When Bizz and her friends arrange a high-stakes roller hockey game with another team, Bizz is reminded about the importance of friendship.

Kevin O'Toole, playing in a tennis tournament, meets a talking pigeon who turns out to be his great uncle and gives him tennis tips.

X's friends believe he can excel at any extreme sport, so when they want to check out the new climbing wall at the mall, he decides to hide his fear of heights rather than have them think him a coward.

Mike's football team is really put to the test when Harry, his telepathic dog, has to stay home. Can the team win without Harry's supernatural advice?

Mac Williams, goalie for the Cougars, is known as much for his upbeat game chatter as for his outstanding saves. But when an anonymous artist starts making fun of him with a weekly cartoon, Mac is anything but upbeat. To make matters worse, he suspects that somebody close to him is the cartoonist. Would one of his friends really betray him-or is there someone else who wants to make him look ridiculous?From School Library JournalGrade 3-5AWhen a cartoon appears in the school newspaper making fun of Mac's "motor mouth," the boy tries to find out who is responsible. This is one of Christopher's typical play-by-play sports stories with an upbeat ending and simple vocabulary and sentence structure. However, the plot is not particularly memorable. Mac has the bravado and confident personality often necessary for a successful goalie, but with all of his bragging, readers will wonder how he has any friends. Conversation between characters doesn't ring true and slang such as "You look spiffy" or the reference to a girl getting all "dolled up" for a dance sounds like phrases from the '40s or '50s rather than the '90s. Consider this for purchase only if more sports stories by Christopher are needed.ABlair Christolon, Prince William Library, Manassas, VACopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. From BooklistGr. 3^-6. Christopher scores again with this exciting sports story that is also a pretty good whodunit. Mac Williams, star goalie for the Cougars, is suddenly the target of a series of unflattering cartoons that mysteriously begin appearing in the school newspaper. His efforts to discover the identity of the cartoonist are the basis of the plot, and readers will have fun trying to figure it out right along with Mac. Although Christopher does a good job of dispensing clues without being too obvious, some older readers may not be challenged enough by the mystery element. Other themes, such as loyalty, trust, and a budding romance with the younger sister of a primary suspect, will hold their interest more, along with the dynamic soccer play-by-play. A great choice for engaging reluctant readers. Lauren Peterson

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?

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.

Twelve-year-old Brent Mullen discovers that the new assistant hockey coach is teaching the defensemen on his team illegal moves to help them win at any cost.

Mudders' catcher Rudy Calhoun is having a bad season behind the plate until, at a yard sale, he buys a used catcher's mask that greatly improves his playing.

Freddie Chase is a good football player with one major flaw: He's afraid to tackle. He tries hard to cover up his fear, but soon Coach Sears and the other Sandpipers know all about it. The team is fighting to finish the season at the top of the league, but how can they hope to succeed when one of their players lets the opposition run right by him? Coach Sears has no choice but to take Freddie out of the lineup. Now it's up to Freddie to earn his way back onto the starting team. But can he overcome his fear?

In a career that spanned over thirty years, George Herman "Babe" Ruth changed the way the sport of baseball was played. He was the first true power hitter, a strong pitcher, and in the outfield made some amazing game-saving catches. His love of the sport shined through in the way he laughed while jogging around the bases, in how he kidded and horsed around with teammates, and in his overall determination to win. But there was a darker side to Babe, one that nearly ruined his career - and his life. In the end, however, Ruth managed to overcome his personal demons, recapture his health, and go on to lead his beloved Yankees to championship status. Simply put, there has never been another player like the Babe. This comprehensive biography of one of baseball's most memorable legends also comes with photos.About the AuthorGlenn Stout is also the author of the award winning juvenile series "Good Sports."

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?

Malik Edwards has never had any intention of playing golf. In his mind, golf is a game played by old, flabby men wearing funny pants and hats. Then one day while channel surfing he sees a young black golfer being cheered on by a crowd of adoring fans. Suddenly golf's image changes for Malik. Yet, even if he wanted to play, where would he get the gear or the money? And where is a kid living in Brooklyn, New York, supposed to play golf? Malik's growing desire to learn the sport of golf help him overcome these obstacles, but the biggest obstacle-the ridicule of his friends-still sits in his path.

Football bloopers, puzzlers, fun facts, and wacky stories -- Matt Christopher, the number-one sports writer for kids, scores a touchdown with this zany collection for fans of pigskin-tossing, gridiron-hitting action! Packed with laugh-out-loud illustrations, this book will make even the toughest linebacker smile.

Mark finds that he is jealous when his friend Jonas seems to learn kung fu much more quickly than he did.