Sports Stories: Go for the Gold
General
Bennett, Cherie. Girls in Love; 1996. (Y-P-BEN Romance)
Love, Michigan, is famous for Winterfest, an annual athletic competition, but Tara, Erin, and Noelle are about to find out there’s a lot more to Winterfest than sports.
Crutcher, Chris. Athletic Shorts: Six Short Stories, 1991. (Y-P-CRU)
A collection of short stories featuring characters from earlier books by Chris Crutcher.
Gallo, Donarl R. Ultimate Sports: Short Stories by Outstanding Writers for Young, 1995. (Y-P-ULT)
A collection of 16 short stories about teen athletes written by well-known authors in the field, including Robert Lipsyte and Chris Crutcher.
Lynch, Chris. Slot Machine; 1995. (Y-Lynch/Y-P-LYN)
When overweight Elvin is sent to camp at St. Paul’s SeminaryRetreatCenter, he and his best friends are forced to try out various sports in order to find out where they belong.
Macy, Sue (ed.). Girls Got Game: Sports Stories and Poems; 2001. (Y-Girls)
A collection of short stories and poems written by and about young women in sports.
Gallo, Donald R. Ultimate Sports: Short Stories by Outstanding Writers for Young, 1995. (Y-P-ULT)
A collection of 16 short stories about teen athletes written by well-known authors in the field, including Robert Lipsyte and Chris Crutcher.
Wallace, Rich. Losing is Not an Option; 2003. (Y-Wallace)
Eleven episodes in the life of a young man, from sneeing into his tenth football game in a row with his best friend to running his last high school race.
Automobile Racing
Esckilsen, Erik. The Outside Groove; 2006. (Y-Esckilsen)
Tired of having her own accomplismhments ignored, Casey, sister of the town’s racing champ, becomes the local track’s first female driver and learns about winning.
Lipsyte, Robret. Yellow Flag; 2007. (Y-Lipsyte)
When Kyle reluctantly succumbs to pressure and replaces his injured brother in the family racecar, he struggles to keep up with his trumpet playing and his music dreams.
Peck, Richard. Here Lies the Librarian; 2006. (Y-LPeD-Peck Historical)
Eleanor “Peewee,” a tomboy and automobile enthusiast, discovers new possibilities for her future after the 1914 arrival in her small town of four young librarians.
Strasser, Todd. Slide or Die; 2005. (Y-P-STR)
Kennin is drawn into the dangerous world of racing cars in Las Vegas.
Strasser, Todd. Battle Drift; 2005. (Y-P-STR)
Kennin’s gaining popularity with the gearheads, but he realizes he needs to give up the illegal tsuisos in order to go legit and if he chooses wrong he could be in trouble.
Weaver, Will. Saturday Night Dirt; 2008. (Y-Weaver)
In a small town, the much-anticipated weekly dirt-track race at the speedway becomes an important life-changing event for all the participants on and off the track.
Weaver, Will. Super Stock Rookie; 2009. (Y-Weaver)
Trace knows he is fortunate to have a chance at being a paid race driver when he is still in school, but he regrets he must leave his friends and home track and wonders if his sponsor is legitimate.
Baseball
Bildner, Phil. Playing the Field; 2006. (Y-Bildner)
When Darcy pretends to be a lesbian to play on the boy’s baseball team, she must learn to battle discrimination both on and off the field.
Brooks, Bruce. The Moves Make the Man; 1984. (Y-LPeD-Brooks)
A black boy with a talent for basketball and an emotionally troubled white boy, who is great on the baseball field, in North Caroline form a precarious friendship.
Chabon, Michael. Summerland; 2002. (Y-Chabon Fantasy/Y-LPeD-Chabon Fantasy)
Ethan Feld, the worst baseball playing in the history of the game, finds himself recruited by a 1100-year-old scout to help a band of fairies triumph over an ancient enemy.
Deuker, Carl. Heart of a Champion; 1993. (Y-Deuker)
Seth faces a strain on his friendship with Jimmy, who is both a baseball champion and something of an irresponsible fool, when Jimmy is kicked off the team.
Deuker, Carl. High Heat; 2003. (Y-Deuker)
When sophomore Shane Hunter’s father is arrested for money laundering, the star pitcher’s life of affluence and private schools begins to fall apart.
Garfield, Henry. Tartabull’s Throw; 2001. (Y-Garfield/Y-P-GAR)
In 1967, an encounter with a mysterious young woman from Maine involves a baseball player in an investigation of a vicious murderous werewolf.
Gratz, Alan. Samurai Shortstop; 2006. (Y-Grats)
While obtaining a Western education at a boarding school, Toyo also receives samurai training, which has profound effects on his baseball game and his relationship with his father.
Green, Tim. Baseball Great; 2009. (Y-Green)
All Josh wants to do is play baseball, but when his father, a minor league pitcher, signs him up for a youth team, Josh finds himself in a situation with potentially illegal consequences.
Heldring, Thatcher. Toby Wheeler, Eighth-Grade Benchwarmer; 2007. (Y-Heldring)
When Toby finally decides to join the basketball team, he does not anticipate the changes that will occur in his relationship with his best friend, who is the star player.
Jenkins, A.M. Out of Order; 2003. (Y-Jenkins)
Sophomore Colt Trammel loves baseball an his girlfriend Grace, but he hates the rest of high school an maintains a tough façade to hide his feelings of inferiority.
Johnston, Tim. Never So Green; 2002. (Y-Johnston)
Tex overcomes his self-consciousness about his deformed right hand to take baseball lessons from his stepfather and tomboy stepsister, who harbors a dark secret.
Koertge, Ronald. Shakespeare Bats Cleanup; 2003. (Y-Koertge/Y-PRD-KOE)
When a baseball player catches mononucleosis, he discovers that keeping a journal and experimenting with poetry helps fill the time and sort through some problems.
Koertge, Ronald. Shakespeare Makes the Playoffs; 2010. (Y-Koertge)
Kevin Boland, poet and first baseman, is torn between his cute girlfriend Mira and Amy, who is funny, plays Chopin, and is also a poet. Sequel to Shakespeare Bats Cleanup.
Lipsyte, Robert. Center Field; 2010. (Y-Lypsite)
Mike lives for baseball and hopes to follow his idol in to the major leagues, but he is distracted by a new player who might take his place in center field, and ankle injury, problems at home, and a growing awareness that something bad is happening at school.
Lupica, Mike. The Big Field; 2008. (Y-Lupica)
When Hutch feels threatened by a new teammate named Darryl, he tries to work through his insecurities about both Darryl and his remote and father, a once-great ballplayer.
Lupica, Mike. Heat; 2006. (Y-Lupica)
Pitching prodigy, Michael is on the run from social services after being banned from playing baseball because rival coaches doubt his age an he has no parents to offer proof.
Lupica, Mike. The Batboy; 2010. (Y-Lupica)
Even though his mom feels baseball ruined her marriage, she allows Brian to become a batboy for the Detroit Tigers, who just drafted his favorite player back onto the team.
Lyga, Barry. Boy Toy; 2007. (Y-Lyga)
After fighting his way past memories of being molested, Josh gets help in coping with his molestor’s release from prison when he finally tells his best friends the whole truth.
Lynch, Chris. Gol Dust; 2002. (Y-LPeD-Lynch)
Richard befriends Napoleon, a newcomer to his Catholic high school, hoping that Napoleon will learn to love baseball an win acceptance in the racially polarized school
Malamud, Bernar. The Natural; 1952. (Y-PRD-MAL)
Roy Hobbs is a natural with the bat an dreams of playing in the big leagues, but his they must be put on hold after a youthful indiscretion.
McCormick, Patricia. My Brother’s Keeper; 2004. (Y-McCormick)
Toby, a prematurely gray-haired baseball fan and baseball card collector, tries to cope with his brother’s drug abuse, his father’s absence, and his mother’s new boyfriend.
Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. The Girls Take Over; 2004. (Y-LPeD-Naylor)
The Malloy girls and the Hatford boys continue to get in trouble as they try to outdo each other in bottle racing, spelling, and baseball.
Powell, Randy. Dean Duffy; 1995. (Y-P-POW)
Dean, a former baseball star whose future has been ruined by a batting slump and a bad arm, is offered a baseball scholarship finds himself uncertain about whether to take it.
Scaletta, Kurtis. Mudville; 2009. (Y-Scaletta)
For 22 years since a fateful baseball game against a rival town, it has rained in Moundville, so when it finally stops, Roy, his friends, and foster brother dare to face the curse and form a team.
Sonnenblick, Jordan. Dodger & Me; 2008. (Y-Sonnenblick)
Miserable because his friend moved a way and he again caused his team to lose the big game, Ryan’s life changes when he finds Dodger, a blue chimp that only he can see.
Trueman, Terry. 7 Days at the Hot Corner; 2007. (Y-Trueman)
Varsity Baseball player Scott Latimer struggles with his own prejudices an those of others when his best friend reveals that he is gay.
Turner, Ann Warren. Hard Hit; 2006. (Y-Turner)
A rising high school baseball star faces his most difficult challenge when is father is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Weaver, Will. Striking Out; 1993. (Y-P-WEA)
Since the death of his older brother, Billy has had a distant relationship with his ad, but life on their farm begins to change when he starts to play baseball.
Weaver, Will. Farm Team; 1995. (Y-P-WEA)
With his dad in jail and his mom working full-time, Billy finds himself in charge of running the family farm and having to give up the thing he loves most … baseball.
Weaver, Will. Hard Ball; 1998. (Y-P-WEA)
Billy has to figure out how to get along with the rival in his love life and on the baseball diamond, and both boys must learn how to deal with the unfair expectations of their dads.
Basketball
Baskin, Nora Raleigh. Basketball (or Something Like It); 2005. (Y-Baskin)
Hank, Nathan, Jeremy, and Anabel face the realities of basketball including family pressure, a series of coaches with different agendas, and what it means to be a team
Bennett, James. The Squared Circle; 1995. (Y-Bennett)
Sonny, a freshman and star basketball player, finds the pressures of college life, NCAA competition, and an unsettling relationship with his cousin bring up painful memories.
Brooks, Bruce. The Moves Make the Man; 1984. (Y-LPeD-Brooks)
A black boy with a talent for basketball and an emotionally troubled white boy, who is great on the baseball field, in North Caroline form a precarious friendship.
Brouwer, Sigmund. Titan Clash; 2007. (Y-P-BRO Hi/Lo)
Jack has more to worry about than being kicked off the basketball team when he uncovers suspicious circumstances surrounding the car crash that injured his mother.
de la Pena, Matt. Ball Don’t Lie; 2005. (Y- Pena)
Sticky lives to play basketball at school and at the LincolnRecCenter and is headed for the pros, but he is unaware of the dangers, including his past, that threaten his dream.
Deuker, Carl. ON the Devil’s Court; 1988. (Y-P-DEU)
Struggling with this feelings of inadequacy and his failure to make the basketball team at his new school, Joe finds himself willing to trade his soul for one perfect season.
Deuker, Carl. Night Hoops; 2000. (Y-Deuker/Y-P-DEU)
While trying to prove he is good enough to be on the varsity basketball team, Nick must also deal with his parents’ divorce and erratic behavior of a troubled classmate.
Feinstein, John. Last Shot: A Final Four Mystery; 2005. (Y-LPeD-Feinstein)
After winning a basketball reporting contest, Stevie and Susan Carol are sent to cover the Final Four tournament, where they discover that a talented player is being blackmailed.
Foley, John. Hoops of Steel; 2007. (Y-Foley)
Passionate about basketball, troubled teen Jackson O’Connell chronicles the ways the game colors the events of his senior year in high school.
Glenn, Mel. Jump Ball: A Basketball Season in Poems; 1997. (Y-Glenn)
Tells the story of a high school basketball team’s season through a series of poems reflecting the feelings of students, their families, teachers, and coaches.
Heldring, Thatcher. Tobey Wheeler, Eighth-Grade Benchwarmer, 2007. (Y-Heldring)
When Tony finally decides to join the basketball team, he doesn’t anticipate the changes that will occur with his relationship with his best friend, the team’s star player.
King, Donna. Slam Dunk; 2007 (Y-P-KIN)
Ashlee top-scoring point guard at school, but her mom worries that basketball is going to get in the way of her bright academic future. How can she balance her work and sport?
Klass, David. Danger Zone; 1996. (Y-P-KLA)
When he joins a predominately black team to represent the US at an international basketball tournament, Jimmy makes some unexpected discoveries about prejudice, racism, and politics.
Lupica, Mike. Travel Team; 2005 (Y-Lupica/Y-LPeD-Lupica)
After he is cut from his travel team, the one his father once led to national prominence, Danny forms his own team of cast-offs that might have a shot at victory.
Lupica, Mike. Summer Ball; 2007. (Y-Lupica)
Thirteen-year-old Danny must prove himself all over again for disapproving coach and against new rivals at a summer basketball camp. Sequel to Travel Team.
Lupica, Mike. Miracle on 49th Street; 2006. (Y-Lupica)
After her mother’s death, twelve-year-old Molly learns that her father is a basketball star for the Boston Celtics
Mackel, Kathy. Boost; 2008. (Y-Mackel)
Thirteen-year-old Savvy’s dream of starting for her elite basketball team are in danger when she is accused of taking steroids.
Murdock, Catherine Gilbert. Front and Center; 2009. (Y-Murdock)
Everyone has big plans for DJ, including her coach, college scouts, the town’s basketball fans, and certain junior who’s keen for romance and karaoke. Sequel to The Off Season.
Myers, Walter Dean. Game; 2008. (Y-Myers/Y-LPeD-Myers)
If Drew is going to realize his dream of playing college basketball, he will have to improve at being coached and being a team player, particularly after a new, white, student threatens to take the scouts’ attention away from him.
Myers, Walter Dean. The Outside Shot; 1984. (Y-PRD-MYE)
Recruited by a small college to play basketball, a Harlem boy has many new experiences, including working with a child who needs physical therapy and dealing with college sports.
Myers, Walter Dean. Slam!; 1996. (Y-P-MYE)
Sixteen-year-old “Slam” Harris is counting on his basketball talents to get him out of the inner city and give him a chance to succeed in life, but his coach sees things differently.
Pena, Matt de la. Ball Don’t Lie; 2005. (Y-Pena)
Sticky lives to play basketball in Los Angeles and is headed for the pros, but he is unaware of the many dangers, including his own past, that threaten his dream.
Rallison, Janette. Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Free Throws; 2004. (Y-Rallison Romance)
High school freshmen Josie and Cami try to remain best friends as the compete for basketball awards and boys.
Sitomer, Alan Lawrence. The Hoopster; 2005. (Y-Sitomer)
Andrew Anderson is a black teen who loves to play basketball. When he is viciously attacked, it calls his whole world into question – even his deadly jumpshot.
Volponi, Paul. Black and White; 2005. (Y-Volponi)
Two star high school basketball players, one black and one white, experience the justice system differently after committing a crime together and getting caught.
Volponi, Paul. RuckerPark Setup; 2007. (Y-Volponi)
While playing basketball on a court where his best friend was murdered, Mackey tries to come to terms with his part in the murder and whether to tell what really happened.
Wallace, Rich. Playing Without the Ball: A Novel in Four Quarters; 2000. (Y-LPeD-Wallace)
Feelign abandoned by his parents, who went their separate ways, Jay finds hope for the future in a church-sponsored basketball team and a female friend
Football
Brouwer, Sigmund. Cobra Strike; 2007. (Y-P-BRO Hi/Lo)
After discovering tainted water in a creek, Roy slowly uncovers a connection between his team’s new star quarterback, his own football future, and the source of the pollution
Cheripko, Jan. Imitate the Tiger; 1996. (Y-P-CHE)
A high school football player has to face his collapsing world brought on by his drinking problem.
Cochran, Thomas. Roughnecks; 1997. (Y-P-COC)
Travis Cody prepares for the final game of his high school football career, a rematch with the school’s chief rival.
Cheripko, Jan. Imitate the Tiger; 1996. (Y-P-CHE)
A high school football player has to face his collapsing world brought on by his drinking problem.
Coy, John. Crackback; 2005. (Y-Coy)
Miles barely recalls when football was fun after being sidelined by a new coach, constantly criticized by his father and his pressured by his friend to take performance-enhancing drugs.
Crutcher, Chris. Running Loose; 1983. (Y-Crutcher/Y-P-CRU)
Louie, a high school senior in a small Idaho town, learns about sportsmanship, love, and death as he matures into manhood.