Most Popular Books by Matt Christopher

Abducted by a "fan" and forced to become a member of a professional junior hockey team, thirteen-year-old star center Steve Crandall quickly realizes that he must play not only to win but to survive.

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.

As soon as Brett Thyson steps on "The Lizard", the mysterious skateboard he unearthed in his backyard, he can feel its power. It glides smoothly and effortlessly, but Brett can''t shake off the feeling that there''s something not quite right about it.

Twelve-year old Cap Wadell wants to play on a "real" football team, but his middle school in a small Texas town does not have enough players- until his grandfather revives interest in the game of six-man football

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

A shy, unhappy sixteen-year-old with a talent for working with motorcycles runs away from his foster home and gets involved with a variety of people, both bad and good.

Jimmie makes his teammates mad when he becomes captain and selects himself as pitcher of his baseball team and he does not perform well during games.

There is a new player on the Peach Street Mudders, and Alfie Maples must figure out how to help him improve his game.

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?

Chico Romez is new to the Royals baseball team, but all the players welcome him and his ability in the outfield. All but one, that its. String Becker seems to have it in for Chico. What will it take for Chico to prove himself to String?

Soccer. No other sport in the world captivates a bigger audience -- and no other competition electrifies its fans like the World Cup. Now, just in time for the next World Cup competition, comes a book just for kids, jam-packed with information about each and every World Cup ever played. Want to know who was behind the biggest surprise defeat of the 1950 tournament? It''s in here. Curious about what happened to the Jules Rimet trophy when it was in England? Turn to the chapter on World Cup 1966. Wondering what the term Total Football means? You''ll find the answer here -- along with much, much more, including a bonus chapter on the Women''s World Cup and lists of winners, runners-up, and scores of past Cups. And because it all comes from Matt Christopher, young readers know they''re getting the best sports writing on the shelf.

Eleven-year-old Garry, embarrassed when his unathletic brother joins his lacrosse team, faces a bigger problem when the team bully turns on both of them.

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.

Having just begun to learn how to snowboard, thirteen-year-old Dennis faces a frightening challenge when he allows a bully to shame him into racing on a difficult slope.

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.

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.

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.

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.

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the popular sports series, Christopher''s very first book is reissued. Marty loses his lucky baseball bat, and his confidence along with it, and wonders if he will recover both in time to help the Tigers win the championship.

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.

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?

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.

A collection of wacky jokes, riddles, puns, and anecdotes about America''s favorite pastime is gathered by a favorite young sports fiction writer and is guaranteed to liven up locker rooms and baseball diamonds alike.

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 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.

Rivalry flares between twelve-year-old Freddie and his fourteen-year-old brother Dondi, both on and off the snowboarding slopes, nearly leading to disaster.

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.

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.

The thrill of an interception, the crash of helmets, the seemingly impossible catch in the end zone -- Matt Christopher has captured all the suspense and play-by-play action of nine remarkable football plays and the personalities of the athletes who made them. Tom Dempsey''s sixty-three-yard field goal, Joe Namath''s guarantee of a Super Bowl win in 1969, and Walter Payton''s record-setting 275 yards rushing in a single game are among the moments recorded in this not-to-be-missed book from America''s best-loved sports writer for children.

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.

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.

Rocky Fletcher is being stretched to his limit. Until recently, he''d only played wide receiver for the Pythons. Now his coaches want him to learn the safety position, too-a position that opened up when Bobby, Rocky''s best friend, broke his leg. Even though he believes he is to blame for Bobby''s injury, Rocky eagerly takes on the challenge of becoming a two-way player. After all, the only other player available is Jared, a sullen boy who switched from soccer to football this season. Yet as time goes on, it''s Jared who excels at the position because, thanks to Bobby, Rocky keeps missing practices! What''s going on between Rocky and Bobby-and why is Jared on the team when he clearly dislikes football so much? Football Double Threat combines the action and excitement of football with relatable issues about envy, loyalty, and friendship.

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

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?

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

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?

Charlie Abbott is the new kid in town--again. He hates everything about moving, especially trying to make new friends. Then he meets a kid called X who shares his love of skateboarding. Together, they rip some moves at the town skatepark. But then Charlie''s skateboard vanishes from his garage, and he sees X riding around on a skateboard that looks just like his! Is Charlie''s new life about to become a disaster? Passport to Reading Level 3

When Zach takes up skateboarding, he doesn''t realize that he''s expected to look a certain way and cop a certain attitude. He''s not comfortable with any of those things. He just wants to have fun, and perhaps enter a few competitions. Will he be ostracized because he looks and acts so normal?

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.