Great Middle Grade Reads discussion

Tell us about your favorite sports-themed books.

A classic is Maniac Magee, which is Spinelli storytelling at it's finest. There's a little bit about running, a little bit about baseball, and whole lot about finding that place where you belong.

"Sure, two hundred miles is a long way, especially on foot, but the year it took him to cover it was about fifty-one weeks more than he needed--figuring the way he could run, even then."

Brilliant prose.

I don't read many sport books, and maybe this has a lot of mature-ish content in it (I read it a looooooong time ago), but if you're desperate, check out The Kid from Tomkinsville, I guess.

I'm curious if anyone has suggestions beyond what's already mentioned here.

Look for Mike Lupica's books -- he was a sports columnist before he wrote for kids. I haven't read any personally, but they are always checked out when I volunteer at the school library.

Summer Ball, The Big Field, The Underdogs

Also, Jake Maddox books. These are easier chapter books with illustrations; might also be good for reluctant readers.

Jake Maddox: Hoop Hotshot, Jake Maddox: Skating Showdown, Jake Maddox: Soccer Spirit, Jake Maddox: Cheer Choice

There's another series I've seen at the library. I haven't read them, so can't vouch for quality. . .trying to recall the author. . . something Christopher? I'll look when I'm at work tomorrow, if I can remember (this theme of memory seems to be running strong in my posts today. No comment).

Probably Matt Christopher. He writes sports biographies as well.

Laura wrote: "Probably Matt Christopher. He writes sports biographies as well."

Yes, that's the name! Thanks, Laura. Now I don't have to remember to find out.

My sports oriented nephew loved The Chicken Doesn't Skate .

I also think that for boys nonfiction books have a lot of appeal. (It's a stereotype that held true in my family! So it's worth a shot.)

Laura wrote: "Probably Matt Christopher. He writes sports biographies as well."

Laura, you make a great point here. There are lots of wonderful books about famous athletes, but they get buried in the nonfiction, biography shelves of the library and kids never find them.

Finally remember this question while sorting kids' books at the library, and the guy I'm thinking of is Dan Gutman. Wrote Jackie & Me etc. I haven't read, so don't know how good, but they definitely get a fair amount of circ at the library.

E.S. wrote: "My sports oriented nephew loved The Chicken Doesn't Skate .

I also think that for boys nonfiction books have a lot of appeal. (It's a stereotype that he..."

Yes, Gordon Korman is drawing a bit of attention in my 4th grade classroom right now. I'll definitely get this one. It amazes me every year how much the readers grow in the months from fall to spring. Books that were too difficult months ago become new discoveries in spring. This is why I teach.

Kelli wrote: "Sport-themed books written by Tim Green are very popular in my library.

My favorite Max Lupica book is Travel Team."

Lupica's book are very popular with my students some years, but this year they are a little out of reach for many of us just now. A year from now these kids will be reading at that level. The nice thing about his books are that the boys tend to recommend them to each other as they finish them. That's so much more credible than an adult's recommendation.

Kelli wrote: "Sport-themed books written by Tim Green are very popular in my library.

My favorite Max Lupica book is Travel Team."

Thanks. Tim Green is new to me. I will check him out.

M.G. wrote: "Also, Jake Maddox books. These are easier chapter books with illustrations; might also be good for reluctant readers.

Jake Maddox: Hoop Hotshot, [book:Jake Maddox: Skating Showdow..."
Jake Maddox books do well amongst my reluctant readers. They contain a lot of illustrations, making them look very contemporary, similar to the Whimpy Kid series, for instance. They also look reader friendly at first glance. If the book looks like there are too many words per page, many developing readers put it back on the shelf unread.
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I've always liked Michel of Ironwood. It's about a young French exchange student who's an artist and a football player. Under his leadership, the scrub team beats the second string; the second string beats the first string; and then the first string goes up against an old rival team from another school.

How about Equestrian-Sports?!