New Releases by Andrew Gutelle

Illustrated by Paul Meisel. Cobi Jones is America's soccer star. The charismatic midfielder for both the U.S. National Team and the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer, Cobi is known for his fiery speed and masterful assists, his forays into the media (he hosts Mega-Dose on MTV and appears regularly in magazines), and his passion to make soccer as popular in the United States as it is in the world. To that end, he's starting with the kids. Formatted like Kirby Puckett's Baseball Games, Cobi Jones Soccer Games is a combination of an illustrated book packaged with a size 4 regulation soccer ball. Featuring 30 games, drills, exercises, instruction, and professional tips from Cobi, Soccer Games is about learning and improving the fundamental skills needed to play soccer. There's the basic instep kick, with games like Kickoff, Hide and Kick, Touchdown, and 5V2 to improve accuracy and power. A chapter on dribbling, including how to dribble with both feet, the long-distance dribble, and how to shield the ball from a defender. All-important passing skills--the push pass, outside-of-the-foot pass, back heel pass, chip pass, and heading the ball. Plus how to trap, juggle, defend, and be a successful goalkeeper--all of which can be practiced immediately with the soccer ball. Just set up a goal and play! For kids ages 5-10. 55,000 copies in print.

Illustrated by Paul Meisel. With his solid work ethic, knowledge of baseball, and contagious enthusiasm, Kirby Puckett's an inspiration to everyone on his team--a team that's just been expanded to include every six- to nine-year-old who plays the game. Kerby Puckett s Baseball Games is an illustrated book about learning and improving basic baseball skills through 34 great games, no-frills drills, and insider instruction from Kirby. These are the fundamentals. There's hitting, including how to pick the right bat, how to find a comfortable grip, how to swing for the fence, or lay down the perfect bunt. Running, with games like Speed Tag, Rundown, Capture the Glove, and Base Burglar. Fielding, with Kirby's Gold Glove tips (he won six of them). And 15 games and drills to teach throwing and pitching basics--which kids will be able to do using the baseball that's packaged with the book. It's a "soft-hit" Puckett practice ball that is custom-printed with lefty and righty grips for the basic overhand pitch. With baseball rules, scoring basics, baseball talk--and Kirby Puckett's veteran insights and words of encouragement all along the way--it's an all-star guide. 126,000 copies in print.