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Donte and his brother are biracial; their mother is Black, their father is white. They attend the same wealthy suburban school but have very different experiences there. Donte is dark-skinned but his brother appears white. How Donte gains a sense of sense of self and beats the bully at his own game is compelling and timely.

Not everyone aspires to be a champion rock climber like Ashima. Her skill and passion grow with practice and study. The athlete’s story is likely to provide inspiration for all those who aim for greatness in any field. Color illustrations capture the climber’s determination.

Twelve-year-old Peter Lee and his family are baseball lovers, who bond over back lot games and talk of the Pittsburgh Pirates. But when tragedy strikes, the family flies apart and baseball no longer seems to matter. Is that true? Peter wonders if just maybe the game they love can pull them together and bring them back, safe at home.

Aisulu’s brother, Serik, wants to become an eagle hunter but ill health prevents it. When Serik is diagnosed with cancer, Aisulu finds the orphaned eaglet and becomes a rare female eagle hunter and competes to win money to pay for Serik’s treatment. Sophisticated readers are likely to enjoy the fast-paced action set in contemporary Western Mongolia.

Young Carter Jones first meets Mr. Bowles-Fitzpatrick, an English butler, on a particularly hectic and rainy morning. Mr. Bowles-Fitzpatrick comes to the Jones family from Carter’s recently deceased grandfather to bring order, cricket and help to the family while the father is deployed. By turn humorous and touching, Carter grows emotionally as do his fellow cricket players and the entire family in this fast, fresh, and nuanced novel.

Yogi Berra was one of a kind. He didn’t excel in school but is still quoted today. And in spite of the naysayers, Yogi went on to become an admired ballplayer. His story is told in rich, detailed illustrations and lucid text, interspersed with “Yogi-isms”. In addition to more detail about Berra’s life and times, baseball aficionados will appreciate the statistics included in the back matter.

Sports are for everyone! Short, rhythmic poems about a range of familiar (as well as less well known sports like lacrosse) are presented in a highly illustrated, format sure to read aloud well. 

A baseball game. A kid watching. An outfielder needed. It should be an easy out, but not really when all manner of fantastic things get in the way of catching the ball. What really happens in this a riveting, nearly wordless baseball game is open to interpretation and certainly worthy of multiple examinations.

When Trey loses his lucky piece of sea glass, he’s convinced that his luck is gone, too. He goes into a slump in baseball, not certain that he can ever get his mojo back. Baseball fans will enjoy the baseball terms and jargon and just may figure out that lucky charms are not what create success on or off the baseball field.

Even as a kid, Max had a good arm. He even pitched while he served in the Navy where he struck out Joe DiMaggio. The next time he pitched to the star, Joltin’ Joe hit a homerun which is when Max’s career as a baseball clown really started. Meet Max Patkin and follow his unusual baseball career in comic illustrations and straightforward text.

When Jack and Annie don the magic baseball hats given to them by Morgan, they find themselves back in 1947 as batboys. There they learn a lot about the game, a player named Jackie Robinson, and how history was made. Readers may also want to find out more in the accessible nonfiction companion, Baseball (Magic Tree House Fact Tracker) (opens in a new window) which introduces more about the people and players of the period.

Two dudes, a platypus and a beaver, paddle out to ride a wave but see a threatening fin nearby. Is the huge shark a threat or a friend waiting to be made? This wacky, almost wordless tale is told in large spreads and smaller panels of expressive characters complemented by the equally expressive typeface of the few words used. Get it, dude!?

Before he became a baseball hero, Jack R. Robinson became a four-letter athlete during his time at UCLA. Soon after he left college, he joined the army where he continued to stand up for what was right. His pre-baseball career is presented in a clearly documented, accessible text and expressive, evocative illustrations.

The life and career of world renowned boxer, born Cassius Clay but better known as Muhammed Ali, is presented in a straightforward narrative accompanied by dramatic, realistic paintings.  Though first published in 2002, the information is factual and includes a timeline includes Ali’s 2016 death.

The story of the original Jamaican Bobsled Team is about having the courage to pursue your dreams, perseverance, and defining success in your own terms. The 4-man team competed at the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary, Canada — and although they didn’t win a medal, they won the heart of the entire world. The author, who wrote the story in poetry form, was a member of the team.

Callie Cat loves to ice skate. When the Honeybrook Ice Rink announces a contest, everyone thinks it could be Callie’s big chance! She wants to win the big prize … doesn’t she?

An a-to-z introduction to ice hockey and some highlights from its history. For example, “U is for Team USA-/Who, to everyone’s surprise,/at Lake Placid won Olympic Gold/before a nation filled with pride.” The use of Canadian spelling is a tribute to the origins of the game. Bold acrylic paintings depict professional players, as well as youngsters at play.

The winter sports season is here, and the Aldens are excited about all the snow activities — especially snowboarding. But soon they find themselves in the middle of a mystery surrounding a star athlete and a stolen snowboard.

In an ice-hockey match unrivalled in prehistory, this is the tale of the Meat-Eaters taking on the Veggiesaurs. By sorting teams into carnivores and herbivores the author sneaks in a science lesson in this amusing pairing of sport and prehistoric beasts.

Max and Marla are best friends. And aspiring Olympians! With their eyes on the prize, they know exactly what it’ll take to reach sledding success: preparation, practice and perseverance.

What would you be willing to do for a Winter Olympics gold medal? This story celebrates winter, following your dreams, and staying true to who you are. Meet Snowman Paul, who is energetic and playful — a snowman with big dreams who’s not afraid to be different.

Published in anticipation of the 2014 games in Sochi, Russia, this book includes Winter Olympics’ history, events, symbols, and controversies, as well as a chapter on the Winter Paralympics. Full-color action photos are accompanied by facts on the Olympics and Olympic athletes of the past. Back matter includes a table of top medal-winning countries, a world map, and a selective list of relevant websites.