New Releases by Matt Christopher

This beloved sports classic tells the story of an ordinary boy who loves his friends and teammates—and suddenly becomes a hero after a single afternoon turns his life upside down. Rob Lasher is just an ordinary soccer player, good at the game, but not great. Then one afternoon, he saves his coach''s life in front of all his teammates. Suddenly, he''s the team''s hero. As some members of his team and the rest of the town continue to laud Rob''s heroic act, Rob realizes he doesn''t want the attention and any unearned accolades that come with it. Kids will learn that doing what is right should be the norm, not the exception.

Steve wishes he had as much drive to win at tennis as his older sister, Ginny. He knows nothing would please his father more. But the truth is, Ginny is the real tennis ace in the family. It''s frustrating for both children that their father ignores Ginny''s talents while pushing a reluctant Steve harder and harder. Will brother and sister finally get up the courage to tell him how they feel?

A poor throwing arm and prejudice from one white boy keep a black junior high student from completely enjoying his position on the baseball team.

Cap Wadell loves football; unfortunately, living in a rural town of 1,223 people makes putting together a team a little difficult. His grandfather suggests that Cap organize a local six-man team and play with other surrounding small towns. Recruiting players, finding uniforms, locating a field to play on, and securing a rule book are all easily done, but one major problem remains -- who is going to coach this team? Cap thinks his grandfather is perfect for the job, but trouble strikes when another grandfather thinks Cap''s grandfather is playing favorites by putting Cap at quarterback. An old-time rivalry is about to heat up again as the grandfathers battle it out off the field and Cap and the other grandson battle it out on field. As the generations clash, nobody is exactly sure who will succeed and play the coveted quarterback position. Who in the end will prevail?

With remarks about his small stature and poor swimming skills ringing in his ears, the son of Hungarian immigrants begins to train for the 21-mile swim across a nearby lake.

Twelve-year-old Danny thinks that there is something very familiar about the girl who plays shortstop on the team he faces during the championship series, and his curiosity leads him to a surprising discovery about his own adoption.

At the start of the 1998 major league baseball season, St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Mark McGwire hit a home run. In the games that followed, he did it again. And again. And again. And again. By the end of the season, in late September, he had done the hardest thing in baseball an earth-shattering seventy times. He didn''t just break the decades-old single-season home-run record set by Roger Maris in 1961-he shattered it. And by doing so, he not only set a new benchmark for players to strive for, but also reminded people that baseball is fun, a game to be enjoyed, with heroes who play for the love of the sport, not for the love of money. In this powerful biography of the most talked-about man in baseball, Matt Christopher, the number one sports series for kids, explores the slugger''s childhood days on the diamond as well as the ups and downs of his college and professional career. For more information on the Matt Christopher Sports Bio Bookshelf, please see the last pages of this book.

When hydrotherapy for an injured leg takes him to the pool on a regular basis, twelve-year-old Jerry finds himself fascinated and challenged by the rigors of competitive swimming.

Mike and his dog Harry, the Airedale with ESP, are shocked to discover that the new umpire for Mike''s baseball games can hear their mental conversations.

When he learns why his best friend taught him an unbeatable pitch instead of using it himself, Bernie learns a sad lesson about friendship.

Even though he is the tallest member of the basketball team, a young boy finds he is far from being the best player.

Describes the life and career of the basketball superstar and center for the Los Angeles Lakers.

After playing the sport he loved in his home country of Japan for 17 years, Ichiro left in 2000 and joined the Seattle Mariners. Would Ichiro succeed in the world''s most challenging baseball league? Includes black-and-white photos and players'' statistics.

When the new boy from Tokyo takes over Stogie Crane''s position as shortstop, the two boys encounter the first of several barriers to their friendship.

The #1 sports writer for kids offers a read as exciting as a fast ball. Pitcher Koby Caplin is the best thing to happen to the Monticello Cardinals in years--but is he ready for prime time?

Tod is sure his new hockey stick will improve his game. But when his team loses, he realizes that good stickhandling needs practice as well as good equipment. He vows not to use the stick until he deserves it, but will he earn that right this season?

Jose Mendez wants to be a great batter just like his father was when he played in the minor leagues. But every time Jose picks up the bat, disaster strikes. Will Jose ever be able to match his dad''s .375 batting average?

LOOK WHO''S PLAYING FIRST BASE Will Mike stand up to his teammates to defend his friend? When the Checkmates need a new first baseman, Mike Hagin''s new friend, Yuri, seems like a logical choice. But when Yuri starts flubbing plays and the team''s star player threatens to quit as a result, Mike is not sure Yuri is such a good choice after all-for a teammate or for a friend. It appears as if Mike will have to choose between his friendship with Yuri and his loyalty to the team-or is there another solution?

After a hiatus from the ice to get his grades back up to eligibility level, Jeff Connors returns to get the cold shoulder treatment from his teammates. During Jeff''s absence, a threatening note was discovered in his best friend''s locker--written in Jeff''s hand. His protests of innocence fall on deaf ears, so Jeff is on his own to discover who''s behind the sabotage.

Parker Nolan likes to tell tall tales, so why should anyone believe him when he says he saw a mysterious figure stealing plays out of the coach''s playbook?

Sandy Comstock once made a mistake - a bad one - but he''s paid the price and now he just wants to get on with his life. Only one person stands in his way:Perry Warden, the boy who tempted Sandy to break the law in the first place. Convinced that Perry is spreading rumors about him to his new baseball teammates, Sandy face a tough decision. Should he run from the rumors, or come out with the truth about his past.

It''s early summer, and things are really heating up between Garry Wallis, star of Lacrosse Face-Off, and his nemesis, Michael Donofrio. At the end of last season, Garry sabotaged Michael''s chances of becoming the league''s top scorer. Now Michael is taking his revenge. He''s got plenty of opportunity, too, for the Rockets are taking part in a week-long lacrosse tournament held at an overnight camp. Garry tries to ignore Michael, but the bullying finally gets to him-and what happens next sets off a string of near-disasters that finds Garry in the heart of a firestorm . . . This latest installment in Matt Christopher''s bestselling series combines all the lacrosse action and mystery his fans crave.

CHALLENGE AT SECOND BASE Stan Martin''s chances of playing second base seem next to zero at the start of the season. His rival for the position, Gary Newman, looks tough to beat. Stan loves baseball-maybe even more than his brother, Phil, who played pro ball until quitting suddenly the year before-but after experiencing a few setbacks, Stan is tempted to quit too. Then Stan receives a mysterious note telling him to stick it out-and soon Stan finds himself face-to-face with the challenge at second base.

Delving into the life of skateboarding sensation Tony Hawk, this biography examines how he began skateboarding at age nine and his performance at the 1999 ESPN X Games, where he astonished viewers by performing a trick thought impossible to do. Illustrations.

Matt Christopher is the writer young readers turn to when they are looking for fast-paced, action-packed sports novels. This book is no exception. He is the author of a number of titles, including Tackle Without A Team, Face-Off, and many more.

Don''t miss this action-packed and informative look at the life and achievements of a basketball legend! Matt Christopher, the number one sports writer for kids, profiles basketball superstar Michael Jordan, covering his childhood, college career, rookie years, professional career highlights, and even his short stint in minor league baseball. Written in Matt Christopher''s easy-to-read style and complete with incredible photos and Michael Jordan''s key stats, this comprehensive biography will entertain and educate.

An aura of intrigue surrounds a baseball coach obsessed with the idea of turning a bunch of handpicked beginners into champions in one season.

The history of basketball is chock-full of famous buzzer-beating shots, amazing game-saving plays, and thrilling maneuvers that defy gravity. All fans have their favorite memory, just as they have their favorite team and their favorite player. Now here''s a book that offers a look back at more than fifteen of the sport''s best moments. The Block, The Steal, The Shot. Chamberlain, Abdul-Jabbar, Bird, Jordan, and James. Each entry captures the nail-biting tension of the minutes leading up to the play, as well as information about the superstar players that made them and the teams that they played for. Packed with facts and action, this is a book young basketball fans will reach for again and again -- and because it comes from Matt Christopher, young readers know they''re getting the best sports writing on the shelf.

Bus Mercer, shortstop for the Peach Street Mudders, wants desperately to be picked for the county all-star team, but he breaks his parents'' rules for riding his new bike, and feelings of guilt affect his game.

While trying to ask Uncle Pete to coach the Peach Street Mudders, Zero discovers that he can throw a slider when there''s a big bandage on his injured thumb.