Goal! 16+ Soccer Books for Kids
by Laura Lambert
All Your Saturdays Occupied. If you get the reference, you may have a few of these soccer titles on your bookshelves already. If you don’t get the reference, know that, for the more than 3.5 million girls and boys who play in one of the two major youth soccer organizations in the United States (AYSO or US Youth Soccer), Saturday soccer is a way of life. On the field, they don cleats and shin guards, they aim for the goal, they learn the life lessons of teamwork. Off the field, they root for their favorite players — in MLS, at the Olympics, and on league teams around the world.
So what should the next Alex Morgan or Landon Donovan be reading? Here are some great soccer books for players and fans of all ages.
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Beginner Books:
When it comes to beginner books about soccer, just ask yourself — what’s my child’s spirit animal? Bunny, mouse, frog, raccoon, bear? You name it, there’s one wearing a soccer jersey and learning lessons about winning, losing, and playing fair.
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Betty Bunny Wants a Goal
Available from:Betty Bunny thinks she’s a soccer star, even though she’s never played. When bumbling reality butts up against overly high expectations, it’s time for a lesson about the value of hard work.
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Maisy Plays Soccer
Our friend Maisy puts on a blue jersey and learns lessons about good sportsmanship.
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Froggy Plays Soccer
Available from:One of the hardest things for little kids learning soccer? Don’t use your hands! That goes for Froggy, too, in this story about his big game. His mantra? "Head it! Boot it! Knee it! Shoot it! But don't use your hands!"
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Hunter & Stripe and the Soccer Showdown
The second book in a series exploring friendship and sibling rivalry, Hunter & Stripe and the Soccer Showdown is pretty much exactly what the title promises — two friends and a lesson about competition. A Book Sense Children's Picks for Fall 2005.
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Big Kicks
Biggie Bear is no soccer star, but when the call comes — he answers anyway!
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Early Readers
For early readers, it’s mostly about soccer stories starring familiar faces.
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Pinkalicious: Soccer Star
In this Level 1 I Can Read book, our girl Pinkalicious does soccer as only she can — with a pink ball and her friends on the Pinksters.
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Olivia Plays Soccer
A Level 1 Ready-to-Read, this one starring the inimitable Olivia, who really wants to wear a jersey in her signature red.
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Pelé, King of Soccer/Pelé, El rey del fútbol
Any kid who loves soccer should know the legend of Pelé. A Brazilian boy who practiced soccer barefoot because he couldn’t afford shoes grew up to be one of the greatest soccer players on earth, leading his team to the World Cup finals. Bonus, it’s bilingual.
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Soccer on a Sunday
Available from:In book #52 in the epic Magic Tree House series, Jack and Annie find themselves in Mexico City. It’s the 1970 World Cup and they’re looking for Pelé.
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The Soccer Fence: A Story of Friendship, Hope, and Apartheid in South Africa
Available from:I think of this book as “Invictus,” but about soccer and for the grade school set. Soccer is the backdrop for lessons about apartheid, Nelson Mandela, and how the love of sport can bring us together, regardless of race.
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Middle Grade and Young Adult Books:
Middle grade and young adult book readers are all about that soccer life — and learning more about the real-life soccer stars themselves.
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The Kicks Series
My daughter, a seasoned AYSO player, is obsessed with Alex Morgan — as she should be. In 2009, Morgan became the youngest member of the U.S. Women’s National Team. She quickly went on to wear Olympic gold and help clinch victory in the 2015 World Cup. And not only is she at the top of her game, she’s a role model when it comes to leadership and fighting for your rights (see: Equal Pay for Equal Play)
The Kicks is Morgan’s middle grade series about a girls’ soccer team, The Kentville Kangaroos — a.k.a. The Kicks. Set in California, where Morgan is from, the books cover familiar territory — the power of friendship, the importance of teamwork — with rich soccer details from someone who knows the game inside and out. New York Times bestseller; six in all.
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The Flea: The Amazing Story of Leo Messi
Soccer is an international game and fans, at this age, have favorites from all over the world. For many of them, it’s Lionel Messi. (I see his F.C. Barcelona jersey almost every day on the streets of Los Angeles.) In The Flea, fans get Messi’s life story, thanks to author and soccer fan Michael Part. Others books in the series include Neymar the Wizard, Cristiano Ronaldo — The Rise of a Winner, and Balotelli — The Untold Story.
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The Wild Soccer Bunch Series
In book 1 of The Wild Soccer Bunch series, we’re introduced to the The Wild Bunch, a group of soccer-obsessed kids in Chicago, and their nemeses, The Unbeatables — and the enduring themes of friendship, teamwork, and overcoming adversity. In book 3, Zoe, a girl, joins the boys. In book 4, the team enters a club league!
Each book in the series is narrated by a different character, and the stories themselves are based on the author’s experiences as a soccer coach to his young sons. For cred, Landon Donovan, a U.S. Major League Soccer MVP, is a fan.
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The Million Dollar Kick
Number two in The Million Dollar series, The Million Dollar Kick is about a girl in junior high named Whisper Nelson who is about as anti-sports as they come. But she has the opportunity of a lifetime — to win $1 million by scoring a penalty shot against the world’s best goalie. (Not Hope Solo, unfortunately.)
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Outcasts United: The Story of a Refugee Soccer Team That Changed a Town
Available from:Outcasts United is the true story of a group of refugee children from around the world who come together to play soccer in Clarkston, a suburb of Altanta, Georgia. They call themselves The Fugees, and their story, along with their female coach, touches on race, politics, and religion. This is an adaptation of St. John’s bestselling book of the same name for adults.
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Any other soccer books you’d add to this list? Let us know in the comments below.