Fall is one of the best times to get in a sports mindset: MLB fans are settling in for the exciting playoff matches that’ll lead to the World Series; the NFL is just kicking off; the NBA, fresh off an electrifying Bucks Championship victory in July, is already gearing up for the regular season openers in mid-October; and after a summer off, NHL players are ready to hit the ice. Help your readers connect their love of the game to their thirst for knowledge by refreshing your nonfiction collection! This assemblage of dynamic books will excite and inform kiddos of all ages. From professional team sports to activities for solo athletes, there is much to pore over here, including a series that focuses on social and emotional learning in sports.

Elementary

Abdo, Kenny. Arizona Cardinals. ISBN 9781098224516.
––––. Atlanta Falcons. ISBN 9781098224523.
––––. Baltimore Ravens. ISBN 9781098224530.
––––. Buffalo Bills. ISBN 9781098224547.
––––. Carolina Panthers. ISBN 9781098224554.
––––. Chicago Bears. ISBN 9781098224561.
––––. Cincinnati Bengals. ISBN 9781098224578.
––––. Cleveland Browns. ISBN 9781098224585.
––––. Dallas Cowboys. ISBN 9781098224592.
––––. Denver Broncos. ISBN 9781098224608.
––––. Detroit Lions. ISBN 9781098224615.
––––. Green Bay Packers. ISBN 9781098224622.
––––. Houston Texans. ISBN 9781098224639.
––––. Indianapolis Colts. ISBN 9781098224646.
––––. Jacksonville Jaguars. ISBN 9781098224653.
––––. Kansas City Chiefs. ISBN 9781098224660.
––––. Las Vegas Raiders. ISBN 9781098224677.
––––. Los Angeles Chargers. ISBN 9781098224684.
––––. Los Angeles Rams. ISBN 9781098224691.
––––. Miami Dolphins. ISBN 9781098224707.
––––. Minnesota Vikings. ISBN 9781098224714.
––––. New England Patriots. ISBN 9781098224721.
––––. New Orleans Saints. ISBN 9781098224738.
––––. New York Giants. ISBN 9781098224745.
––––. New York Jets. ISBN 9781098224752.
––––. Philadelphia Eagles. ISBN 9781098224769.
––––. Pittsburgh Steelers. ISBN 9781098224776.
––––. San Francisco 49ers. ISBN 9781098224783.
––––. Seattle Seahawks. ISBN 9781098224790.
––––. Tampa Bay Buccaneers. ISBN 9781098224806.
––––. Tennessee Titans. ISBN 9781098224813.
––––. Washington Football Team. ISBN 9781098224820.
ea vol: 32p. (NFL Teams). Abdo/Zoom/Fly!. Aug. 2021. Tr. $29.93.
Gr 1-3 –A bite-sized history of each football team in the NFL is served to eager sports fans in this highly visual series. They all follow a similar format: the team’s unique history is shared, followed by memorable moments in their storied past, and a few players who’ve been voted into the NFL Hall of Fame (and even a few players who the author predicts will be voted in when they retire). While fans seeking in-depth information will be disappointed, readers who appreciate trivia-type books with easily digestible factoids will appreciate the succinct writing style. It’s worth noting that Washington Football Team makes reference to the team dropping their racist logo and name in 2020, the author going so far as to never use the derogatory name in the text. Packed with photos and filled with fast facts, this is a solid series to refresh your football section. VERDICT A fine purchase for younger independent readers.

Abdo, Kenny. Miracle Moments in Baseball. ISBN 9781098223182.
––––. Miracle Moments in Basketball. ISBN 9781098223199.
––––. Miracle Moments in Football. ISBN 9781098223205.
––––. Miracle Moments in Hockey. ISBN 9781098223212.
––––. Miracle Moments in Soccer. ISBN 9781098223229.
––––. Miracle Moments in Tennis. ISBN 9781098223236.
ea vol: 24p. (Miracles in Sports). Abdo/Zoom/Fly!. Aug. 2021. Tr. $28.50.
Gr 1-3 –Do you believe in miracles? Sports fans sure do! This series tells the stories behind some of the most mind-boggling miracles in the history of organized sports. From Babe Ruth calling his home run in 1932 to the Boston Red Sox breaking “the Curse of the Bambino” in 2004,Miracle Moments in Baseball has some real astonishing inclusions. Miracle Moments in Hockey of course includes the 1980 Miracle on Ice Olympic triumph of the United States over Russia. Each book includes five truly amazing moments, like Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” shot and the Cleveland Cavalier’s comeback victory in the 2016 NBA finals. Heavy on photos and light on text, these titles are not for readers who are seeking play-by-plays related to these jaw-dropping scenes. However, browsers who like a trivia-style read will appreciate the bite-sized ­information delivery. VERDICT A fine ­additional ­purchase.

Upper Elementary to Middle School

Adamski, Chris. FC Cincinnati. ISBN 9781532194726.
Avise, Jonathan. Sporting Kansas City. ISBN 9781532192630.
Carothers, Thomas. Columbus Crew SC. ISBN 9781532192548.
––––. Orlando City SC. ISBN 9781532194801.
––––. Philadelphia Union. ISBN 9781532192609.
Dyer, Kristian R. New York Red Bulls. ISBN 9781532192593.
Hewson, Anthony K. Atlanta United FC. ISBN 9781532192531.
––––. Chicago Fire FC. ISBN 9781532194702.
––––. Colorado Rapids. ISBN 9781532194719.
––––. Houston Dynamo. ISBN 9781532192579.
––––. Inter Miami CF. ISBN 9781532194733.
––––. LA Galaxy. ISBN 9781532192586.
––––. Nashville SC. ISBN 9781532194771.
––––. New England Revolution. ISBN 9781532194788.
––––. New York City FC. ISBN 9781532194795.
––––. Seattle Founders FC. ISBN 9781532192623.
McDougall, Chrös. Los Angeles Football Club. ISBN 9781532194740.
––––. Minnesota United FC. ISBN 9781532194757.
––––. Toronto FC. ISBN 9781532192647.
––––. Vancouver Whitecaps FC. ISBN 9781532194832.
Moussavi, Sam. DC United. ISBN 9781532192555.
––––. FC Dallas. ISBN 9781532192562.
––––. Portland Timbers. ISBN 9781532192616.
––––. Real Salt Lake. ISBN 9781532194818.
––––. San Jose Earthquakes. ISBN 9781532194825.
Trusdell, Brian. CF Montreal. ISBN 9781532194764.
ea vol: 48p. (Inside MLS). Abdo/SportsZone. Aug. 2021. Tr. $32.79.
Gr 5-7 –A thorough series exploring the history of professional soccer clubs in North America. Each book follows a similar format, with the various authors serving up an exciting play-by-play of a memorable game for each club, explaining the history of the clubs and their formations, and providing bios of past and present star players. Across the board, the writing is electric—descriptions of saves and goals are delivered with true joy for the beautiful game by all of the authors. If you can only buy one title, budget for LA Galaxy—it’s MLS’s most popular team and the chapter about the team’s stars features some of the biggest names in soccer, like David Beckham, Landon Donovan, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. A more in-depth collection of books about major league soccer does not exist, making this a great choice for all libraries. VERDICT Worth purchasing the full set or at least cherry-picking popular and/or local clubs.

Clendening, Cameron. Notre Dame Fighting Irish. ISBN 9781503850361.
––––. USC Trojans. ISBN 9781503850392.
Ellenport, Craig. Auburn Tigers. ISBN 9781503850415.
––––. Ohio State Buckeyes. ISBN 9781503850378.
Gigliotti, Jim. Nebraska Cornhuskers. ISBN 9781503850422.
––––. Oklahoma Sooners. ISBN 9781503850385.
Kelley, K. C. Alabama Crimson Tide. ISBN 9781503850316.
––––. Army and Navy Football. ISBN 9781503850347.
––––. Clemson Tigers. ISBN 9781503850323.
––––. LSU Tigers. ISBN 9781503850330.
––––. Michigan Wolverines. ISBN 9781503850354.
––––. Texas Longhorns. ISBN 9781503850408.
ea vol: 24p. (College Football Teams). The Child’s World. Aug. 2021. Tr. $29.93.
Gr 3-5 –Readers interested in learning more about the most storied teams in NCAA history will find a lot of information in this series. After a brief athletic history, each book dives into unique qualities (like mascots and traditions) as well as notable athletes associated with the schools. Some current NFL stars, like former Auburn Tiger Cam Newton, are lauded, but a great deal of the quarterbacks and running backs named throughout this series are classics like Joe Montana, Joe Namath, and Bo Jackson. Historic coaches, like Knute Rockne of Notre Dame fame, get their fair share of praise as well. Some of the most interesting information and trivia tidbits are imparted via small callouts in the teams’ colors. The writing itself, while not particularly compelling, is clear and easy to follow. ­ VERDICT Libraries may want to cherry-pick local (or rival) schools from this basic series.

Doeden, Matt. Basketball Greats. ISBN 9781663906632.
––––. Basketball Shoes, Shorts, and Style. ISBN 9781663906595.
––––. The Evolution of Basketball. ISBN 9781663906557.
––––. The Paths to Pro Basketball. ISBN 9781663906519.
ea vol: 32p. (Sports Illustrated Kids: Ball). Capstone. Aug. 2021. Tr. $29.32.
Gr 3-5 –Basketball fans will devour this well written series. Basketball Greats includes both past and current stars of the NBA and WNBA, like literal game-changer Wilt Chamberlain (the NBA changed some rules specifically to try to slow him down), Cheryl Miller (whose dominance got her drafted into a men’s basketball league), and Steph Curry (one of the greatest three-point shooters ever).The Evolution of Basketball and Basketball Shoes, Shorts, and Style break down the history of how basketball has changed over time and the author smartly includes reference to both leagues’ outspoken support for the Black Lives Matter movement. For readers who dream of going pro, The Paths to Pro Basketball preaches the importance of practice and skill drills—gotta put in hours on the court if you want to make it to college ball and beyond! Overall, this series is very well written with fast-fact callouts and exciting photos throughout. VERDICT A recommended first purchase for all libraries.

Fishman, Jon M. Boxing’s G.O.A.T.: Muhammad Ali, Manny Pacquiao, and More. ISBN 9781728428635.
––––. Golf’s G.O.A.T.: Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, and More. ISBN 9781728428598.
––––. Tennis’s G.O.A.T.: Serena Williams, Roger Federer, and More. ISBN 9781728428642.
Levit, Joe. Gymnastics’s G.O.A.T.: Nadia Comaneci, Simone Biles, and More. ISBN 9781728428604.
––––. Pro Wrestling’s G.O.A.T.: Hulk Hogan, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and More. ISBN 9781728428611.
––––. Track and Field’s G.O.A.T.: Usain Bolt, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, and More. ISBN 9781728428628.
ea vol: 32p. (Sports’ Greatest of All Time —Lerner Sports). Lerner. Aug. 2021. Tr. $27.99.
Gr 4-6 –So who really is the greatest athlete of all time? This series narrows the greatest debate in sports down by sharing contenders in different athletic fields. After laying out the history of each, the books countdown the top 10 athletes in each sport. In Boxing’s G.O.A.T., and Pro Wrestling’s G.O.A.T. readers will learn about the powerful athletes who gravitate toward these heavy-hitting sports, like the undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. and superstar golden boy Hulk Hogan. The athletes of gymnastics (like the amazing Simone Biles) and track and field (including Jesse Owens) put their bodies on the line every day to achieve greatness. Golf and tennis greats do that, too, but they also perfect the use of their tools to battle for the title of greatest. Each book ends with a prompt for readers to consider who they think is the G.O.A.T.—one of the athletes listed or someone else entirely! VERDICT Full of engaging play-by-play writing, this series is a real winner.

Leed, Percy. David Beckham: Midfield Megastar. ISBN 9781728404288.
––––. Hank Aaron: Home Run Hammer. ISBN 9781728404295.
––––. Pelé: Soccer Hero. ISBN 9781728404318.
––––. Peyton Manning: Most Valuable Quarterback. ISBN 9781728404325.
––––. Tim Duncan: Power Forward. ISBN 9781728414706.
Levit, Joe. Mia Hamm: Striking Gold. ISBN 9781728404301.
ea vol: 32p. (Epic Sports Bios—Lerner Sports). Lerner. Aug. 2021. Tr. $27.99.
Gr 3-5 –The early lives and storied careers of some of sports biggest names are shared in this series. Readers who love the beautiful game will enjoy learning about two of the most exciting athletes in men’s and women’s soccer history, David Beckham and Mia Hamm, as well as the greatest player of all time, Pelé. Peyton Manning made his mark on football as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, winning Super Bowls with the Indianapolis Colts and, after a massive back surgery, the Denver Broncos. Five-time NBA champion Tim Duncan didn’t even start his athletic career focused on basketball—he was training to be an Olympic swimmer! With lots of details about their lives before and after their glory years, these well written biographies will give readers a great taste of the lives of some truly epic athletes. VERDICT A smart pick for most libraries.

Mattern, Joanne. 12 Reasons To Love Golf. ISBN 9781645821274.
––––. 12 Reasons To Love Gymnastics. ISBN 9781645821281.
––––. 12 Reasons To Love Martial Arts. ISBN 9781645821298.
––––. 12 Reasons To Love Skiing and Snowboarding. ISBN 9781645821304.
––––. 12 Reasons To Love Softball. ISBN 9781645821311.
––––. 12 Reasons To Love Swimming. ISBN 9781645821328.
––––. 12 Reasons To Love Tennis. ISBN 9781645821335.
––––. 12 Reasons To Love Wrestling. ISBN 9781645821342.
ea vol: 32p. (Sports Report). Bookstaves/12 Story Library. Jul. 2021. Tr. $32.80.
Gr 4-6 –This continuation of the “Sports Reports” series adds some well-loved (though less economically popular) sports to the series. After explaining the history of each sport, the books break down how they’re played and describe innovations that have kept them relevant over time. While some, like golf, gymnastics, swimming, and tennis can be played in teams (or in the case of tennis, doubles), they also can be played individually. Perhaps the most engaging thing about these books is that the sports they describe are so vastly different from one another, there’s something new to appreciate in each volume. 12 Reasons To Love Martial Arts describes how it’s fun for all ages and can even lead to Hollywood stardom—yes, if you practice, you too can be like Jackie Chan and Michelle Yeoh! VERDICT A first purchase. With diverse images throughout and a format that allows readers to skip around, this series is a worthy addition to any collection.

Scheff, Matt. Respect on the Court. ISBN 9781663906755.
––––. Teamwork on the Soccer Field. ISBN 9781663906793.
Smith, Elliott. Courage on the Football Field. ISBN 9781663906717.
––––. Patience at the Plate. ISBN 9781663906670.
ea vol: 32p. (Sports Illustrated Kids: More Than a Game). Capstone. Aug. 2021. Tr. $29.32.
Gr 3-5 –While there are nonfiction books on the market about sportsmanship, there are markedly fewer that focus on social and emotional skill development. This helpful series offers solid advice for young athletes and works as an important primer for caregivers and coaches who want to show their kiddos how team sports can meaningfully carry over to their everyday lives. The importance of perseverance is stressed in Courage on the Football Field and Patience at the Plate, where young athletes need to have the grit to pick themselves up and carry on. This brand of perseverance veers decidedly away from stoicism and toward building resilience by working through challenges. Respect on the Court and Teamwork on the Soccer Field both encourage players to show empathy and respect toward their teammates, rivals, and coaches. The writing is direct and includes examples of professional athletes demonstrating the skills, giving readers positive role models to emulate. VERDICT A recommended first purchase.

Storden, Thom. Baseball’s Greatest Nicknames. ISBN 9781663906830.
––––. Basketball’s Greatest Nicknames. ISBN 9781663906878.
––––. Football’s Greatest Nicknames. ISBN 9781663906915.
––––. Hockey’s Greatest Nicknames. ISBN 9781663906953.
ea vol: 32p. (Sports Illustrated Kids: Name Game). Capstone. Aug. 2021. Tr. $29.32.
Gr 4-6 –Readers who’ve wondered how star athletes received their unique, quirky nicknames will flip for this engaging series. Baseball has always been full of funny nicknames, like Cy Young—the “Cy” is short for “cyclone,” which is what he looked like when he wound up to pitch! Notably, Baseball’s Greatest Nicknames includes players from the Negro Leagues and a small description of the decades-long segregation in professional baseball. Basketball’s Greatest Nicknames explains that Michael Jordan had such an impressive hang time, he was nicknamed “Air” Jordan, which carried over to his sneaker line with Nike. Complemented by photos, the simple, engaging descriptions do a fast and phenomenal job explaining how these athletes earned their calling cards. There are so many weird, wonderful nicknames in each book (Mitch Trubisky is “Mr. Biscuit” and if that doesn’t pique a kid’s interest, nothing will), readers will want to grab them all. VERDICT A winning first purchase series!

Upper Middle School to High School

Dee, Elizabeth. The Basic Skills for Every Kind of Fishing. ISBN 9781422244937.
––––. Fishing Careers. ISBN 9781422244951.
––––. Fly Fishing. ISBN 9781422244975.
––––. Kayak Fishing. ISBN 9781422244982.
––––. Preparing and Enjoying the Fish You Catch. ISBN 9781422244968.
Rister, Robert. Deep Sea Fishing. ISBN 9781422244944.
ea vol: 80p. (Guides to Fishing). National Highlights/Mason Crest. Sept. 2021. Tr. $25.95.
Gr 6 Up –Casual anglers will find tons of recommendations for strengthening their skills in this series. The Basic Skills for Every Kind of Fishing suggests methods for finding the best fishing spots, as well as the necessary equipment and water safety guidelines for a successful trip. Readers looking for more details about specific kinds of fishing will appreciate the tips shared in Fly Fishing, Kayak Fishing, and Deep Sea Fishing. Preparing and Enjoying the Fish You Catch includes details on gutting and preserving fish and even has recipe suggestions for preparation. QR codes throughout each book link to useful videos that illustrate key concepts. Key words and text dependent questions bookend each chapter. Research suggestions also offer opportunities for readers to deepen their understanding of the topics. While the writing isn’t particularly thrilling, it is clear, direct, and focused. VERDICT Utilitarian purchases if your library lacks books on this topic.