Books with author Fred Bowen

Looking for baseball action? Check out this Sports Story Series book from Washington Post KidsPost columnist and author Fred Bowen – perfect for fans of Mike Lupica and Tim Green.Baseball season is under way, and Coach Skelly just quit! Worst of all, Scott and his teammates can’t find anyone else to coach the team. It looks as if the Tigers’ season might be over before it really begins.But then the Tigers have a big idea: what if one of them becomes the coach? After all, some of the biggest names in baseball history were player-coaches. Why not a kid coach?Author Fred Bowen shares a story of leadership, teamwork, and hidden talents as these young players take control of their own team. Readers can learn more stories of real-life MLB player-managers in the afterword.Discussion Guide available.

Eager to find his place at his elite new school, ninth-grader Tim Beeman is torn between running track and trying out for football. Where will he feel most comfortable and be able to put his fast running skills to best use? Tim Beeman is a newcomer at Hilton Prep, and he’s nervous about finding his place at this elite school. But when he sets a new school record for the fifty-yard dash during the first week of classes, he reveals his special talent: speed. Before long, the track and the football teams are urging Tim to join their sport. As exciting as this is, Tim faces a difficult dilemma: his father would love to see him play football, but his mother, who died three years ago, always felt that the sport was too dangerous for young boys. Tim is torn. He feels he has a lot to offer the football team and is eager to join this popular group, but he can’t shake a lingering fear of being injured. He would definitely be an asset to the track team, but he is drawn to the more prestigious football team. How can Tim put his talent to the best use and at the same time satisfy his own needs?Author Fred Bowen continues his Sports Story Series with play-by-play action that’s sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats!

Eighth-grader Richie Mallon has always known he was a shooter, but will his amazing shooting talent be enough to keep him on the team?Outside Shot tells the story of eighth-grade basketball player Richie Mallon, who is known as “the shooter,” the one on the team who scores most of the baskets. He has practiced every day at his driveway hoop, perfecting his technique. Richie never plays any other roles on the court; he lets his teammates do the assisting and rebounding. Richie makes the team under a tough new coach, but he’s not a starter. Then when his shooting skills go into a slump, he must find a way to become a more well-rounded player.Author Fred Bowen continues his Sports Story Series with full court, play-by-play action that’s sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats!

Jack has a sizzling fastball, but does he have what it takes to pitch his team to victory?Last season, Jack’s could always rely on his fast pitches to strike out his opponents. But now he’s playing in a new league where the distance to the catcher’s mitt is a lot greater, and he can’t get seem to get into the strike zone. Then Finn, a baseball coach at a local college, shows Jack some new pitches and tells him about Steve Dalkowski who never made it out of the minor leagues because he wouldn’t throw other pitches. At first Jack doesn’t listen to the coach’s advice, but with the season on the line, he realizes that Finn was right. Is it too late to change his game plan?Author Fred Bowen continues his Sports Story series with play-by-play action that’s sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats! An afterword provides the real stories of pitching phenomes Steve Dalkowski and Sandy Koufax and their Major League Baseball careers.

Ready to hit the basketball court?Check out this action-packed Sports Story Series book from Washington Post KidsPost columnist and author Fred Bowen – perfect for fans of Mike Lupica and Tim Green.“Briskly paced… a good bet for use with sports-minded reluctant readers.” ―School Library JournalRyan, Zeke, Eli, and Miles have always shared a love of sports, especially basketball. When it’s time for basketball team tryouts, these best friends practice together, compete in a local 3-on-3 tournament, and carefully compute their chances of making the team. However, when tryouts arrive, will all their athletic skills pass the test? Can their friendship survive if one of them doesn’t make the cut?Fred Bowen keeps readers on the edge of their seats with play-by-play basketball action and real court strategy along with a story about winning and losing as well as the value of practice and competition. In the sports history epilogue, Bowen reminds readers that even famous players like Michael Jordan didn’t make their high school basketball teams the first time around.Discussion Guide available.

Baseball and basketball action abound in this Sports Story Series book from Washington Post KidsPost columnist and author Fred Bowen – perfect for fans of Mike Lupica and Tim Green.“Perfect Game is about the important lessons sports can teach: How to play for the love of the game.” ―Tim Shriver, Chairman of the Board, Special OlympicsWhen he volunteers with a team of developmentally disabled players, Isaac learns the true meaning of a “perfect” game.Isaac is determined to pitch a perfect game: no hits, no runs, no walks, and no errors. He can’t settle for less if he wants to make the summer all-star team. But when he allows a hit, Isaac keeps losing his cool on the mound and can’t get his head back in the game.Then Issac meets a very interesting Unified Sports basketball player who gets him thinking in a different way about the whole idea of a “perfect” game. But will this change in perspective help him be a better pitcher?Themes of kindness, friendship, perfection, and ability star in this inspiring installment of Fred Bowen’s Sports Story Series.Discussion Guide available.

Trey is overjoyed when his lucky charm helps him make the travel team, but will his luck hold out? When Trey's treasured lucky charm―a piece of blue sea glass he found near his grandmother's beach house―"helps" him make it onto the Ravens travel team with his friend Cole, he is overjoyed. This stroke of good fortune reinforces his superstitious behavior, and the rituals become more and more important to him. In spite of some teasing and even some sarcasm from his teammates, Trey persists―he never steps on the foul line, he obsessively taps the corners of home plate when he's at bat, he always chooses the same lucky bat―and the list just keeps getting longer. Why stop? After all, his tactics are working; he's doing quite well on the field and in the batter's box. Then one day he can't find his lucky sea glass. He and Cole search everywhere―but it's no use. Trey's performance begins to slip, and he is convinced that his future with the Ravens is doomed. It is no comfort to him to learn that many pro baseball players also depended on lucky charms or rituals. Things don't start to improve for Trey until his uncle reminds him of his grandmother's favorite saying: "The harder you work, the luckier you get."

Sam loves football. Most of all he loves the feeling he gets when his team, the Cowboys, are working together―moving closer and closer to the end zone.After an important game, Sam’s pride in his football team begins to fade. The Cowboys beat the Giants in the final play with a touchdown by Sam. But later, Sam and his teammates realize that the winning touchdown was scored illegally. Now the team is divided about what to do. It is only when Sam’s father tells the Cowboys about a famous football game―and similar dilemma―that that Sam knows what to do. But will his teammates agree?Author Fred Bowen continues his Sports Story series with play-by-play action that’s sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats! An afterword tells the real story of the 1940 Cornell-Dartmouth football game, the only college sporting event ever to be decided after the completion of the game.

Without his lucky glove, Jamie doesn’t believe in his ability to lead his baseball team to victory.Jamie lovingly oiled his glove all winter and, as the season approaches, he―and his glove―are in top form. When he carelessly loses his glove, he also loses his faith in himself and it shows in his playing. After an unsuccessful search, Jamie borrows a glove for the season’s opening game. Disappointed in his performance, Jamie seeks help at a local sporting goods shop and finds it in the generosity of the store’s owner―a former minor league player. The old-timer uses the history of baseball gloves and a few fielding tips to demonstrate that no tool―even a lucky glove―is a substitute for confidence and determination.Author Fred Bowen continues his Sports Story series with play-by-play action that’s sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats! An afterword provides the real story behind baseball gloves.

Eighth-grader Richie Mallon has always known he was a shooter, but will his amazing shooting talent be enough to keep him on the team?Outside Shot tells the story of eighth-grade basketball player Richie Mallon, who is known as “the shooter,” the one on the team who scores most of the baskets. He has practiced every day at his driveway hoop, perfecting his technique. Richie never plays any other roles on the court; he lets his teammates do the assisting and rebounding. Richie makes the team under a tough new coach, but he’s not a starter. Then when his shooting skills go into a slump, he must find a way to become a more well-rounded player.Author Fred Bowen continues his Sports Story Series with full court, play-by-play action that’s sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats!

In order to win an important baseball game, twelve-year-old Kyle claims to have made a difficult catch, which he actually dropped.The unearned win gives Kyle and his team an unfair advantage in the championship series, and everyone considers him the hero of the game. But the praise and attention he receives is not enough to silence his conscience. Kyle is afraid of disappointing his family and teammates with the truth, but he is increasingly uneasy in his deception. Then his sports-crazed grandmother tells him about Christy Mathewson, a pitcher whose reputation for honesty had umpires asking him to make calls during games. In the end Kyle learns a valuable lesson about sportsmanship and realizes that being a hero is only worthwhile if you have earned it.Author Fred Bowen continues his Sports Story series with play-by-play action that’s sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats! An afterword provides the real story of Christy Mathewson.

Jake Daley loves baseball. He loves playing for the Red Sox in the Woodside baseball league. He loves playing short stop. Most of all, he loves to win.Jake is excited when newcomer Adam Hull is selected to play for the Red Sox. Adam can do it all―pitch, hit, and field. But as the Red Sox rack up win after win, and Adam’s talents dominate every game, Jake can’t help but wonder: Do he or the other players even matter? When Jake’s father tells him the story of Babe Ruth and the 1927 Yankees, though, Jake sees how even the best players must rely on their teammates.Author Fred Bowen continues his Sports Story series with play-by-play action that’s sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats! An afterword provides the real story of the 1927 Yankees, the group that many have called “The Greatest Team of All Time.”