Before she was scoring goals, Becky Sauerbrunn was just a kid trying to fit in. Learn more in this first book in a brand-new nonfiction series about the childhoods of your favorite athletes. Midway through her first soccer game for the US Women’s National Team, Becky Sauerbrunn broke her nose. More to the point, it exploded, really, in a head-to-head collision. Still, it never occurred to her to leave the field until she saw the horrified reaction from her teammates and coaches. Sauerbrunn’s toughness is one of the reasons she has developed into perhaps the finest defender in women’s soccer on the planet. The source of that toughness? Being the younger sister to two older brothers. Becky would do anything to play with her brothers—including allowing them to duct tape plywood to her forearms so she could play street hockey goalie and have her brothers shoot slapshots at her. Or letting them wrap her in blankets (so tightly she still has a phobia of bundling up) and launch her off the bed, trying to see how far they could get her to fly. But Sauerbrunn’s brothers also helped her in another important way—they helped her learn to read, which fueled a lifelong passion for books. In fact, she believes that reading has helped train her brain for the kind of problem-solving challenges she faces on the field, defending the most talented forwards in the world. Her cerebral approach, combined with her toughness, are the keys to her soccer success—the roots of both can be traced back to the little girl who wanted to hang with her brothers.

Jack's a star player on an elite soccer team along with his brother, Alex. The Lancers are on top of the league, even favored to win the National Championship. But the game's about to change. A slick bookie wins Jack's friendship and introduces him to illegal betting. Before long, Jack is hooked on the adrenaline rush, and early wins convince him that gambling could make him rich. Meanwhile, an ever-widening rift is forming between the two brothers. Suddenly, Jack's "system" fails and his luck runs out. How could a few losses pile up to a gut-kicking ten grand? When he can't pay, the bookie gives Jack one way out—throw the National Championship. But can he betray his brother, his team and himself?

The novel-in-verse follow up to the 2015 Newbery Medalist The Crossover. New York Times Bestseller-National Book Award Longlist - ILA-CBC Children's Choice List- ALA Notable Children's Book -Book Links' Lasting Connections - Kirkus Best Book - San Francisco Chronicle Best Book-Washington Post Best Book- BookPage Best Book A novel about a soccer-obsessed tween boy written entirely in verse? In a word, yes. Kwame Alexander has the magic to pull off this unlikely feat, both as a poet and as a storyteller. "- The Chicago Tribune Like lightning/you strike/fast and free/legs zoom/down field/eyes fixed/on the checkered ball/on the goal/ten yards to go/can't nobody stop you/ can't nobody cop you. . . In this follow-up to the Newbery-winning novel THE CROSSOVER, soccer, family, love, and friendship, take center stage as twelve-year-old Nick learns the power of words as he wrestles with problems at home, stands up to a bully, and tries to impress the girl of his dreams. Helping him along are his best friend and sometimes teammate Coby, and The Mac, a rapping librarian who gives Nick inspiring books to read. This electric and heartfelt novel-in-verse by poet Kwame Alexander bends and breaks as it captures all the thrills and setbacks, action and emotion of a World Cup match!"

As a child, Abby Wambach was loud and clear about what she wanted and what she didn’t, and she didn’t want to be left out of any competition—especially soccer. In this powerful biography, readers will dance and dart down fields with Abby as she slingshots--balls thwump... whiz... whoosh--straight into goals, sweating and scoring her way from school league leader to U.S. Women’s National Team star. The story follows Abby through both success and setbacks because while even pro athletes miss goals, face losses, and can get injured, determined Abby has always been tougher than her toughest challenge. Readers will cheer on this talented fan favorite as she kicks the legendary U.S. Women’s team toward Olympic fame, while also being reminded that there’s just as much inspiration in Abby’s struggles as in her victories.

Breathtaking first book in an new trilogy of spine-tingling historical adventures with a football twist from the top selling Tom Palmer. Everyone is freaked out when circles of scorched earth start appearing in Halifax on the moors, the parks and even the football pitches. Seth is most disturbed of all he sees the shadows of the past. But when he looks into a Viking's murderous eyes and smells the stink of burning flesh, Seth knows he must stop this cycle of supernatural suffering. With his friend Nadiya, can he discover the dark history behind the forces attacking their town?

It's meant to be a stress-free holiday in London, but suddenly Seth and Nadiya will need all their skills as Defenders. Ghostly activity is threatening a Premier League club as they build a new stadium on Roman ruins. One worker has already met a grisly death - and many other lives are in danger. The horror of modern injustice seems to have woken the spirits of the past... What can the Defenders do to change things?

As a tense Seth waits to hear if his mum's got the all-clear', he is haunted by visions. Heads on surrounding an Iron Age hill fort to keep intruders away. When Seth meets two football-crazy brothers from Aleppo their stories offer him a new sense of courage. Can he look death in the face and restore calm to the present?

For fifty years, Encyclopedia Brown has been the best boy detective on the block and a favorite character for generations of middle-grade readers. Following the classic formula, this installment presents ten mysteries, complete with answers at the end of the book that allow the reader to solve the cases, too. Join Encyclopedia as he takes on the cases of an African killfish, a library book vandal, and a nail-biting soccer game.

"To be a great soccer player, you must be in love with the game." - Mia Hamm Do you love lacing up your cleats for the first game of the season-and do you love it even more when they're caked with mud after the game? Are there many nights when you dream about kicking the ball, and watching as it soars through the air toward the goal? Would your perfect day include hours on the soccer field? Do you love to watch people play, soaking up everything you can from other soccer-crazy players? Have you ever felt like your soccer team is a second family? Then you're definitely soccer-crazy . . . and this book is definitely for you! From training techniques formations and strategies-this book has it all!