New Releases by Fred Bowen

W. Fred Bowen is a retired educator who lives part-time in Canada and Switzerland. Since he was very young, while growing up in Montana, one of his many interests has been the pre-history of the aboriginal peoples of prairies. He has been fascinated by the artifacts left behind by these people and curious about how they were able to exist in a harsh and difficult world. Head Smash In, written predominantly for younger readers, is his first story about that world. Combining his arrowhead collecting hobby with his knowledge based on years of research, Mr. Bowen has created an entertaining and thought-provoking story of North America''s earliest habitants.

A baseball star’s luck is tested in this action-packed story—perfect for fans of Mike Lupica and Tim Green—from the author of The Kid Coach. Like many athletes, Trey is superstitious. How could he not be when he just made the Ravens travel baseball team thanks to his lucky charm, a piece of rare sea glass he found on his grandmother’s beach? This stroke of good fortune reinforces Trey’s superstitions, and his rituals only become more important to him. Despite some teasing from his teammates, he persists in never stepping on the foul line, obsessively tapping the corners of home plate when he’s at bat, and always choosing the same lucky bat. And his tactics are working; he’s doing quite well on the field and in the batter’s box. Then one day Trey can’t find his lucky sea glass. His performance begins to slip, and he’s convinced his future with the Ravens is doomed. Things don’t start to improve until Trey’s uncle reminds him of his grandmother’s favorite saying: “The harder you work, the luckier you get.” Can Trey take these words to heart and find his swing again . . . even without his lucky charm? This ebook features an afterword about famous real-life players with their own lucky charms and superstitions. Discussion Guide available “A former kids’ baseball coach and the writer of the Washington Post sports column for young readers, Bowen adds an entertaining note on baseball superstitions. . . . The straightforward story will appeal to young players as well as older ones intimidated by longer novels.” —Booklist

A high school athlete must choose between track and football in this novel—perfect for fans of Mike Lupica and Tim Green—by the author of Perfect Game. Ninth-grader Tim Beeman is eager to find his place at his elite new school. When he breaks the record for the fifty-yard dash during the first week of classes, he reveals his special talent: speed. Before long, the track and football teams are both urging him to join their ranks. But where will he feel most comfortable, and be able to put his running skills to best use? Tim is torn. He would definitely be an asset to the track team, but he’s drawn to the more prestigious football program. He’s eager to join such a popular group and feels he has a lot to offer them, but he can’t shake a lingering fear of being injured. How can Tim make the most of his talents and at the same time satisfy his own needs? In Speed Demon, Fred Bowen, author and Washington Post KidsPost sports columnist, tackles relatable dual-athlete issues like making choices and maintaining friendships, meanwhile offering a serious exploration of the topic of player safety. Discussion Guide available

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.

All his life, Josh Blakely has worked hard and attempted to have a normal life. Having suffered through countless traumas in his childhood and adolescence, he finds that his struggles continue even after his 60th birthday. His feels like he''s been cursed. Little does he know that his most difficult and dangerous adventure awaits him. Whether he has enough stamina both physically and emotionally is yet to be seen. But, every cloud has a silver lining. And if Josh can just endure a bit longer, he may find that a life-changing gift awaits him.

There’s “plenty of soccer action” in this story of a middle schooler who has to figure out how to balance good sportsmanship with the goal of winning (Booklist). Eighth-grader Nate Osborne is a forward on his U-14 soccer team, the Strikers. He and the rest of his teammates are very competitive—especially when it comes to their rivals, the Monarchs. They want the Monarchs to lose so badly that they’ll even root against them when they play other teams. Then, during a game between the Strikers and the Monarchs, a boy on the opposing team gets injured, and Nate must decide between going for a goal or kicking the ball out of bounds as an act of sportsmanship. His aunt, who’s also a soccer player, has taught him the importance of fair play, but when Nate stops the clock and sacrifices his chance to win the game, his teammates just don’t understand. From the author of the Sports Stories and All-Star Sport Stories series, as well as the kids’ sports column “The Score” for the Washington Post’s KidsPost section, Out of Bounds is an entertaining and thoughtful tale about young athletes striving to become not only great players, but also great people.

The Franklin High Panthers need a new quarterback. Freshman Jesse Wagner knows the plays, but he feels he is too small to be QB material. Jesse’s brother Jay has a problem of his own: his college coach wants him to switch from quarterback to safety. The brothers agree on a deal: Jesse will try out for quarterback, and Jay will try playing safety. Meanwhile, Jesse and his teammates recruit an unlikely kicker for their team—a girl named Savannah.

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

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?

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

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

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?

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.

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

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

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 . . .

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?

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.

Josh is so excited when he earns a spot on the United, an elite travel soccer team with exceptionally talented players. So why can''t they win a game? Despite grueling practices and talent, Josh''s teammates are prone to hogging the ball and seem to only play for themselves. He begins to wonder if made a mistake leaving his old team. But just when he''s about to give up, Josh learns that the 1999 United States Women''s World Cup team faced similar difficulties the year they won it all. Can Josh convince his coach (and his team) to use team-building exercises like the U.S. women''s team used to make them stronger? Fred Bowen returns with another edge-of-your-seat Sports Story Series title emphasizing the important values of teamwork and relationships. An afterword offers more information about the 1999 United States Women''s World Cup team.

Eighth grader Matt Monroe is a shoo-in for starting quarterback for the Parkside Middle School football team this year. Or so he thinks. Devro, a new seventh grader, looks impressive. He''s consistent and can run the plays almost as well as Matt. And he''s got speed. Could he ruin Matt''s chances of taking the position as quarterback? Utilizing Matt''s journal, author Fred Bowen shows readers the importance of reflection and teamwork as one strives to be a better player. In the afterword, Bowen shares the real story of Instant Replay: The Green Bay Diary of Jerry Kramer, a book by Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Jerry Kramer and sportswriter Dick Schaap covering the 1967 Green Bay Packers Super Bowl-winning season.

Can street ball and technical play mix it up on the court and score wins for the team? Ben and Logan are looking for a new point guard for their team, and they are sure they''ve found one in Antonio "Hud" Hudson, the new guy at their school. But there''s one problem: Hud plays fast-paced pickup ball, and coach says that''s against the team rules! So when Ben finds Hud playing pickup, he has to make a decision. As captain, can he help Hud balance his passion for the game with his dedication to the team? Author Fred Bowen delivers another action-packed tale of skill, friendship, and teamwork as three boys work together to make the best of two worlds. In the afterword, readers can learn the real story of pickup ball and Holcombe Rucker Park, Harlem''s famous basketball court where many NBA greats—including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dr. J, and Jamal Mashburn—got their start.

So You Want To Be a Principal relates many of the experiences Mr. Bowen encountered while working in public and international schools. It suggests that many of the circumstances are difficult and unusual, necessitating the development of a skill set that is not available prior to ones appointment as an administrator and which must therefore be learned. Death, crime, alcohol and drug abuse, parental confrontation, cultural differences, terrorism, and school board politics are some of the areas which he describes in vivid detail.

Known for his crazy fastball pitches, Jack has never had a problem striking a batter out. Until now. This season, he''s playing in a new league where the distance to the catcher''s mitt is a lot greater, and he can''t get seem to get into the strike zone. Then a baseball coach at a local college shows Jack some new pitches and tells him about Steve Dalkowski, who never made it out of the minor leagues because he wouldn''t throw other pitches. At first Jack doesn''t listen to the coach''s advice, but with the season on the line, he realizes that the coach was right. Is it too late to change his game plan? In this installment of his Sports Story series, author Fred Bowen shows readers how to battle the ache of disappointment and rise to new challenges. Readers can learn more about pitching phenoms Steve Dalkowski and Sandy Koufax and their Major League Baseball careers in the afterword.

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.

For Jake, there is only one thing he loves more than playing shortstop for his team, and that''s winning. So when newcomer Adam joins the team, Jake is excited to see that this guy can do it all—pitch, hit, field! But as their team racks up win after win, Adam''s talents dominate every game and Jake can''t help but wonder: Do he or the other players even matter? Or will he learn that even the best players must rely on their teammates? This action-packed story of teamwork and friendship was inspired by Babe Ruth and the 1927 Yankees, the group that many have called "The Greatest Team of All Time."

Scott, a member of the Tigers, steps up to the plate to become the new coach. Find out what happens to the team as they work together with a kid coach.

In his determination to pitch for his neighborhood baseball team, twelve-year-old T.J. adopts the unorthodox style of the legendary Rip Sewell.