Book picks similar to
The Golden Glove by Fred Bowen


fiction
chapter-books
sports
sports-fiction

SpongeBob SquarePants Deep-Sea Tales: 6 Salty Sea Stories


Terry Collins - 2005
    Ahoy, mateys Here are six absolutely absorbing stories about SpongeBob and all his friends in Bikini Bottom that are sure to tickle your nautical funnybone.Included in this collection are:"Tea at the TreedomeNaughty Nautical NeighborsHall MonitorThe World's Greatest ValentineSpongeBob SuperstarSandy's Rocket"

Junie B., First Grader: Shipwrecked & Junie B., First Grader: BOO...and I MEAN it


Barbara Park - 2004
    Junie B. Jones has a new class, a new teacher, and even some new friends. She also has a new problem—she might need to get glasses! Will Junie B. manage to convince her parents that her eyes are just fine the way they are? How important could that blurry stuff on the chalkboard be, anyway?

Frankie vs the Pirate Pillagers


Frank Lampard - 2013
    

King of the Mound: My Summer with Satchel Paige


Wes Tooke - 2012
    People for miles around talked about the twelve-year-old boy with the golden arm. And then Nick is diagnosed with polio - a life-threatening disease in the 1930s. Everyone is devastated, especially Nick's father, who copes by closing off from his son. When Nick finally leaves the hospital he wants nothing more than to get back in the game, but he seems to be the only one who thinks it's possible. But after he begins working for Mr. Churchill, the owner of a minor league team, Nick meets Satchel Paige, arguably the best player in baseball. Satchel faces obstacles of his own - his skin color prevents him from joining the major leagues - and he encourages Nick to overcome the odds and step out of the dugout.

Kickoff


Donna King - 2007
    A family move from sunny Florida to an army base in the cold north of England leaves her lonely and angry. Outgoing Tyra hopes to fit in by playing soccer for the school team, but the girls' team is terrible, and the coach is too focused on the boys' team to do anything about it. Tyra wants to turn things around, but before she can do that, she has to get her teammates to take her advice--and they won't even talk to her!

The Kick Off


Dan Freedman - 2007
    But after he wrecks his chances at the trials, the pressure's on to prove himself.

Honus & Me


Dan Gutman - 1997
    He knows everything there is to know about the game -- except how to play well. His specialty is striking out. Stosh feels like a real loser, and when he takes a low-paying job cleaning a bunch of junk out of his neighbor's attic, he feels even worse -- until he comes across a little piece of cardboard that takes his breath away. His heart is racing. His brain is racing. He can hardly believe his eyes. Stosh has stumbled upon a T-206 Honus Wagner -- the most valuable baseball card in the world! And he's about to find out that it's worth a lot more than money....

Rebound


Kwame Alexander - 2018
    In this prequel to Newbery Medal winner The Crossover, Chuck Bell takes center stage, as readers get a glimpse of his childhood and how he became the jazz music worshipping, basketball star his sons look up to.

The Outside Shot


Walter Dean Myers - 1984
    That's the only way he'll have a chance of making it to the pros someday.But his street smarts haven't prepared him for the pressures of tough classes, high-stakes college ball, and the temptation to fix games for local gamblers. Everyone plays by a whole new set of rules -- including Sherry, who's determined to be a track star. Her independence attracts Lonnie, but their on-again, off-again relationship is driving him crazy.Lonnie has one year to learn how to make it as a "college man." It's his outside shot at a bright future. Does he have what it takes?

Home Game


Paul Quarrington - 1983
    Nathanael "Crybaby" Isbister was once the greatest baseball player in the world, but now he's a down-on-his-luck drifter on the road to oblivion.  That is until he wanders into a circus sideshow troupe stranded in a tiny Michigan town dominated by a hellfire-and brimstone religious sect.  The sect vows to drive the troupe out, but give them one unlikely chance to remain--the baseball game to end all baseball games.A funny, moving novel, Home Game walks the straight but delicate line between absurdity and compassion with dazzling style and expertise.

The Contract


Derek Jeter - 2014
    He even imagines himself in the World Series. So when Derek is chosen for the Little League Tigers, he hopes to play shortstop. But on the day of the assignments, Derek Starts at second base. Still, he tries his best while he wishes and dreams of that shortstop spot. And to help him stay focused on school, his parents make him a contract: keep up the grades or no baseball. Derek makes sure he always plays his best game—on and off the baseball field! Derek Jeter has played Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees for twenty seasons and is a five-time World Series Champion. He is a true legend in professional sports and a role model for young people both on the field and through his Turn 2 Foundation. Inspired by Derek Jeter’s childhood, The Contract is the first book in Derek Jeter’s middle grade baseball series, an important part of the Jeter Publishing program, which will encompass adult nonfiction titles, children’s picture books, middle grade fiction, Ready-to-Read children’s books, and children’s nonfiction. For more about Jeter Publishing visit JeterPublishing.com.

Ghost


Jason Reynolds - 2016
    That's all that Ghost (real name Castle Cranshaw) has ever known. But never for a track team. Nope, his game has always been ball. But when Ghost impulsively challenges an elite sprinter to a race—and wins—the Olympic medalist track coach sees he has something: crazy natural talent. Thing is, Ghost has something else: a lot of anger, and a past that he is trying to outrun. Can Ghost harness his raw talent for speed and meld with the team, or will his past finally catch up to him?

Stealing Home: The Story of Jackie Robinson: The Story Of Jackie Robinson


Barry Denenberg - 1990
    As the first black man to play in the all-white baseball leagues, he was a symbol of courage, hope, and unity for all black and white Americans, and for people throughout the world. A fresh new biography of an American hero. Illustrated.

The Heavenly Village


Cynthia Rylant - 1999
    Now repackaged with an updated look and feel. "This is a special book... it will move young readers. " -- Booklist, starred reviewHere is Cynthia Rylant's most memorable writing yet -- a spiritual novel about the wonders of life and the afterlife. In this book, a series of touching vignettes, she paints a moving picture of the stopping place between heaven and earth -- and in the process, she reminds us that life is an extraordinary gift, and that those we love are never really far away.

Out of The Blue, Young Reader's Edition


Victor Cruz - 2013
    While his meteoric rise in the NFL looked like the result of a magical year, it was actually a lifetime in the making.Raised in Paterson, New Jersey, Victor overcame numerous setbacks through hard work, perseverance, and the support of his loving family—from his grandmother who gave him his signature dance moves; to his late father, a former firefighter, who introduced him to football and taught him how to play; to his hard-working, single mother who never let him give up in the face of a challenge. They all helped to keep him on the right path, as did his coaches, but Cruz’s journey was never easy. There were academic struggles, injuries, and more. In this inspiring, never-before-seen account, Cruz pays tribute to the people and places that made him the man he is today, recounts his most defining moments, and illustrates how his hardships ultimately unleashed his impenetrable will to win.