Book picks similar to
I Told You I Can Play! by Brian Jordan


picture-books
sports
african-american
siblings

MUZZY: MY STORY


Muzzy Izzet - 2015
     Two good feet. Stamina. Decent in the air. He could run, shoot, pass, dribble, read the game, track back, tackle and score goals, brilliant goals, and one – a bicycle kick at Grimsby Town in 2002 – still rated as Leicester City’s greatest-ever goal. A half-English/half-Turkish kid from London’s East End, Izzet learned his trade the hard way; in kids’ leagues, playing against youngsters two or three years older, then as a young pro at Chelsea, kicked all over the Southern Counties League. When it looked like he couldn’t get a break, he contemplated jacking in the only thing he could do – the only thing he wanted to do – to go roofing with his old man. Enter Martin O’Neill and Leicester City… Inspired by the Northern Irishman’s unique motivational methods, Muzzy flourished in a side littered with big characters who worked hard and played hard, established names like Steve Walsh and Garry Parker who helped new faces like Neil Lennon, Robbie Savage and Emile Heskey. This is more than just a football book. It’s about what happened in the changing room, in the bar, being banned from La Manga – not once, but twice – and what happened when O’Neill’s side was dismantled, the club was relegated and, later, fell into administration. Muzzy was there for it all – the good times, the bad, the bits in between. Then there was Turkey. The dressing room rite of passage that spared no blushes and the secret drama behind the World Cup semi-final… Funny, unflinching and occasionally heartbreaking, Muzzy: My Story lifts the lid on 1990s football and a Leicester City legend, remembered fondly by all those who saw him.

Guvnors: Story of a Soccer Hooligan Gang by the Man Who Led It


Peter Walsh - 1997
    They fought scores of pitched battles with rival 'firms' until they were arrested by the police in the most successful undercover operation of its kind.

Anita and the Dragons


Hannah Carmona - 2021
    But being the valiant princess she is, she never lets them scare her. Then one day, Anita must face her fears to begin a new life in a new country. Will she be brave enough to enter the belly of the beast and take flight to new adventures?

There's a Lion in My Cornflakes


Michelle Robinson - 2014
    Well, when Dan and his brother decide to collect 100 coupons so that they can have their very own lion, they assume the task will be easy enough. How wrong can you be?! A wildly wacky story where anything can happen, There's a Lion in My Cornflakes brings together bestselling author Michelle Robinson and award-winning illustrator Jim Field for the very first time, with hilarious results.

Becoming Vanessa


Vanessa Brantley-Newton - 2021
    Vanessa isn't so sure. She wears her fanciest outfit so her new classmates will notice her right away. They notice, but the attention isn't what she'd hoped for. As the day goes on, she feels more self-conscious. Her clothes are too bright, her feather boa has way too many feathers, and even her name is too hard to write.The next day, she picks out a plain outfit, and tells her mom that her name is too long. She just wants to blend in, with a simple name like the other girls--why couldn't her parents have named her Megan or Bella? But when her mother tells her the meaning behind her name, it gives her the confidence she needs to introduce her classmates to the real Vanessa.

The Mango Tree and Other Stories


Rachna Srivastava - 2013
    Each tale discusses an important aspect of childhood and how a child might come to understand it. Young readers will be able to easily relate to the honest and innocent characters, and enjoy the situations those characters find themselves in. The lessons they will learn comprise an important part of growing up.

Dino-Football


Lisa Wheeler - 2012
    

Ginny Goblin Is Not Allowed to Open This Box


David Goodner - 2018
    GINNY GOBLIN IS NOT ALLOWED TO OPEN THIS BOX is the story of . . . well, there’s a box, and Ginny Goblin is not allowed to open it. But oh, how she will try!  Ninja suits, catapults, scaly serpents, motorcycles—Ginny will stop at nothing and she’ll make readers giggle and cheer from beginning to end. Ginny Goblin has one simple rule to follow: She is not allowed to open this box. Not until dinnertime.   But Ginny Goblin doesn't like to follow the rules, so nothing will stop her from trying to open this box. Not a tall tower, not a misty mountain, not a frightful forest, and certainly not a murky moat filled with scaly, scary serpents . . .   But wait! What is in the box? You'll have to open this book to find out! (Don't worry, you're allowed.)

I Am Darn Tough


Licia Morelli - 2020
    I am Darn Tough is a story to show how to keep going even when something is difficult. This beautifully illustrated narrative can inspire any child, anytime, who wants to run toward greater confidence in her/himself.

Let the Children March


Monica Clark-Robinson - 2018
    Martin Luther King Jr. speak. They protested the laws that kept black people separate from white people. Facing fear, hate, and danger, these children used their voices to change the world.

The Stone Thrower


Jael Ealey Richardson - 2016
    Against all odds, he became an incredible quarterback. But despite his unbeaten record in high school and university, he would never play professional football in the United States.Chuck Ealey grew up poor in a racially segregated community that was divided from the rest of town by a set of train tracks, but his mother assured him that he wouldn’t stay in Portsmouth forever. Education was the way out, and a football scholarship was the way to pay for that education. So despite the racist taunts he faced at all the games he played in high school, Chuck maintained a remarkable level of dedication and determination. And when discrimination followed him to university and beyond, Chuck Ealey remained undefeated.This inspirational story is told by Chuck Ealey’s daughter, author and educator Jael Richardson, with striking and powerful illustrations by award-winning illustrator Matt James.

Hike


Pete Oswald - 2020
    Today they're going on a hike. Follow the duo into the mountains as they witness the magic of the wilderness, overcome challenges, and play a small role in the survival of the forest. By the time they return home, they feel alive—and closer than ever—as they document their hike and take their place in family history. In detail-rich panels and textured panoramas, Pete Oswald perfectly paces this nearly wordless adventure, allowing readers to pause for subtle wonders and marvel at the views. A touching tribute to the bond between father and child, with resonant themes for Earth Day, Hike is a breath of fresh air.

Oh Dear!, Said the Deer


Sigal Adler - 2014
    

My Lucky Day


Keiko Kasza - 2003
    Fox's door "accidentally," the fox can hardly believe his good luck. It's not every day that dinner just shows up on your doorstep. It must be his lucky day! Or is it?Before Mr. Fox can say grace, the piglet has manipulated him into giving him a fabulously tasty meal, the full spa treatment (with bath and massage), and . . . freedom.In a funny trickster tale of her own, Kasza keeps readers guessing until the surprise ending when they'll realize it was piglet's lucky day all along.

There's an Alligator under My Bed


Mercer Mayer - 1987
    Full-color illustrations.