Children's Book Suggestions | Sports

A few of our favorite sports books for readers in Grades 3-7! More choices are available in the library catalog.

You can also search for books about your favorite sport. Some of the most popular are baseball, basketball, football, running, soccer, and swimming.

Nonfiction books about sports are shelved in 796 and biographies of famous athletes are shelved in 921 under the athlete's last name.

Updated July 25, 2025
LINCC (Libraries in Clackamas County) Oregon City Public Library
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Flipping forward twisting backward
Fullerton, Alma
Paper Book
A diagnosis of dyslexia could change everything for an aspiring fifth-grade gymnast struggling at school in this authentic, high-energy novel in verse.  The print edition of this title is set in a font developed to be easy to read. The gym is where Claire shines...

Gymnastics (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

Power forward
Khan, Hena
Paper Book
From the critically acclaimed author of Amina's Voice comes the first book in an exciting new middle grade series about a fourth-grader with big dreams of basketball stardom. Fourth grader Zayd Saleem has some serious hoop dreams. He's not just going to be a professional...

Basketball (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

Kenzie kickstarts a team
Rosewater, Kit
Paper Book
A highly illustrated middle-grade series that celebrates new friendships, first crushes, and getting out of your comfort zone Ever since they can remember, fifth-graders Kenzie (aka Kenzilla) and Shelly (aka Bomb Shell) have dreamed of becoming roller derby superstars. When Austin's city league...

Roller Derby (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

Almost sunset
Algarmi, Wahab
Paper Book
In a contemporary middle grade graphic novel debut that Gene Luen Yang calls "funny, endearing, and an intimate look at a Muslim family," Almost Sunset follows a young Muslim American boy during Ramadan as he finds the balance between his family traditions and his secular middle school life....

Soccer (Children's Graphic Novel Grades 3-5)

Creaky Acres
Brill, Calista
Paper Book
A heartwarming middle-grade graphic novel about being the new kid, making new friends, and learning to trust yourself through the power of horseback riding-perfect for fans of Victoria Jamieson's Roller Girl. Nora is a prize-winning horseback rider in a suburban area, with...

Eventing (Children's Graphic Novel Grades 3-5)

The fifth quarter
Dawson, Mike
Paper Book
Get ready to hit the court in this heartfelt, sporty, graphic novel, the first in Mike Dawson's middle-grade duology about a girl who deals with her insecurities through her love of basketball. Lori Block is dedicated to her fourth-grade basketball team, despite being...

Basketball (Children's Graphic Novel Grades 3-5)

Roller girl
Jamieson, Victoria
Paper Book
For most of her twelve years, Astrid has done everything with her best friend Nicole. But after Astrid falls in love with roller derby and signs up for derby camp, Nicole decides to go to dance camp instead. And so begins the most difficult summer of Astrid's life as she struggles to keep up with...

Roller Derby (Young Teen Graphic Novel Grades 5-7)

The tryout
Soontornvat, Christina
Paper Book
Could anything be more mortifying than trying out for cheerleader in front of your whole grade? This hilarious, highly relatable story will make you laugh, cry, and cheer! Perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier. An Instant #1 Bestseller! "A captivating middle...

Cheerleading (Children's Graphic Novel Grades 3-5)

It's all or nothing, Vale
Arango, Andrea Beatriz
Paper Book
A poignant novel in verse in which, after a life-changing accident, one girl finds her way back to her life's passion. From the Newbery Honor-winning author of Iveliz Explains It All. All these months of staring at the wall? All these months of feeling weak...

Fencing (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Rick Kotani's 400 million dollar summer
Brown, Waka T.
Paper Book
Oregon Book Award-winning author Waka T. Brown hits a home run in this middle grade novel about a baseball-obsessed twelve-year-old who moves to Oregon to help his grandfather--an elusive old man with a shrouded past--but ends up learning unexpected truths about his family and how...

Baseball (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Kid owner
Green, Tim
Paper Book
From New York Times bestselling author and former NFL player Tim Green comes a riveting new stand-alone football novel. When Ryan's estranged father unexpectedly dies, Ryan learns that he has inherited the Dallas Cowboys. With his new role as owner of this NFL team, Ryan has...

Football (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Get a grip, Vivy Cohen!
Kapit, Sarah
Paper Book
In this perfectly pitched novel-in-letters, autistic eleven-year-old Vivy Cohen won't let anything stop her from playing baseball--not when she has a major-league star as her pen pal. Vivy Cohen is determined. She's had enough of playing catch in the park. She's ready to pitch...

Baseball (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Slugfest
Korman, Gordon
Paper Book
From Gordon Korman, the New York Times bestselling author of Restart, comes a hilarious new story about a group of underdogs who come together when they are forced to attend summer school--for failing PE. Yash is the best athlete at Robinette Middle School--so good, in fact, that he's...

Sports (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

The Beautiful Game
Mendez, Yamile Saied
Paper Book
A powerful story about family, fútbol, and playing like a girl, perfect for fans of Front Desk, The Academy, and, Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret from the award-winning author of Furia. At twelve years old,...

Soccer (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Ghost
Reynolds, Jason
Paper Book
A National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature Nominated as one of America's best-loved novels by PBS's The Great American Read Ghost wants to be the fastest sprinter on his elite middle school track team, but his past is slowing him down in this...

Running (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Barely floating
Rivera, Lilliam
Paper Book
A dazzling story full of heart about how one twelve-year-old channels her rage into synchronized swimming dreams, from the author of The Education of Margot Sanchez and Never Look Back, Lilliam Rivera. Natalia de la Cruz Rivera y Santiago, also known as Nat, was...

Artistic Swimming (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Ana on the edge
Sass, A. J.
Paper Book
Perfect for fans of Melissa and Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World, this heartfelt coming of age story introduces a nonbinary athlete navigating a binary world. Twelve-year-old Ana-Marie Jin, the reigning US Juvenile figure skating...

Figure Skating (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

The unforgettable Leta "Lightning" Laurel
Toalson, R. L.
Paper Book
A determined girl athlete deals with food insecurity and a new rivalry challenging her feminist ideals in this "resonant" (School Library Journal, starred review) upper middle grade coming-of-age story from author of The First Magnificent Summer, R.L. Toalson. ...

Running (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Half Moon summer
Vickers, Elaine
Paper Book
Two seventh graders discover it takes more than grit and a good pair of shoes to run 13.1 miles. You've got to have a partner who refuses to let you quit. Drew was never much of a runner. Until his dad's unexpected diagnosis. Mia has nothing better to do. Until she realizes...

Running (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

The crossover
Alexander, Kwame
Paper Book
Series streaming now on Disney+, with executive producers including NBA great LeBron James! Kwame Alexander's New York Times bestseller and Newbery Medal-winning The Crossover is vividly brought to life as a graphic novel with stunning illustrations by star talent Dawud Anyabwile. ...

Basketball (Young Teen Graphic Novel Grades 5-7)

Way off track
Brundtland, Carl
Paper Book
Nansi has never lost a race... until snobby Tania beats her in an unofficial event. Surely it's Tania's flashy shoes that gave her the edge. Nansi has to get a pair before the track tryouts! But how will she kick up 338 dollars? Incorporating Jamaican culture and the West African trickster character...

Track (Young Teen Graphic Novel Grades 5-7)

Curveball
Cartaya, Pablo
Paper Book
Roller Girl meets Cardboard Kingdom in this original, contemporary graphic novel for kids, from the New York Times best-selling and award-winning author of A Hero's Guide to Summer Vacation, Pablo Cartaya, in partnership with New York Times best-selling...

Baseball (Young Teen Graphic Novel Grades 5-7)

Swim team
Christmas, Johnnie
Paper Book
"Combines wonderful characters and history to create a story that will make you want to dive right in!" JERRY CRAFT, author of the Newbery Medal-winning New Kid A splashy, contemporary middle grade graphic novel from bestselling comics creator Johnnie Christmas! Bree can't wait for...

Swimming (Young Teen Graphic Novel Grades 5-7)

We are big time
Khan, Hena
Paper Book
SWISH! Cheer courtside for a Muslim teen in this graphic novel-inspired by a true story-as she joins an all-girls, hijab-wearing basketball team and learns that she's much more than a score. Aliya is new to Wisconsin, and everything feels different than Florida. The Islamic...

Basketball (Young Teen Graphic Novel Grades 5-7)

Chunky
Mercado, Yehudi
Paper Book
In this full-color middle grade graphic memoir for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Jerry Craft, Yehudi Mercado draws inspiration from his childhood struggle with his weight while finding friendship with his imaginary mascot, Chunky, as he navigates growing up in a working class Mexican...

Sports (Young Teen Graphic Novel Grades 5-7)

Marshall middle school. On guard!
Wasserman, Cassidy.
Paper Book
Grace is trying to find her footing in 7th grade, but between a best friend break up and her rocky relationship with her mom, it isn't easy. Is the middle school fencing club the answer to finding her people...and maybe even herself? "On Guard! is a great story about a kid...

Fencing (Young Teen Graphic Novel Grades 5-7)

Play like a girl : a graphic memoir
Wilson, Misty (Writer)
Paper Book
Debut author Misty Wilson chronicles her seventh-grade experience as the only girl on her town's football team in this empowering graphic memoir about teamwork, friendship, crushes, and touchdowns. Misty never shies away from a challenge, on or off the field. So when the boys tell her she...

Football (Young Teen Graphic Novel Grades 5-7)


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