Sports Stories for Kids

Updated June 16, 2026
Drag items up and down to your preferred order then select the "Save Order" button.
Booked
Alexander, Kwame
Paper Book
In this electrifying follow-up to Kwame Alexander's Newbery winner The Crossover, soccer, family, love, and friendship take center stage. A New York Times bestseller and National Book Award Longlist nominee. Twelve-year-old Nick learns the power of words as he wrestles with...
The crossover
Alexander, Kwame.
Paper Book
Series streaming now on Disney+, with executive producers including NBA great LeBron James! The Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award-winning middle grade bestseller! Basketball and heartache share the court in this slam-dunk novel in verse. "With a bolt of lightning on my...
Camp Average
Battle, Craig
Paper Book
In the first book in a hit summer reading series for children ages 8 to 12, campers fight to loselike never before. This three-book series is great for sports fans and reluctant readers, with Camp Average shortlisted for provincial children's choice awards in Manitoba, Ontario, and Saskatchewan....
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...
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 fully dedicated to her fourth-grade basketball team--even if she's...
Digging deep
Delle Donne, Elena
Paper Book
From WNBA MVP, Olympic gold medalist, and global ambassador to the Special Olympics Elena Delle Donne comes the fourth novel in a middle grade series with as much heart as there is game. Elle is still reeling from her BIG decision but is also amazed at all the free time she has...
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...
Rivals
Greenwald, Tom
Paper Book
From the author of the award-winning Game Changer comes a gripping novel about two student-athletes searching for stardom, a young reporter searching for the truth, and a crosstown basketball rivalry that goes too far The people of Walthorne love their basketball-and...
Dinged
Greenwald, Tommy
Paper Book
A star football player watches his father deteriorate from injuries he suffered playing the very same sportCaleb Springer is the up-and-coming star freshman quarterback on the high school football team, which isn't a surprise considering his dad, Sammy Springer, was an NFL superstar and is now the...
Warrior on the mound
Headen, Sandra W.
Paper Book
This intense, evocative story of racial unrest in prewar North Carolina ends with a dramatic match between white and Black little league teams. 1935. Twelve-year-old Cato wants nothing more than to play baseball, perfect his pitch, and meet Mr. Satchel Paige--the best pitcher in...
Diary of a wimpy kid : big shot
Kinney, Jeff
Paper Book
Greg Heffley and sports just don't mix. In Big Shot, the sixteenth book in Jeff Kinney's #1 international bestselling Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, Greg is ready to retire from athletics after a disastrous field day--until his mom convinces him to give basketball one last shot.<...
Batting order
Lupica, Mike
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller From acclaimed author of the Home Team series comes a brand-new novel about the heart and soul of baseball. On or off the field, Matt and Ben couldn't be more different. Ben Roberson is an all-or-nothing player: he's big, he...
No slam dunk
Lupica, Mike
Paper Book
A fast-paced, heartfelt story for basketball fans that proves being a good teammate remains the most important quality in basketball--and in life, from New York Times bestselling author Mike Lupica. Wes' father always told him that there was only one ball in basketball....
Blue line breakaway
Maddox, Jake
Paper Book
Jack has the talent to be a big-time hockey player just like his older sister. Can Jack find a way to slip out of his sister's shadow and become a hockey phenom in his own right?
Football foul play
Maddox, Jake
Paper Book
After winning their first playoff game, Badger teammates Kenny Hu and Romeo Russell get some disturbing news. The Supreme Bowl trophy has been stolen from the rival school across town! Even worse, the evidence points to the Badgers' quarterback being the culprit. At first, Kenny and Romeo think it's...
The beautiful game
Méndez, 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,...
Strikers : a graphic novel
Phegley, Kiel
Paper Book
Evan just wants to win a game. Bobby would rather fight than win. Hockey--and life--keep handing them both losses. Their team, the Strikers, has a roster of rejects in hand-me-down coats but lacks good equipment, a deep bench, and a coach who shows up on time. Their town of Flint, Michigan...
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...
Nikki on the line
Roberts, Barbara Carroll
Paper Book
Nikki wants to be a basketball star . . . but between school stress, friend drama, and babysitting woes, will she be able to make it on her new team? Judy Blume meets Mike Lupica in this pitch-perfect, action-packed, and funny novel. Thirteen-year-old Nikki...
Fast pitch
Stone, Nic
Paper Book
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Nic Stone comes a challenging and heartwarming coming-of-age story about a softball player looking to prove herself on and off the field. Shenice Lockwood, captain of the Fulton Firebirds, is hyper-focused when she steps up to the...
Hoops
Tavares, Matt
Paper Book
As seen on the Today show A work of fiction inspired by a true story, Matt Tavares's debut graphic novel dramatizes the historic struggle for gender equality in high school sports. It is 1975 in Indiana, and the Wilkins Regional High School girls' basketball...
How Oscar Indigo broke the universe : (and put it back together again)
Teague, David
Paper Book
★ "Suspend all disbelief and enjoy." --Kirkus (starred review) From David Teague, the coauthor of the critically acclaimed Saving Lucas Biggs, comes a funny and sweet story about learning to have courage even when it feels like the world is ending. Oscar Indigo has never...
Sports camp
Wallace, Rich.
Paper Book
Riley feels like the smallest kid at sports camp. In fact, he is. He just turned eleven in April, but most kids here are twelve, and a few are even thirteen--and gigantic. It's hard enough for a shrimp like Riley to fit in. He just doesn't want to be
Key player
Yang, Kelly
Paper Book
Mia Tang is going for the goal in the fourth Front Desk novel by New York Times bestselling author Kelly Yang! Mia Tang is play to win! The Women's World Cup is coming to Southern California, and everyone has soccer fever--especially Mia Tang! The U.S. team is playing China...

Library staff! You can create and contribute to lists. Contact your catalog administrator or log in here.