New Releases by Mike Lupica

From the #1 bestselling author of Heat, Travel Team and Million-Dollar Throw comes a feel-good basketball tale reminiscent of The Blind Side. Forced to live on his own after his mom dies and her boyfriend abandons him, 12-year-old Jayson does whatever it takes to get by. He will do anything to avoid the foster care system. He manages to get away with his deception until the day he gets caught stealing a new pair of basketball sneakers. Game over. Within a day a social worker places him with a family from the other side of town, the Lawtons. New home, new school, new teammates. Jayson, at first, is combatative, testing the Lawtons'' patience at every turn. He wants out, yet the Lawtons refuse to take the bait. But not everyone in Jayson''s new life is so ready to trust him. It''s on Jayson to believe that he deserves a better life than the one he once had. The ultimate prize if he can? A trip to play in the state finals at Cameron Indoor Stadium–home to the Duke Blue Devils and launching pad to his dream of playing bigtime college ball. Getting there will be a journey that reaches far beyond the basketball court. "Eager fans will find this a slam-dunk. A must-purchase."–Booklist "Lupica''s announcer-like delivery will have you breathless, on the edge of your seat, cheering."--Florida Times-Union

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of HEAT, TRAVEL TEAM and MILLION-DOLLAR THROW comes a story of every football kid’s dream come true. 12-year-old Charlie is a fantasy football guru. He may be just a bench warmer for his school''s football team, but when it comes to knowing and loving the game, he''s first-string. He even becomes a celebrity when his podcast gets noticed by a sports radio host, who plays Charlie''s fantasy picks for all of Los Angeles to hear. Soon Charlie befriends the elderly owner of the L.A. Bulldogs -- a fictional NFL team -- and convinces him to take a chance on an aging quarterback. After that, watch out . . . it''s press conferences and national fame as Charlie becomes a media curiosity and source of conflict for the Bulldogs general manager, whose job Charlie seems to have taken. It''s all a bit much for a kid just trying to stay on top of his grades and maintain his friendship with his verbal sparring partner, Anna. Like the best Disney film in book form, like Moneyball for kids, Fantasy League is every football kid''s dream scenario. “Lupica is the greatest sports writer for middle school readers.” –VOYA

Originally published in hardcover in 2014 by Scholastic Press.

Sixth grade is supposed to be the year that Jack Callahan would lead his team to a record-shattering season and the Little League World Series, but after the death of his brother he loses interest in baseball and only Cassie, star of the girls'' softball team, seems to understand.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author of TRAVEL TEAM, HEAT, and MILLION-DOLLAR THROW comes a cheer-worthy, family-friendly football novel set amid the Friday Night Lights world of Texas high school football Jake Cullen is a freshman quarterback playing high school football in Texas, the high-pressure land of Friday Night Lights. He is also the brother of Wyatt Cullen, who quarterbacked his team to the Texas State Championship last season--not to mention the son of former NFL quarterback and local legend, Troy Cullen. To be a Cullen in Texas is to be football royalty . . . which leaves 14-year-old Jake in a Texas-sized shadow. Being a good teammate comes naturally to Jake; being a winner and a celebrity does not. Jake may be a Cullen, and he may play quarterback, but he is not his brother or his father. He''s just like every other kid: fighting for every ounce of respect, awkward around a pretty girl, in awe of his famous family, and desparate to simultaneously blend in and cast his own shadow. Inspired by the real-life Manning family of quarterbacks and set amid the football-crazy culture of Texas, QB 1 is a coming-of-age story perfect for the fan of MILLION-DOLLAR THROW and HEAT.

#1 New York Times bestseller Mike Lupica makes his return to the basketball court! There''s a reason teammates call him "True." Because for basketball phenom Drew Robinson, there is nothing more true than his talent on the court. It''s the kind that comes along once in a generation and is loaded with perks--and with problems. Before long, True buys in to his own hype, much to the chagrin of his mother, who wants to keep her boy''s head grounded--and suddenly trouble has a way of finding him. That is, until a washed-up former playground legend steps back onto the court and takes True under his wing.

When a high-profile basketball star is accused of rape, ex-lawyer and pro sports investigator DiMaggio is called into the case and must sift through a media circus of innuendo and lies in order to discern the truth.

Mike Lupica presents the second book in his NEW YORK TIMES bestselling Game Changers series! Still living large off their incredible football championship win just weeks before, Ben McBain and his crew must now prepare for basketball season. Ben is known as the best point guard throughout the league. And now that Shawn O''Brien has joined their team, they are a shoo-in to win it all. But there is a new kid in town, Chase Braggs, a point guard like Ben who seems to be better, stronger, and faster. Refusing to let his team down, Ben hits the courts hard to practice. Ben''s rivalry with Chase seems to take the fun out of playing ball with his best friends. Will Ben be able to pull it together for his team and for himself?

New York Times bestseller Mike Lupica tackles football! Will Tyler may not be the biggest running back around, but no one can touch him when it comes to hitting the hole and finding the end zone. And no one can match his love of the game. When Will has a football in his hand, life can''t touch him--his dad isn''t so defeated, his town isn''t so poor, and everyone has something to cheer for. All of which does him no good if the football season is canceled. With no funding for things like uniforms and a well-maintained playing field, with every other family moving to find jobs, there just isn''t enough money or players for a season. It''s up to Will to rally the town and give everyone a reason to believe . . .

Mike Lupica delivers a New York Times bestselling middle grade series! Ben McBain is every football team''s dream player. He''s a jack-of-all-trades guy that can handle almost any position. When the game is on the line, Ben''s number is the one being called for the final play. But Ben wants to be the starting quarterback and the one thing standing in his way is the coach''s son.Shawn O''Brien looks the part. He has been groomed by his father, a former professional quarterback. But despite his size and arm strength, Shawn is struggling. Ben is torn between being a good teammate and going after his own dream. As Ben finds out, Shawn isn''t the easiest person to help. And when Ben gets an unexpected opportunity, the entire game will change for the both of them.Best-selling author Mike Lupica kicks off a winning new series about sports and friendship that will captivate readers.

Two of New York Times bestseller and legendary sportswriter Mike Lupica''s best loved and bestselling titles in one action-packed volume! The action is on the basketball court in Travel Team, when the underdogs get a second chance and prove that you can''t measure heart. In The Big Field, the baseball league championship is on the line, but just how far is reluctant second-baseman Hutch willing to bend to be a good teammate?

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Heat, Travel Team and Million-Dollar Throw. Brian is living every baseball kid''s dream: he is a batboy for his hometown Major League team. Brian believes that it''s the perfect thing to bring him and his big-leaguer dad closer together. And if that weren''t enough, this is the season that Hank Bishop, Brian''s baseball hero, returns to the Tigers for the comeback of a lifetime. The summer couldn''t get much better! Until Hank Bishop starts to show his true colors, and Brian learns that sometimes life throws you a curveball.

From the #1 New York Times bestseller Mike Lupica comes the story of one unsuspecting boy poised to follow in his superhero father’s footsteps Fourteen-year-old Billy Harriman can feel the changes. The sharpening of his senses. The incredible strength. The speed, as though he can textmessage himself across miles. The confidence and the strange need to patrol Central Park at night. His dad had been a hero, a savior to America and a confidante of the president. Then he died, and the changes began in Billy. What Billy never knew was that his father was no ordinary man-he was a superhero, battling the world''s evil. This is a battle that has been waged for generations and that knows no boundaries. And now it''s Billy''s turn to take on the fight. It''s Billy''s turn to become a hero. “[N]othing Mike Lupica has written will thrill you like this.” –William Goldman, author of The Princess Bride “Sportswriter and novelist Lupica offers a change of pace from his previous sports stories for younger readers, deftly reworking the traditional superhero origin story into a moving tale of adolescent growth.” –Publisher’s Weekly “[T]he stage is set for a sequel to what looks like a surefire hit.” –School Library Journal

Twelve-year-old Jake must leave his championship soccer team to play on a team with a losing record when his family moves to a neighboring town.

#1 New York Times bestseller Mike Lupica pays tribute to the underdog in his Comeback Kids series for young middle-grade readers Chris Conlan is the coolest kid in sixth grade–the golden-armed quarterback of the football team, and the boy all the others look up to. Scott Parry is the new kid, the boy with the huge brain, but with feet that trip over themselves daily. These two boys may seem like an odd couple, but each has a secret that draws them together as friends, and proves that the will to succeed is even more important than raw talent. Mike Lupica scores from downtown with his Comeback Kids series. Praise for the Comeback Kids: “Lupica portrays the action clearly and vividly, with a real sense of the excitement and unpredictable nature of the games. These are worthy additions to collections seeking to draw in middle-grade boys with an enthusiasm for athletics.” –School Library Journal “These should score big with middle-graders looking for alternatives to Matt Christopher''s titles.” –Publisher’s Weekly “This title is a good choice for reluctant readers with a background in baseball.” –School Library Journal

Pedro Morales has always been content helping others look great. The epitome of a point guard, he plays the game to set up his teammates—Ned, in particular, the star forward on the receiving end of Pedro’s pinpoint passes. Pedro wants to make his father proud, and so he runs for class president. Yet doing so means going one-on-one against Ned, easily the most popular boy in school. And Pedro learns the hard way that being a good teammate doesn’t mean that others will return the favor. Now Pedro wants to win more than ever—but this time, it’s for himself.

When fourteen-year-old baseball player Hutch feels threatened by the arrival of a new teammate named Darryl, he tries to work through his insecurities about both Darryl and his remote and silent father, who was once a great ballplayer too.

In the tradition of About a Boy comes a feel good sports and holiday novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Mike Lupica. Josh Cameron has it all: a World Championship ring with the Boston Celtics, an MVP award, a clean-cut image, and the adoration of millions. What he doesn''t have is family. Until the day 12-year-old smartaleck Molly Parker confronts him in a parking lot and claims to be his daughter—the only daughter of Jen Parker, Josh''s college sweetheart and the still the only girl he''s ever loved. Trouble is, Jen Parker died last year, and now Molly has tracked down the father she never knew, the one her mother never wanted her to know about. Josh Cameron cares about two things only: himself, and basketball. The last thing this superstar wants or needs is a 12-year-old daughter. Yet this isn''t just any 12-year-old. Mr. World Champion has finally met his match. “[T]his novel is . . . an enjoyable read with interesting peeks into the world of professional basketball. It will appeal to young teen sports enthusiasts as well as kids just looking for a good story.” –VOYA “Lupica delivers a winning novel, creating a realistic character in Molly. Young readers will also enjoy the look inside Josh''s pampered sports-superstar world.” –Booklist “Lupica is an extraordinarily smooth writer with a great ear for witty repartee.” –Publisher’s Weekly

From #1 New York Times bestseller Mike Lupica! It''s simple. All Billy Raynor wants to do is shoot. After all, he is one of the best shooters in the league. But with his dad as his coach, and his parents newly separated, somehow everything''s become complicated. His brother Ben hardly talks anymore. His mom is always traveling on business. And his dad is always on his case about not being a team player. But when Ben''s piano recital falls on the same day as the championship game, it''s Billy who teaches his dad the meaning of being a team player.

The sequel to the #1 New York Times bestseller Travel Team! When you’re the smallest kid playing a big man’s game, the challenges never stop—especially when your name is Danny Walker. Leading your travel team to the national championship may seem like a dream come true, but for Danny, being at the top just means the competition tries that much harder to knock him off. Now Danny’s leaving Middletown for the summer and heading to Right Way basketball camp, where he’s out of his element and maybe out of his league. The country’s best ballers are in attendance, and Danny will need to raise his game if he wants to match up. But it won’t be easy. Old rivals and new battles leave Danny wondering if he really has what it takes to stand tall. “Lupica is at his best when he puts the reader right in the center of the action on the court. His game descriptions are fast, accurate, and exciting. Young sports-fiction fans will eat this up.” –Booklist “Sports fans will relish the on-court action, expertly rendered in Lupica''s taut prose. This worthy sequel to Travel Team should earn a wide audience.” –School Library Journal “Lupica knows his basketball and knows how to spin a page-turner of a story. Those who enjoyed the first installment of Danny''s story will be thrilled to read a sequel, and even those middle school readers who are not huge sports fans will want to cheer for Danny Walker, who proves that determination can be a whole lot bigger than height.” –VOYA

The #1 Bestseller! Michael Arroyo has a pitching arm that throws serious heat along with aspirations of leading his team all the way to the Little League World Series. But his firepower is nothing compared to the heat Michael faces in his day-to-day life. Newly orphaned after his father led the family’s escape from Cuba, Michael’s only family is his seventeen-yearold brother Carlos. If Social Services hears of their situation, they will be separated in the foster-care system—or worse, sent back to Cuba. Together, the boys carry on alone, dodging bills and anyone who asks too many questions. But then someone wonders how a twelve-year-old boy could possibly throw with as much power as Michael Arroyo throws. With no way to prove his age, no birth certificate, and no parent to fight for his cause, Michael’s secret world is blown wide open, and he discovers that family can come from the most unexpected sources. Perfect for any Little Leaguer with dreams of making it big--as well as for fans of Mike Lupica''s other New York Times bestsellers Travel Team, The Big Field, The Underdogs, Million-Dollar Throw, and The Game Changers series, this cheer-worthy baseball story shows that when the game knocks you down, champions stand tall.

A high school sportswriter gets wind of extreme hazing on the basketball team, and turns to city newsman Ben Mitchell for help. The two will discover just how far a town will go to get a state championship.

New York Hawks co-owner Jack Molloy takes a break after his notorious brothers sell their half of the team to a fractious businessman, who quickly alienates everyone affiliated with the team. The plot contains profanity and sexual situations.

Jack Molloy finds himself adrift in a sea of adversity after he inherits half of the New York Hawks and gets a crash course in the workings of professional football.

The owner of the New York Knights, the worst team in the NBA, will try anything to turn his team around. He discovers Dee Gerard, the first woman to play in the NBA.

In "Bump and Run," Jack Molloy inherited half of the legendary New York Hawks and made them Super Bowl champs. But now he may lose them. It is only when he enlists the help of old friends and new allies, betting it all on one last play in the red zone, that things begin to get interesting.

A funny, moving, unconventional exploration of a glorious baseball season. In 1998, the conversation of the country was about baseball. Lupica recaptures that season, telling how Roger Maris''s boyhood best friend in Fargo, ND, watches McGwire hit 62; Kerry Wood''s high school assistant coach in Texas refuses to believe the reports of Wood''s strikeout record, until the phone starts ringing; Joe DiMaggio talks as he watches the Yankees have the kind of year he always had; Yogi Berra watches highlights of David Wells''s perfect game & remembers the perfect game he caught from Don Larsen -- all the boys of summer come alive in special ways. It is also about fathers & sons -- about the golden thread that stretches through baseball.

The tale of the season of competition between McGwire and Sosa to break the hitting record.