Extraordinary Lives: Serena Williams by Shelina Janmohamed

Serena Williams began playing tennis when she was just a child, and is now an Olympic champion who's won more Grand Slam singles titles than anyone else. Throughout her life she's battled many things, from illnesses and sports injuries, to sexism and racism. Now, she's an icon in sport, fashion and activism.

Themes: tennis, non-fiction, biography, racism, activism

The Dog that Saved the World (Cup) by Phil Earle

Pickles the dog and his owner Elsie love football more than anything. And they’ve just heard the most amazing news. The World Cup is coming home to England and Elsie’s team have a chance to play in a half-time match at Wembley – with some help from Pickles, of course!

Themes: football, quick read, family, pets, women’s football

Striking Out by Ian Wright & Musa Okwonga

Thirteen-year-old Jerome Jackson dreams of becoming a world-class footballer. But with a difficult home life, Jerome can't see how he'll ever make this dream come true... until he meets a mentor figure who can hopefully put him on the right track.

Themes: football, family, personal development, ambitions

Thirteen-year-old Jerome Jackson dreams of becoming a world-class footballer. But with a difficult home life, Jerome can't see how he'll ever make this dream come true... until he meets a mentor figure who can hopefully put him on the right track.

Themes: football, family, personal development, ambitions

Key Player by Kelly Yang

The Women's World Cup is coming to California, and everyone has football fever - especially Mia Tang! But when her PE teacher gives her a C, Mia has to pull up her grade by scoring interviews with the championship teams - which isn’t easy when they’re not taking media requests...

Themes: football, women’s football, family, overcoming the odds

Tall Story by Candy Gourlay

Andi is short. And she has lots of wishes. She wishes she could play on the school basketball team, she wishes for her own bedroom, but most of all she wishes that her long lost half brother, Bernardo, could come and live in London - but when he does come, he’s not just tall, he’s a giant!

Themes: basketball, family, emigration, culture clash

Running on Empty by S. E. Durrant

AJ's grandfather has always been the one to keep his unusual family together, so when he dies things start to unravel at the edges. AJ is worried about his parents but they don't really seem to notice. In order to deal with his grief and to keep his anxiety at bay, AJ does what he and his grandfather did best: running.

Themes: running, family, bereavement, young carers

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

12-year-old Josh and his twin Jordan have basketball in their blood. They’re star players for their school team. Their father used to be a champion player and they each want nothing more than to follow in his footsteps. Both on and off the court, there is conflict and hardship which will test Josh’s bond with his brother.

Themes: basketball, brothers, family, personal issues, verse

Last Girl In by Cheryl Diane Parkinson

Kerry-Ann loves cricket - her Jamaican grandpa taught her to play as soon as she could hold a bat. But now some of her local club's elite cricketers want to keep out Kerry-Ann and her team. So Kerry-Ann devises a daring plan to beat the bullies - gaining inspiration from a very unexpected place.

Themes: cricket, British Caribbean culture, family, friendship

Kerry-Ann loves cricket - her Jamaican grandpa taught her to play as soon as she could hold a bat. But now some of her local club's elite cricketers want to keep out Kerry-Ann and her team. So Kerry-Ann devises a daring plan to beat the bullies - gaining inspiration from a very unexpected place.

Themes: cricket, British Caribbean culture, family, friendship

Booked by Kwame Alexander

Twelve-year-old Nick is a football-mad boy who absolutely hates books. He has to figure out how to navigate his parents’ break-up, stand up to bullies, and impress the girl of his dreams. These challenges – which seem even harder than scoring a game-winning goal – change his life, as well as his best friend’s.

Themes: football, family, friendship, relationships, verse

Game Changer by Tom Palmer

Melchester Women’s team are going from strength to strength in their first full season of professional football. But behind the scenes, club morale is low. After a shocking incident in a men's European game, and the recent Race family tragedy, Rocky, her brother Roy, and the whole club is struggling to cope.

Themes: football, women’s football, family, ambition

Kick by Mitch Johnson

Budi's plan is simple. He's going to be a star. He's going to play

for the greatest team on earth, instead of sweating over each

football boot he makes. But one unlucky kick brings Budi's world

crashing down. Now he owes the most dangerous man in

Jakarta. Soon it isn't only Budi's dreams at stake, but his life.

Themes: football, Indonesia, globalisation, exploitation, survival

Budi's plan is simple. He's going to be a star. He's going to play

for the greatest team on earth, instead of sweating over each

football boot he makes. But one unlucky kick brings Budi's world

crashing down. Now he owes the most dangerous man in

Jakarta. Soon it isn't only Budi's dreams at stake, but his life.

Themes: football, Indonesia, globalisation, exploitation, survival

Over the Line by Tom Palmer

It's 1914 and the world is at war. Talk of sportsmen's cowardice leads to the formation of a Footballers' Battalion and Jack has little choice but to join up. The promise of a Cup in Flanders offers a glimmer of hope, but Jack and his teammates will have to survive a waking nightmare if they are ever to play again.

Themes: football, WW1, based on a true story, war, survival

Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson

Astrid has always done everything with her best friend Nicole. So when Astrid falls in love with roller derby and signs up for a summer camp, she's sure Nicole will be right by her side - until Nicole signs up for ballet camp instead, with Astrid's biggest rival. So begins the hardest summer of Astrid's life...

Themes: roller skating, roller derby, friendship, graphic novel

Sunny by Jason Reynolds

When Sunny stops running in the middle of a race, Coach asks him what he wants to do instead. His answer is dance, but you can’t be on a track team and dance… can you? With his dad’s expectations weighing down on him, Sunny searches for a track event that feels like dancing.

Themes: running, dance, family, conflict

Becoming Muhammad Ali by James Patterson & Kwame Alexander

Before he was a household name, Cassius Clay was a kid with struggles like any other. After a thief stole his bike, Cassius began training as an amateur boxer at age twelve. Before long, he won his first Golden Gloves bout and began his transformation into the unrivalled Muhammad Ali.

Themes: boxing, biography, coming of age