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haaland book

Haaland (Ultimate Football Heroes – The No.1 football series)

Non-fiction

Norwegian international Erling Haaland is the rising star of Europe. Having already smashed Messi, Ronaldo and Harry Kane’s record of quickest player to twenty Champions League goals, ‘The Terminator’ is proving to be a ruthless, efficient, goalscoring machine. At such a young age, the world is his playground. Discover how he’s caught the eye of the footballing world and whether he’ll pip Mbappe to a Ballon d’Or!

Ultimate Football Heroes is a series of biographies telling the life stories of the biggest and best footballers in the world and their incredible journeys from childhood fan to superstar professional player. Written in fast-paced, action-packed style these books are perfect for all the family to collect and share.

10 recommendations for World Cup themed books

Books About The Football World Cup

As the football World Cup approaches, we are delighted to host a guest post from best selling author Tom Palmer.

In this guest booklist, Tom discusses his top 10 recommendations for World Cup themed books to inspire reading among young football fans.

Reading for pleasure often begins with what the reader is passionate about. For many people that is football. And, with a World Cup this year, this is a great time to engage football fans with reading through the extraordinary wealth of fiction and non-fiction for kids. Available from bookshops and libraries, here’s a list of ten books with World Cup potential.

Football

Recommended Children’s Books About Football

Football books are hugely popular with young readers from the earliest years all through primary school. From soccer superstars to famous fouls, there’s no end of football facts and figures to absorb in our collection of non-fiction and fiction books about the beautiful game.

This list features characters of different shapes and sizes, genders and nationalities enjoying football. If you are looking specifically for girls’ and women’s football, we also have a girls’ football booklist.

Two very recommendable series about football players for KS2 are the Football Superstars series, which are simple and easy-to-read chapter books about individual players and great for younger or less confident readers of chapter books, and the Ultimate Football Heroes series, which are information-packed chapter book biographies of key players, best suited to children aged 9-11.

 We’ve put together a list of the best children’s books about football that are bound to kick-start your book collection and score big with young football fans.

Over the Line

Chapter book

It’s the proudest moment of Jack’s life – his debut as a professional footballer. Now he has a chance to achieve his dream of playing for his country. But it’s 1914 and the world is at war. Talk of sportsmen’s cowardice leads to the formation of a Footballers’ Battalion and Jack has little choice but to join up. The promise of a Cup in Flanders offers a glimmer of hope, but Jack and his teammates will have to survive a waking nightmare if they are ever to play again. A stunning new edition of Tom Palmer’s bestselling novel based on the true story of WWI war hero and footballing legend Jack Cock.

Kick

Chapter book

Winner of the Branford Boase Award.

Budi’s plan is simple. He’s going to be a star.

Budi’s going to play for the greatest team on earth, instead of sweating over each stitch he sews, each football boot he makes.

But one unlucky kick brings Budi’s world crashing down. Now he owes the Dragon, the most dangerous man in Jakarta. Soon it isn’t only Budi’s dreams at stake, but his life.

A story about dreaming big, about hope and heroes, and never letting anything stand in your way.

Football School

Non-fiction

A groundbreaking new series from two bestselling writers that teaches you about the world through football. The first book is packed with awesome true stories, real science and fascinating facts and will make you laugh loads. When do footballers poo? Can you play football on Mars? What is a magic sponge? You will find the answers to these questions and more in chapters on subjects such as history, geography, biology and maths. Illustrated throughout with hilarious cartoons and filled with laugh-out-loud gags this is the perfect book for any boy or girl who loves football. Your coaches at Football School, Alex Bellos and Ben Lyttleton, are journalists, broadcasters and award-winning science and sports writers. Their knowledge, enthusiasm and engaging writing make them the perfect team to teach you how to score with your head.

Football Crazy

Chapter book

Danny and his mates Jamil and Lewis are over the moon when football legend Jock Ramsey agrees to coach their team. For the first time ever the Rovers might have a chance of winning something! But Ramsey’s a tough coach. They train every night, and Saturdays too. It’s a lot of pressure for lads who just like a kickabout in the park. Can Danny, Lewis and Jamil survive the pressure and stay football crazy – in a good way? A brand-new 4u2read edition of a fun and light-hearted football story from reluctant-reader favourite Tony Bradman. Particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant or dyslexic readers aged 7+.

Girls FC

Chapter book

Join the Girls FC as they show the world what it really means to play “like a girl”!

“My name is Megan Fawcett and this is the story of how I set up the best football team in the world. Get ready for kick-off!” Nine-year-old Megan Fawcett loves football and is desperate to be on her school team. She tries everything to get the coach to notice her (even wearing a tiara!), but nothing seems to do the trick. Then Megan has her big brainwave: she could start her own team. An all-girls team! Now she just needs a pitch, a coach – oh, and ten other players… This is the first in a series of fun, topical early readers; join the Girls FC as they take the world by storm!

football academy

Football Academy

Chapter book

Boys United: the first book in the Football Academy series by Tom Palmer

Jake loves football and dreams of becoming a professional footballer. He’s worried about his height though – what if he’s too small for football? But on the day of his trial Jake is quick on the ball and scores – he’s made it! Jake can’t wait to pull on his shirt and join the team. But someone at the club wants to make his life difficult. Can Jake face up to the bullies and become man of the match again?

Stay on the ball this season with the first four stories following the boys in United’s under-twelves.

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