From the cultural concept of wa ("group harmony") to the training regimens practiced by the Japanese players, Robert Whiting shows why more and more players from Japan will be coming to America - and how they are changing the way our game is played.

 

 

Whiting, Robert. You Gotta Have Wa. 1990. (796.3570952 Whiti.R)

An important element in Japanese baseball is "wa" - group harmony - embodied in the proverb, "The nail that sticks up shall be hammered down." But what if the nail is a visiting American player? Here's a look at Japanese baseball, through the eyes of a baffled American baseball player. This gripping read is alternately fascinating and hilarious, a book that captures the stark differences between the Japanese and American approaches to a classic, beloved game.

 

Short Stories

 

Mercado, Nancy, (ed.). Baseball Crazy : Ten Short Stories That Cover All The Bases. 2008. (YA Fiction Stories Merca.N)

 

 

 

Basketball

 

Fiction

 

Brooks, Bruce. The Moves Make The Man : A Novel. 1984. (YA Fiction Brook.B)

When black basketball standout Jerome Foxworthy is chosen to integrate Bix's all-white junior high school, the two outcasts form a strong friendship, and Jerome teaches Bix the fundamentals of shooting hoops. But Bix will not learn to fake. Fakes are lies, as Bix sees it. But the day will arrive when Bix has no choice but to 'put on the moves.' If the moves make the man, what will happen to Bix if he gives up the truth?

 

Deuker, Carl. Night Hoops. 2000. (YA Fiction Deuke.C)

While trying to prove that he is good enough to play on his high school's varsity basketball team, Nick must also deal with his parents' divorce and the erratic behavior of a troubled classmate who lives across the street.

 

Draper, Sharon. Tears of a Tiger. 2000. (YA Fiction Drape.S & YA Playaway Fiction Drape.S)

The death of high school basketball star Rob Washington in an automobile accident affects the lives of his close friend Andy, who was driving the car, and many others in the school.

 

Feinstein, John. Last Shot : A Final Four Mystery. 2005. (YA Mystery Feins.J & YA CD Mystery Feins.J)

After winning a basketball reporting contest, teens Stevie and Susan Carol are sent to cover the Final Four tournament, where they discover that a talented player is being blackmailed into throwing the final game.

 

Foley, John. Hoops Of Steel. 2007. (YA Fiction Foley.J)

Passionate about basketball, troubled teenager Jackson O'Connell chronicles the ways the game colors the events of his senior year in high school.

 

Glenn, Mel. Jump Ball : A Basketball Season In Poems. 1997. (YA Fiction Glenn.M)

A high school basketball team's season is told through a series of poems reflecting the feelings of students, their families, teachers, and coaches.

 

Inoue, Takehiko. Slam Dunk. 2008. (YA 741.5952 Inoue.T)

Hanamichi Sakuragi never has any luck asking out the girls at school until Haruko becomes interested in him, but he must join the basketball team in order to impress her.

Krech, Bob. Rebound. 2006. (YA Fiction Krech.B)

Determined to make the varsity basketball team, 17-year-old Ray finds his efforts to play both hindered and helped by the atmosphere of racism in his town.

Myers, Walter Dean. Game. 2008. (YA Fiction Myers.W & YA CD Fiction Myers.W)

If Harlem high school senior Drew Lawson is going to realize his dream of playing college, then professional, basketball, he will have to improve at being coached and being a team player, especially after a new--white--student threatens to take the scouts' attention away from him.

Myers, Walter Dean. Slam!. 1996. (YA Fiction Myers W.)

Sixteen-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.

Oates, Joyce Carol. Big Mouth & Ugly Girl. 2002. (YA Fiction Oates.J)

When 16-year-old Matt is falsely accused of threatening to blow up his high school and his friends turn against him, an unlikely classmate, who is also a hoops star, comes to his aid.

Parker, Robert. Edenville Owls. 2007. (YA Mystery Parke.R)

Fourteen-year-old Bobby, living in a small Massachusetts town just after World War II, finds himself facing many new challenges as he tries to pull together his coachless basketball team, cope with new feelings for his old friend Joanie, and discover the identity of the mysterious stranger who seems to be threatening his teacher.

 

Pena, Matt de la. Ball Don't Lie. 2005. (YA Fiction Pena.M)

Seventeen-year-old Sticky lives to play basketball at school and at Lincoln Rec Center in Los Angeles and is headed for the pros, but he is unaware of the many dangers--including his own past--that threaten his dream.

 

 

 

 

Rallison, Janette. Life, Love and the Pursuit of Free Throws. 2004. (YA Fiction Ralli.J)

High school freshmen Josie and Cami try to remain best friends as they compete for basketball awards and boys.

 

Sitomer, Alan Lawrence. The Hoopster. 2005. (YA Fiction Sitom.A)

Andre Anderson is a black teenager who loves to play basketball. When he is viciously attacked, it calls his whole world into question -- even his deadly jump shot.

Volponi, Paul. Black And White. 2006. (YA Fiction Volpo.P)

Two star high school basketball players, one black and one white, experience the justice system differently after committing a crime together and getting caught.

 

Volponi, Paul. Rucker Park Setup. 2007. (YA Fiction Volpo.P)

While playing in a crucial basketball game on the very court where his best friend was murdered, Mackey tries to come to terms with his own part in that murder and decide whether to maintain his silence or tell J.R.'s father and the police what really happened.

 

Waltman, Kevin. Learning The Game. 2005. (YA Fiction Waltm.K)

When he and his high-school basketball teammates steal from a fraternity house in their small Indiana town, Nate contends with his guilt, his loyalty to his friends, and his desire to help his older brother who comes under suspicion for the crime.

 

 

 

Nonfiction

 

Blais, Madeleine. In These Girls, Hope Is A Muscle. 1995. (796.3236 Blais.M)

A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist tells the story of a high-school girls' basketball team and their championship season, sharing individual profiles of the girls on the team and their combined drive for excellence.

Colton, Larry. Counting Coup : A True Story Of Basketball And Honor On The Little Big Horn. 2000. (796.3236 Colto.L)

Colton chronicles one year in which he got to know the team members and community both on and off the reservation as they struggled to win Montana's all-state championship.

Corbett, Sara. Venus To The Hoop : A Gold-medal Year In Women's Basketball. 1997. (796.3236 Corbe.S)

The behind-the-scenes story of the gold medal-winning U.S. Women's Basketball Team tells how a diverse group of 11 young women bonded together, both on and off the court, to win at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

Jackson, Phil. Sacred Hoops: Spiritual Lessons Of A Hardwood Warrior. 2006. (YA 796.323 Jacks.P Jacks.P)

L.A. Lakers coach Phil Jackson (and former coach of the three-time national champion Chicago Bulls) shares his experience of combining sports and spirituality to lead his team to success, explaining how to nurture a positive group dynamic and detailing the methods he uses to teach his players how to think collectively, overcome anger, and look beyond jealousy.

 

 

McElwain, Jason. The Game Of My Life : A True Story Of Challenge, Triumph, And Growing Up Autistic. 2008.(616.85882 Mcelw.J)

 

Morgan, David Lee. LeBron James : The Rise Of A Star. 2003. (YA B James.L Morga.D)

An inside look at basketball's hottest prospect and how he came up through poverty to be the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft.

 

Bicycle Racing

 

Nonfiction

 

Armstrong, Lance. It's Not About The Bike : My Journey Back To Life. 2000. (YA B Armst.L Armst.L & B Armst.L Armst.L & CD X Biog Armst.L)

The personal story of Lance Armstrong's life so far, from childhood through the early success, nearly fatal cancer, recovery, survivorship, more triumph (multiple-time Tour de France winner), marriage, and first-time fatherhood.

 

Boxing

 

Fiction

 

Lipsyte, Robert. The Contender. 1987. (YA Fiction Lipsy.R & YA CD Fiction Lipsy.R)

A Harlem high school dropout escapes from a gang of punks into a boxing gym, where he learns that being a contender is hard and often discouraging work, but that you don't know anything until you try.

 

Lynch, Chris. Shadow Boxer. 1993. (YA Fiction Lynch.C)

After their father dies of boxing injuries, George is determined to prevent his younger brother, who sees boxing as his legacy, from pursuing a career in the sport.

 

Parker, Robert B.. The Boxer And The Spy. 2008. (YA Mystery Parke.R)

Fifteen-year-old Terry, an aspiring boxer, uncovers the mystery behind the unexpected death of a classmate.

 

 

 

 

 

Nonfiction

 

Bacho, Peter. Boxing In Black And White / Peter Bacho. 1999. (x796.8309 Bacho.P)

Text and photographs present some of the notable heavyweight boxing matches of the twentieth century, featuring such fighters as Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, and Muhammad Ali.

 

 

Myers, Walter Dean. The Greatest : Muhammad Ali. 2001. (xBiog Ali.M Myers.W)

Myers vividly recreates the life of the young Cassius Clay, from his childhood in segregated Louisville in the 1950s, through his Olympic triumph in 1960, to his rise as a professional fighter, culminating with the stunning victory over Sonny Liston in 1964. The second half of the story focuses on Ali as a committed Muslim and his refusal to serve in the Vietnam War.

 

 

Sullivan, George. Knockout! : A Photobiography Of Boxer Joe Louis. 2008. (xBiog Louis.J Sulli.G)

Photographs, memorabilia and reproductions of posters illustrate the life of boxer Joe Louis.

 

Football

 

Fiction

 

Coban, Harlan. Deal Breaker. 1995. (Paperbk Mystery Coben.H & eAudiobook)

Softhearted sports agent Myron Bolitar must unravel a complex mystery involving blackmail and family tragedy when his client, celebrated rookie quarterback Christian Steele, receives a phone call from a supposedly-dead ex-girlfriend.

Coy, John. Crackback. 2005. (YA Fiction Coy.J)

Miles barely recalls when football was fun after being sidelined by a new coach, constantly criticized by his father, and pressured by his best friend to take performance-enhancing drugs.

 

Crutcher, Chris. Running Loose. 2000. (YA Fiction Crutc.C)

Louie, a high school senior and football player in a small Idaho town, learns about sportsmanship, love, and death as he matures into manhood.

 

 

 

 

Deuker, Carl. Gym Candy. 2007. (YA Fiction Deuke.C)

Groomed by his father to be a star player, 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.

 

 

Eulo, Elena Yates. The Great Receiver. 2008. (YA Fiction Eulo.E)

Returning to high school in the fall, brainy Joey Eastland, the football team's waterboy, is determined to reinvent himself by becoming a star player and a "chick magnet."

 

 

 

 

Feinstein, John. Cover-Up. 2007. (YA Mystery Feins.J & YA CD Mystery Feins.J)

Fledgling 14-year-old sports reporters Susan Carol and Stevie investigate suspicious activities at the Super Bowl after Stevie gets fired from his co-anchor job on a ground-breaking teen sports show.

 

Green, Tim. Football Genius. 2007. (YA Fiction Green.T)

Troy has an unusual gift for predicting football plays before they occur. He attempts to use his ability to help his favorite team, the Atlanta Falcons, but he must first prove himself to the coach and players.

 

Grishman, John. Bleachers. 2003. (YA Fiction Grish.J & Fiction Grish.J & CD Fiction Grish.J & Paperback Best Seller Grish.J)

Bleachers is a novel about high school football in a small Texas town, a place in which football has become a religion.

 

 

 

 

Hautman, Pete. Rash. 2006. (YA Fiction Hautm.P & YA CD Fiction Hautm.P)

In a future society that has decided it would "rather be safe than free," 16-year-old Bo's anger control problems land him in a tundra jail where he discovers football, a sport that has been outlawed and deemed unsafe in his society.

 

Jenkins, A.M.. Damage. 2001. (YA Fiction Jenki.A)

Seventeen-year-old football hero Austin, trying to understand the inexplicable depression that has drained his interest in life, thinks that he has found relief in a girl who seems very special.

 

Konigsberg, Bill. Out Of The Pocket. 2008. (YA Fiction Konig.B)

As Bobby Framingham, quarterback of his high school football team, finally acknowledges to himself that he is gay, events start to spin out of control when his sexual orientation is revealed in the student newspaper and then in the local press, and he learns that his father has cancer.

Korman, Gordon. Jake, Reinvented. 2003. (YA Fiction Korma.G)

Rick becomes friends with the popular new boy, Jake Garrett, football player and host of superlative parties, and in the process discovers the true nature of his schoolmates and uncovers the mystery of Jake's past.

Korman, Gordon. Pop. 2009. (YA Fiction Korma.G)

Lonely after a midsummer move to a new town, sixteen-year-old high-school quarterback Marcus Jordan becomes friends with a retired professional linebacker who is great at training him, but whose childish behavior keeps Marcus in hot water.

Lipsyte, Robert. Raiders Night. 2006. (YA Fiction Lipsy.R)

Matt Rydeck, co-captain of his high school football team, endures a traumatic season as he witnesses the rape of a rookie player by teammates and grapples with his own use of performance-enhancing drugs.

McKissack, Frederick, Jr.. Shooting Star. 2009. (YA Fiction Mckis.F)

Jomo Rogers, a naturally talented athlete, starts taking performance enhancing drugs in order to be an even better high school football player, but finds his life spinning out of control as his game improves.

Murdock, Catherine. Dairy Queen : A Novel. 2006. (YA Fiction Murdo.C & YA CD Fiction Murdo.C)

After spending her summer running the family farm and training the quarterback for her school's rival football team, 16-year-old D.J. decides to go out for the sport herself, not anticipating the reactions of those around her.

Murdock, Catherine. The Off Season. 2007. (YA Fiction Murdo.C & YA CD Fiction Murdo.C)

High school junior D.J. staggers under the weight of caring for her badly injured brother, her responsibilities on the dairy farm, a changing relationship with her friend Brian, and her own athletic aspirations.

Powell, Randy. Three Clams And An Oyster. 2002. (YA Fiction Powel.R)

Three high school juniors, led by their captain, Flint McCallister, are having trouble with the fourth member of their flag-football team called "Three Clams and an Oyster." During their humorous search for a replacement, the three clams reexamine their biases, comfort zones, gender hang-ups, death, friendship, and loyalty. Flint's comical and moving first- person narrative allows the reader to experience his gradual transformation and discoveries.

 

Tharp, Tim. Knights Of The Hill Country. 2006. (YA Fiction Tharp.T)

In his senior year, high school star linebacker Hampton Greene finally begins to think for himself and discovers that he might be interested in more than just football.

 

 

 

 

 

Nonfiction

 

Bissinger, H.G. Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream. 1990.(YA 796.33263 Bissi.H & Fiction Bissi.H & DVD 791.4372 Friday)

This deeply moving story that has inspired both a feature length movie and a TV series, is about a town, its dreams, and both the inescapable allure of football and the perils of sports craziness in Odessa, Texas. The town, which struggles with racial segregation and a fragile economy, lives and dies with the fortunes of its high school football team. Every Friday night during football season, the dreams of an entire community are played out both on and off the field.  

 

Felder, Rob. The Football Book. 2005. (YA 796.33264 Footbal)

Along with stunning photography--including every one of the magazine's covers since 1954--and the great writing that has appeared in "Sports Illustrated's" pages, this invaluable volume is chock-full of facts and figures spanning a half-century of American sports. 300+ photos.

 

Freedman, Lew. Chicago Bears : The Complete Illustrated History. 2008. (796.33264 Bears Freed.L)

The ultimate history of the legendary Chicago Bears, from Halas to Hester, from Singletary to Urlacher, with hundreds of photos, stats, and player profiles.

 

Hopkins, Theron. The 80-Yard Run: A Twenty-Week, Coast-to-Coast Quest for the Heart of High School Football. 2008. (YA 796.33262 Hopki.T)

During the course of one football season, Hopkins travels from summer high school football practices across the country to the state championships, discovering, in all its drama and magic, just what makes high school football so irresistable. If you liked Friday Night Lights, don't miss this one.

 

Longman, Jere. The Hurricanes : One High School Team's Homecoming After Katrina. 2008. (YA 796.33262 Longm.J)

Students from several devastated communities in Louisiana, ravaged by Hurricane Katrina, come together to form South Plaquemines High, a football team comprised of former rivals. They set their sights on a state championship, using a trailer as their locker room and lifting weights in a gym with no electricity.

 

Owens, Terrell. T.O. 2006. (796.332 Owens.T Owens.T)

T.O. of the NFL tells the story of what really happened during his two tumultuous seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, and explains what motivates him to continue making history in the NFL despite the obstacles he faces.

 

Payton, Walter. Never Die Easy : The Autobiography Of Walter Payton. 2000. (YA B Payto.W Payto.W & B Payto.W Payto.W)

The late football great describes his love affair with his sport, his achievements on and off the field, his private life, his personal beliefs and goals, and his battle with liver cancer that would claim his life in 1999.

 

Running

 

Fiction

 

Deuker, Carl. Runner. 2005. (YA Fiction Deuke.C)

Living with his alcoholic father on a broken-down sailboat on Puget Sound has been hard on 17-year-old Chance Taylor, but when his love of running leads to a high-paying job, he quickly learns that the money is not worth the risk.

Fogelin, Adrian. Crossing Jordan. 2000. (YA Fogel.A)

Cass meets her new African American neighbor, Jemmie, and despite their families' prejudices, they build a strong friendship around their mutual talent for running and a pact to read Jane Eyre.

Levy, Mariyln. Run For Your Life. 1996. (YA Levy.M)

While living in a housing project in Oakland, California, 13-year-old Kisha joins a track team which helps her discover that she can be a winner.

Lewis, Catherine. Postcards To Father Abraham : A Novel. 2000. (YA Fiction Lewis.C)

When 16-year-old Meghan, a runner, loses her leg to cancer and her brother to Vietnam, she expresses intense anger in postcards which she writes to her idol, Abraham Lincoln.

 

 

 

 

Nonfiction

 

Harrington, Geri. Jackie Joyner-Kersee : Champion Athlete. 1995. (YA B Joyne.J Harri.G)

Olympic champion, track and field athlete Joyner-Kersee, competes at the highest levels in spite of her asthma.

 

 

Skating, Hockey, Skiing & Snowboarding

 

Fiction

 

Cheshire, Simon. The Prince And The Snowgirl. 2007. (YA Fiction Chesh.S)

Tom Miller has been performing as a look-alike of Prince George of England for several years, but he finally decides to change his appearance and try to figure out who he really is when the real prince makes a surprise appearance while Tom is competing at the UK Inter-Schools Ski Championships in Scotland.

 

Headley, Justina Chen. Girl Overboard. 2007. (YA Fiction Headl.J)

After a snowboarding accident, Syrah Cheng, a billionaire's daughter, must rehabilitate both her knee and her self-esteem while forging relationships with those who accept her for who she is.

Hughes, Pat. Open Ice. 2005. (YA Fiction Hughe.P)

Hockey has been Nick Taglio's life since he was five years old, so when a massive concussion benches him--possibly for good--everything seems to fall apart, including his schoolwork, his family relationships, his friendships, and his love life.

Kephart, Beth. Undercover. 2007. (YA Fiction Kepha.B)

High school sophomore Elisa is used to observing while going unnoticed except when classmates ask her to write love notes for them, but a teacher's recognition of her talent, a "client's" desire for her friendship, a love of ice skating, and her parent's marital problems draw her out of herself.

 

Lynch, Chris. Iceman. 1994. (YA Fiction Lynch.C)

Fourteen-year-old Eric, a ruthless hockey player prone to violence on the ice, tries to reconcile his own needs with those of his parents.

 

Mead, Richelle. Frostbite : [a Vampire Academy Novel]. 2008. (YA Science Fiction Mead.R)

While on a school skiing trip, guardian-in-training Rose faces everything from misunderstandings between friends to fights among factions of Moroi as reports of horrific Strigoi attacks raise tensions, ultimately leading Rose and some of those closest to her into a battle that teaches her much about life, death, and love.

 

 

 

Nonfiction

 

Paulsen, Gary. How Angel Peterson Got His Name : and Other Outrageous Tales About Extreme Sports. 2003. (YA B Pauls.G Pauls.G)

Author Gary Paulsen relates tales from his youth in a small town in northwestern Minnesota in the late 1940s and early 1950s, such as skiing behind a souped-up car and imitating daredevil Evel Knievel.

Paulsen, Gary. Winterdance : The Fine Madness Of Running The Iditarod. 1994. (YA 798.8 Pauls.G)

Paulsen recounts his ambitious quest to run the Iditarod, an 1,180-mile trek of snow and deep cold, and his seventeen-day journey with a team of dogs during which they endured blinding wind, snowstorms, frostbite, moose attacks, and hallucinations.

Schwager, Tina. Gutsy Girls : Young Women Who Dare. 1999. (YA 305.2422 Schwa.T)

Twenty-five young women share their adventures in such activities as skydiving, building homes, and mountain climbing, demonstrating the value of courage, commitment, and a positive attitude.

 

Soccer

 

Fiction

 

Bloor, Edward. Tangerine. 1997. (YA Fiction Bloor.E & YA CD Fiction Bloor.E)

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.

Dhami, Narinder. Bend It Like Beckham. 2002. (YA Fiction Dhami.N)

Jesminder, a young Indian woman, loves playing soccer. Her parents, however, don't think soccer is right for a real Indian woman. To make matters worse, Jesminder falls in love with her coach. Caught between two cultures, Jesminder must confront her parents and herself in this humorous and poignant story about pursuing dreams.

Esckilsen, Erik. Offsides : A Novel. 2004. (YA Fiction Escki.E)

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.

Klass, David. Home Of The Braves. 2002. (YA Fiction Klass.D)

Eighteen-year-old Joe, captain of the soccer team, is dismayed when a hotshot player shows up from Brazil and threatens to take over both the team and the girl whom Joe hopes to date.

 

Padian, Maria. Brett McCarthy : Work In Progress. 2008. (YA Fiction Padia.M)

Soccer star Brett McCarthy--once good student and best-friend-to-Diane, now suspended and friendless--faces school and family troubles as she grapples with her redefined life.

 

Swanson, Julie. Going For The Record. 2004. (YA Fiction Swans.J)

Seventeen-year-old Leah's chance to make the national soccer team does not seem so important when she learns that her father has cancer and may only have months to live.

 

Swimming and Diving

 

Fiction

 

Cadnum, Michael. Heat. 1998. (YA Fiction Cadnu.M)

A teenaged diving champion must deal with the aftermath of a diving accident and her attorney father's remarriage and subsequent arrest for fraud.

 

Crutcher, Chris. Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes. 2003. (YA Fiction Crutc.C & YA Playaway Crutc.C)

High School students Eric Calhoune and Sarah Byrnes have been friends since childhood. While Sarah has struggled with a physical disfigurement, Eric's peers have known him as the fat kid, or "Moby." When Eric starts to shed pounds through his involvement with the swim team, he's afraid that that will alter his friendship with Sarah. But if that isn't why Sarah has suddenly stopped talking and is at the Spokane mental ward, what is the reason?

 

Crutcher, Chris. Stotan!. 2003. (YA Fiction Crutc.C)

A high school coach invites members of his swimming team to a memorable week of rigorous training that tests their moral fiber as well as their physical stamina.

Crutcher, Chris. Whale Talk. 2001. (YA Fiction Crutc.C)

Intellectually and athletically gifted, TJ, a multiracial, adopted teenager, shuns organized sports and the gung-ho athletes at his high school until he agrees to form a swim team and recruits some of the school's less popular students.

Duder, Tessa. In Lane Three, Alex Archer. 1987. (J Duder.T)

Fifteen-year-old Alex struggles to overcome personal trauma and hardship as she competes with her arch rival for a place on the New Zealand swim team participating in the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome.

 

Warman, Jessica. Breathless. 2009. (YA Fiction Warma.J)

Fifteen-year-old Katie's parents send her to boarding school after her older and schizophrenic brother attempts suicide. Relieved to be away from her troubled family, Katie eagerly dives into the swim team where she feels most alive. Narrated in Katie's raw and authentic voice, her story also explores friendships, romance and the intimacy of boarding school.

 

 

Nonfiction

 

Cox, Lynn. Swimming To Antarctica : Tales Of A Long-distance Swimmer. 2004. (YA B Cox.L Cox.L & B Cox.L Cox.L)

A noted long-distance swimmer with a love for cold water describes her record-breaking English Channel crossing, her 1987 swim across the Bering Strait, and exploits in the Straits of Magellan, Lake Baikal, and Antarctica.

 

Tennis

 

Fiction

 

Feinstein, John. Vanishing Act. 2006. (YA Mystery Feins.J & YA CD Mystery Feins.J)

Sports reporters Stevie and Susan Carol reunite at the U.S. Open tennis championships where they investigate the mysterious disappearance of a top Russian player.

 

 

 

 

Powell, Randy. The Whistling Toilets. 1996. (YA Fiction Powel.R)

While coaching tennis for a group of inner city kids as well as for his friend Ginny, a star player, 16-year-old Stan grows in understanding himself and others.

 

Nonfiction

 

Williams, Venus. Venus and Serena: Serving from the Hip: Ten Rules for Living, Loving and Winning. 2005. (YA B Willi.V Willi.V)

The tennis superstars talk about their lives, including what it takes to be successful, how they spend their money, dating, studying, and dealing with pressure.

 

Wrestling

 

Fiction

 

Connelly, Neil. St. Michael's Scales. 2002. (YA Fiction Conne.N)

Keegan Flannery, feeling responsible for his twin brother's death and his mother's mental illness, believes he must atone by committing suicide before his 16th birthday; but he gains new insights when he joins his school's wrestling team.

 

Klass, David. Wrestling With Honor. 1989. (YA Fiction Klass.D)

Champion high school wrestler Ron Woods faces a soul-searching season when he refuses to retake a mandatory drug test he has failed. This decision affects every area of his life including his feelings about his father, who died in Vietnam, and his first tentative romance.

 

Sweeney, Joyce. Headlock. 2006. (YA Fiction Sween.J)

High school senior Kyle is determined to become a professional wrestler but his dream is threatened by a loved one's illness and the dramatic reappearance of a long-absent relative.

Wallace, Rich. Wrestling Sturbridge. 1996. (YA Fiction Walla.R)

Stuck in a small town where no one ever leaves and relegated by his wrestling coach to sit on the bench while his best friend becomes state champion, Ben decides he can't let his last high school wrestling season slip by without challenging his friend and the future.

 

X-treme & Adventure Sports

 

Fiction

 

Hobbs, Will. Downriver. 1991. (YA Fiction Hobbs.W)

Sent to an outdoor survival camp for troubled teens, 15-year-old Jessie and her six companions "borrow" their instructor's gear and boats and try to run the dangerous Colorado River through the Grand Canyon on their own (See other titles by this author).

Rottman, S.L.. Rough Waters. 1997. (YA Fiction Rottm.S)

After their parents' death in an automobile accident, two teenage brothers are sent to Colorado to live with an estranged uncle, owner of a white water rafting outfit.

Strasser, Todd. Take Off. 2004. (YA Fiction Stras.T)

Kai must compete with the locals to be able to surf in the best place possible (See others in Impact Zone series).

Walters, Eric. Grind. 2004. (YA Fiction Walte.E)

When Wally is badly injured skateboarding, Phillip must decide what is more important -- skating or making things right with friends.

 

 

 

 

Nonfiction

 

Hamilton, Bethany. Soul Surfer : A True Story Of Faith, Family, And Fighting To Get Back On The Board. 2004. (YA B Hamil.B Hamil.B & B Hamil.B Hamil.B)

The teenage surfer who lost her arm in a shark attack in 2003 describes how she has coped with this life-altering event with the help of her faith, the changes in her life, and her return to the sport she loves.

Hawk, Tony. Between Boardslides And Burnout : My Notes From The Road. 2002. (YA 796.22 Hawk.T & 796.22 Hawk.T)

A leading professional skateboarder presents journal entries and tour photographs of his life on the road and in competitions.

Krakauer, Jon. Into Thin Air : A Personal Account Of The Mount Everest Disaster. 1997. (YA 796.522 Kraka.J)

Krakauer is one of approximately 1,000 people who have stood atop Mount Everest, but the story he tells here is not of glorious triumph. Rather, it is a true account of the survival and death that will grab teen readers from the very first page.

Paulsen, Gary. How Angel Peterson got his name : and other outrageous tales about extreme sports. 2004. (YA B Pauls.G Pauls.G)

Warning – don't really try these stunts at home! Ride along on a whirlwind adventure through Paulsen's humorous recounting of his early teen years in northern Minnesota. Instead of TV, which was scarce in his small town, Paulsen and his friends did daredevil stunts such as tumbling down a waterfall in a barrel, wrestling a bear and imitating Evil Knievel. Even Paulsen marvels that he survived to tell these wacky, laugh-out-loud stories about what are commonly referred to today as extreme sports.

 

Schwager, Tina. Gutsy Girls : Young Women Who Dare. 1999. (YA 305.2422 Schwa.T)

Twenty-five young women share their adventures in such activities as skydiving, mountain climbing, kickboxing, snowboarding, rock climbing, mountain bike racing and in-line skating, demonstrating the value of courage, commitment, and a positive attitude.

 

Short Stories

 

Fiction

 

Crutcher, Chris. Athletic shorts : six short stories. 2002. (YA Fiction Crutc.C 2002)

These six tense, exciting short stories feature new voices as well as characters from Chris Crutcher's acclaimed popular novels. Athletes face up to more than athletic prowess in tales of love and death, bigotry and heroism, and real people doing the best they can.

Gallo, Donald (ed.). Ultimate Sports : Short Stories By Outstanding Writers For Young Adults. 1995. (YA Fiction Stories Gallo.D)

A collection of 16 short stories about teenage athletes written by well-known authors in the field, including award-winning novelists Robert Lipsyte and Chris Crutcher.

Macy, Sue (ed.). Girls Got Game : Sports Stories & Poems. 2001. (YA Fiction Stories Macy.S)

A collection of short stories and poems written by and about young women in sports.

Mercado, Nancy, (ed.). Baseball Crazy : Ten Short Stories That Cover All The Bases. 2008. (YA Fiction Stories Merca.N)