There's No I in Team: 15+ Sports Titles for Ages 8-12

Summer is here! And that means loads of time for kids to experience books in all their glory. This is also a great time to encourage kids to read the books they choose (without having to worry about school assignments) and to try out new genres that they might be interested in learning more about.
This series will offer titles for toddlers to teens and include a variety of formats. Each week will focus on a different genre and will follow the same format:

• Mondays – Titles for Ages 3-7
• Tuesdays – Middle Grade Titles for Ages 8-12
• Wednesdays – Young Adult Titles for Ages 13+
• Thursdays – Nonfiction pairings
• Friday – Recap of the Week

Middle Grade
A Rambler Steals Home by Carter Higgins
“Derby always did prefer grease splatters to hauling trees, so she’s excited that summer will take her back to small town Ridge Creek, the Rockskippers, her best friend, and her surrogate mom, June. But this summer, a tragedy has changed Ridge Creek—and as Derby tries to help those she loves, long-held secrets are revealed.” (Taken from Goodreads)

Baseball Card Adventure series by Dan Gutman
Joe Stoshack loves baseball, but he’s just not that great at it. So when he finds a T-206 Honus Wagner — the most valuable baseball card in the world, he feels his luck just might be changing and boy, does it!

The Boy Who Saved Baseball by John Ritter
Tom’s town could quite possibly lose the baseball field if they don’t win the big game, but with the help of a mysterious stranger – Cruz de la Cruz and the town hermit Dante Del Gato, who happens to be the town’s greatest hitter, they might just have a shot at winning.

Braced by Alyson Gerber
Rachel has finally earned a place as forward on the soccer team, but her scoliosis has gotten worse and now she must wear a back brace virtually all day which changes the way she feels about herself, how others interact with her and how she plays soccer. Will Rachel be able to look past the brace and find herself again?

Checked by Cynthia Kadohata
Connor feels special when he’s on the ice, which is anytime he’s not at school or taking care of his dog, Sinbad. When Sinbad is diagnosed with cancer, Connor chooses to give up extra hockey practice to help pay for the vet bills and without hockey to distract him, he begins to realize more about the people around him.

Crossover by Kwame Alexander
Josh and his twin brother Jordan live and breathe basketball, just like their dad. So when Jordan becomes interested in spending time with a girl, Josh is forced to play without his brother. This is a story of brotherhood, friendship and family bonds that are stronger than anything else, even the love of the game.

Double Dutch by Sharon M. Draper
Delia not only loves Double Dutch, but is great at it to, in fact her team could compete at the World Double Dutch Championships, that is, if Delia can keep her secret. But, there are more kids with secrets than just Delia and when their worlds collide, will Delia compete in the sport she loves more than anything else?

Football Genius by Tim Green
“New York Times bestselling author and former NFL player Tim Green scores a touchdown with this exhilarating and action-packed story about an ordinary boy who becomes a hero you can really root for. ” (Taken from Goodreads

Ghost by Jason Reynolds
Ghost runs not on the track team but to escape his past, the anger inside of him and to get away from it all, but when he challenges a star sprinter and wins, the Olympic medalist track coach sees his talent and recruits him for the team.

Guys Read: The Sports Pages edited by Jon Scieszka
A collection of short stories by a variety of different authors – there’s definitely something in here for everyone (plus, you don’t have to be a guy to read them!)

Heat by Mike Lupica
Michael has a serious pitching arm, but with an older brother as head of the household, he’s more focused on keeping up the facade so Social Services isn’t called by school, the neighbors or by families on the team. But, when he needs his birth certificate to prove he’s playing on the right team, all of their lies could get them caught.

Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
An oldie, but goodie. “Jeffrey Lionel “Maniac” Magee might have lived a normal life if a freak accident hadn’t made him an orphan. After living with his unhappy and uptight aunt and uncle for eight years, he decides to run–and not just run away, but run. This is where the myth of Maniac Magee begins, as he changes the lives of a racially divided small town with his amazing and legendary feats.” (Taken from Goodreads)

Millicent Min, Girl Genius by Lisa Yee
Millicent is 11 years old and is so smart she’s in high school, which means she has zero friends, so when she tries out for the volleyball team and meets Emily, she thinks she just might have a shot of a new friend… that is, as long as she doesn’t find out about the truth.

Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson
Nicole and Astrid are joined at the hip, so when Astrid signs up for roller derby camp she assumes Nicole is coming too, but Nicole is headed to dance camp. Astrid learns how to be herself without Nicole by her side and also learns how to be tough and strong like the roller girls at camp.

Soar by Joan Bauer
Jeremiah lives and breathes the game of baseball and plays it to, that is until an operation on his heart prevents him from playing. With a move to a new town, Jeremiah decides to take up coaching, but the town has all but given up on baseball. Can Jeremiah’s love of the game and can-do spirit change the towns’ folks mind?

Sugar and Ice by Kate Messner
Claire loves to skate on the pond behind her home, but when she begins training with an elite skating coach, Claire must decide what she wants to do – follow her dream to become a professional skater or something else.

The Unlikely Story of a Pig in the City by Jodi Kendall
Josie’s latest growth spurt is wrecking havoc on her gymnastics training, but when her brother brings home a piglet, Josie must figure out a way to stretch the family’s dollar to care for this little pig, all while maintaining her grades, spending time with friends and being a pre-teen.