Most Popular Books by Fred Bowen

Eighth-grade soccer forward Nick Osborne and his teammates are highly competitive but, with help from his soccer-playing aunt, Nick begins to see that good sportsmanship is more important than winning. Includes a recipe for oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and the real story behind the novel.

DIVDIVMichael and his basketball teammates are eager to compete, but don’t believe their team can win without a tall player./divDIV Then they discover the full-court press, mastered in the 1960s by the UCLA Bruins on their way to the NCAA championship. Can this strategy be what they’re looking for when they go head-to-head with taller teams?/divDIV/div/div

DIVDIVMarcus is tall, strong, and the best basketball player on his team—except at the foul line./divDIV At the end of an important game, Marcus misses crucial free throws and his team loses. Afraid of being fouled and failing again, he stops playing aggressively and beings passing up chances to score./divDIV But when he learns a silly-looking technique that works, Marcus must decide if he is willing to put his pride on the line in order to succeed./divDIV/div/div

Tyler is angry when his best friend Zack, their team’s hotshot midfielder, leaves to play for the Panthers, an elite travel team. He’s sure the Cougars’ season will tank—before it even begins. The Cougars lose their season opener—and their next game, too. Tyler blames Zack, but it’s clear his team needs a new attitude—and a lot more practice. Can Tyler help make a difference before it’s too late?

DIVDIVJamie has the perfect glove. No matter the play, he can make the catch. He’s oiled the glove all winter and, as the season approaches, he—and his glove—are in top form./divDIV But when the golden glove mysteriously disappears, so do Jamie’s confidence and his baseball skills./divDIV Will Jamie find his glove in time for the big game? Was the golden glove really the secret of his success?/divDIV/div/div

Brett Carter is a hotshot on his basketball team, the Wildcats—or at least he was. After missing an easy layup shot at the buzzer in an important game, he feels like a total loser. But things get worse. At his best friend’s birthday party at a rock climbing center, Brett freezes on the wall. Then he blows an easy question in the American history bee at school. He is losing his confidence fast, both on and off the court—and the championship game is coming up. Can Brett overcome his fears and play like a “winner” again?

DIVDIVSam loves football. There’s nothing better than the rush he gets when his team, the Cowboys, are working together—moving closer and closer to the end zone./divDIV In a key game, the Cowboys beat their arch rivals to remain undefeated, thanks to a major play by Sam. But the celebration ends when he and his teammates make an unwelcome discovery./divDIV Is the Cowboys’ perfect season in jeopardy?/div/div

Brendan is a star player on a team going nowhere. It looks as if his playoff dreams will never come true—at least not with his team! He feels almost as bad as Ernie Banks, the Hall-of-Famer who played in more games than any other major leaguer without ever going to the playoffs or World Series. But when his uncle takes him to a game at Wrigley Field, an unexpected event makes Brendan see his team in a new light. Could his playoff dreams come true?

Chris desperately wants to be more than a benchwarmer on his basketball team. Hoping he can get more playing time, he asks his friend Greta, the high-scoring star of the girls’ team, for help with his shooting skills. But it is Greta’s mom—a former basketball star who never even scored a basket—who teaches Chris how to change his strategy and become a success on the court.

T.J. is smaller than his teammates and his pitches just don''t have the power to get the batters out. When he learns about 1940s player Rip Sewell, he may have found a solution. Now in a newly revised format! More than anything, T. J. wants to be a pitcher. But he''s smaller than his teammates, and his pitches just don''t pack the power they need to strike out the batters. When T. J. learns about one of baseball''s early heroes, Pittsburgh Pirate Rip Sewell, he decides to try Sewell''s secret weapon. But will his teammates give T. J. a chance to prove that he can be a pitcher? And will T. J.''s secret pitch help lead his team to victory?

DIVIt seems like Ryan, Zeke, Miles, and Eli have been friends forever. They spend practically every afternoon together playing basketball or just hanging out. But this year is different. All four friends are trying out for the basketball team./divDIV With so many good players in the running, Ryan is concerned that he won’t make the team. But he’s even more worried about what will happen to his group of friends if all of them don’t make the final cut./divDIV/div

Kris wants to be a star scorer like his brother—so why does his coach keep him waiting on the bench? Kris comes from a sports-loving family. His brother is the star scorer on the high school team, and is being recruited by Division 3 colleges. Kris longs to earn the same adulation, and he’s a good scorer for his junior high team. But why won’t his coach start him? He’s better on defense than his rival, Carlos, and nearly as good a shooter. Soon Kris becomes obsessed with earning a place in his team’s starting lineup. He does everything he can think of—including being an invaluable player every time he comes in. But nothing seems to get Coach’s attention. Even after he learns the history of the valuable “6th man,” Kris can’t seem to let it go. How will he ever be a big scoring star? For every kid who hates to read but loves basketball, comes a suspenseful novel with plenty of play-by-play sports action. A Bank Street Best Children''s Book of the Year

A baseball book full of on the field action perfect for middle grade readers. "Strike one is the best pitch in baseball." Mike loves pitching, and he loves knowing his team counts on him to deliver wins. But Mike''s father starts to worry that Mike is getting too carried away with baseball and not spending time working at after school jobs and developing a sense of responsibility. Can Mike and his father reach a compromise in order to let Mike play the game he loves and help his team win the league championship? Read “The Real Story” of Harvey Haddix, who pitched a perfect game against the Atlanta Braves in 1959 and LOST. Baseball fans will love this extra dive into sports history.

The Reds and the Cubs are battling for the first place in the Rising Stars League. The Reds need a victory in today’s game to push ahead in the standings. Kyle, the Reds center fielder, wants to win so much that he secretly cheats—just a little—to clinch the game for his team. His teammates go wild with victory. His parents beam with pride. Suddenly Kyle feels uneasy. But what can he do? He’s a winner—and he can’t turn back now . . .

Ted Williams hit .406 for the season in 1941? a feat not matched since. In this inspirational picture book, authentic sportswriting and rich, classic illustrations bring to life the truly spectacular story of the Red Sox legend, whose hard work and perseverance make him the perfect role model for baseball enthusiasts of all ages.

This accessible, informative, and beautifully illustrated book celebrates the 100th anniversary of the NFL and is the perfect keepsake for football fans of all ages. The National Football League is the most popular sports league in the United States. Its championship game, the Super Bowl, is watched by millions of people every year. But it wasn’t always like this. In the last one hundred years, football has changed from a poorly organized, often overlooked sport to America’s favorite pastime. Here are the stories of that remarkable transformation. The stories of the greatest players, the most successful coaches, the most memorable games—and the amazing plays that made us gasp as we watched them in stadiums and on televisions all over America. Discover the league’s scrappy beginnings in an automobile showroom, and early players like Red Grange, the Galloping Ghost. Relive the very first championship game, played indoors after a circus had visited, and famous games like the Ice Bowl. See the NFL at war, and meet some of the remarkable athletes who helped desegregate the league. Learn how the draft came into existence, and about the teams that strove for that almost impossible goal—a perfect season. Veteran sportswriter Fred Bowen brings his in-depth knowledge and lively prose to these fascinating stories, and award-winning artist James E. Ransome has created stunning full-page illustrations that bring the sport of football to life like never before.

Leo must discover his strengths and find alternative ways to help his football team, especially on Special Teams, when his coach questions whether wide receiver is the right position for him

Isaac is determined to pitch a perfect game: no hits, no runs, no walks, and no errors. He can''t settle for less if he wants to make the summer all-star team. But when he allows a hit, Isaac keeps losing his cool on the mound and can''t get his head back in the game. Then Issac meets a very interesting Unified Sports basketball player who gets him thinking in a different way about the whole idea of a "perfect" game. But will this change in perspective help him be a better pitcher? Themes of kindness, friendship, perfection, and ability star in this inspiring installment of Fred Bowen''s Sports Story Series. The afterword provides interesting facts about the Special Olympics.