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If You Like...Fall Sports

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School has started, and soon we'll start seeing the weather shift to cooler days and crisp nights --which to many signals the beginning of fall sports. In the US, this typically means football and soccer are going full speed ahead. So whether you love football, soccer, or both, here are some books to read in your downtime to keep that gameday spirit (and its challenges) alive... everyday!

Slug Fest
By Gordon Korman
New York: Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, 2024. Fiction. 292 pages. 

 In this underdog story, middle school sports star Yash is forced to take summer school PE—or "Slugfest." He finds himself among a ragtag group of misfits, including: a clumsy genius, a pair of feuding twins, a practical jokester, and a former athlete held back because of an injury. Led by a retired second-grade teacher with a love for baking, this unlikely team of "slugs" must come together to win a city-wide flag football tournament. Full of witty dialogue and big-hearted fun, this book is perfect for anyone who loves a good laugh and a story about finding friendship in the most unexpected places.

The Beautiful Game
By Yamile Saied Méndez
New York: Algonquin Young Readers, Workman Publishing, 2024. Fiction. 321 pages.

Soccer prodigy Valeria 'Magic' Salomón's life is turned upside down when a traumatic first period mid-game gets her kicked off her elite boys' team. Feeling betrayed by her coach (who also happens to be her grandfather,) she must learn to navigate a new team of girls she had previously dismissed. Filled with complex family dynamics and the intense pressures of competitive sports, this moving novel is a winning story of growing up, friendship, and embracing change.

Final Season
By Tim Green
New York: Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2021. Fiction. 296 pages.

Final Season is deeply personal novel following sixth-grade quarterback Ben Redd as he navigates a championship season while his father battles ALS. Ben, caught between his mom's pleas to quit football and his dad's last chance to coach, faces a heartbreaking choice about his future in the sport he loves. With thrilling on-field action and powerful family relationships, this story is a must-read for fans of sports novels that explore the true cost of the game.

Who Is Lionel Messi?
By James Buckley Jr.
New York: Penguin Workshop, 2024. Biography. 50 pages.

Follow Lionel Messi's journey from a young boy with a passion for soccer to one of the most decorated players in history. This illustrated biography for young readers highlights his legendary career and incredible skill, from his professional debut to winning the World Cup. It also touches on his personal tribute to his grandmother, showing that even with worldwide fame, he remains true to his roots.

Play Like a Girl
Written by Misty Wilson 
Illustrated by David Wilson
New York: Balzer + Bray, Harper Alley, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2022. Comics. 258 pages.

Debut author Misty Wilson tackles seventh-grade drama both on and off the football field in this vibrant graphic memoir. When she decides to be the only girl on the team, Misty faces hostility from her male teammates and deals with the pain of shifting friendships as she navigates crushes, school, and learning to embrace her true self. With bright artwork that captures the early 2000s, this is a heartfelt and empowering story for anyone who's ever felt like the odd one out.









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