Books in Like a Dream Series series

Matt Devon is a good kid from a small town in New Mexico. He is also one of the top high school quarterbacks in the country. His plan is to play football for a large university and then make his way to the NFL. But everything is put on hold when he makes a huge mistake that lands him behind bars. The Long Way Around is a story of redemption and second chances. Former sports agent-turned-writer, Jimmie Hand, takes the reader through the lowest lows of prison life and onto the highs of professional football. The football sequences are so realistic that they explode off the page! The strong character messages are just as explosive.

The Highest Stand takes an in-depth look at the 110 meter hurdles, as Dede Bartholomew Savage III runs in the final race of his track-and-field life. The book is written by three-time Olympian and world champion, Tonie Campbell. Told in flashbacks, we follow Dede on his journey through adolescence and toward his Olympic dream. It isn t always easy for Dede. As a kid, he wears glasses the size of CD s and pants that are as tight as his socks in other words, he s a nerd. The school bullies don t let him forget it, either. Through his struggles we learn valuable lessons about standing up for yourself. The Highest Stand won Best Juvenile Fiction at the San Diego Book Awards in 2004.

Hoop City is a basketball book about twin brothers growing up on the tough streets of New York City. While Mike Hope makes a bad decision that ends his basketball career, his brother Tony Hope finds the strength to continue his journey to NBA stardom without his wingman. This story about consequences, growing up, and basketball won Best Juvenile Fiction at the San Diego Book Awards in 2003. It is widely used for the NBA s Read to Achieve program.

Sasha Beckdell Lewis is afraid of everything. Clowns. Cats. Snowballs. Most knives. Some forks. Car wash places. Sprinkler heads. Men in beards. Men in moustaches. Blood. Ketchup (because it looks like blood). Most kinds of cheeses. And that s just her starter list. But when her best friend, Courtney, forces her to try out for the girls soccer team, everything changes. Suddenly, things aren t so scary anymore. Through soccer, Sasha learns to not be afraid of the world. The author of this book, Holly Goldberg Sloan, is also the screenwriter of the Disney classic Angels in the Outfield.

The Green is a comedic look at the sport of golf, as told through the eyes of Jason Green, the somewhat overweight class clown. After being forced to get a job at Whispering Canyons Golf Course, Jason is introduced to a cast of quirky characters. Hanging out with Eugene, a classmate who is definitely not a part of the cool crowd, Jason begins to learn about golf. He gets better at the sport quickly and even starts to lose some weight. In gaining self-confidence, he begins to realize that maybe the cool kids aren t so cool after all and that maybe he s not just the fat kid who s good for a laugh. Maybe he s a golfer. The Green captures the attention of young readers as we follow Jason on a hilarious journey of self-exploration... and goofy pants.

Jason Skids Skidder is a fourteen-year-old with a dream to play professional soccer. When he finds out that his father is moving his family from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, his entire world turns upside down. Leaving his friends and his old life behind him is only the beginning of his troubles. When Skids makes it to Rio, he finds out that soccer is really futebol and that he is not as good as he was in America. After meeting some new Brazilian friends, and the girl of his dreams, he starts to improve. Chasing the King is the story of his journey to the World Cup. As his soccer improves, he also grows to love his new home. If his soccer dreams come true, will he play for Brazil or for America?

The Road to the Majors is a baseball book about Jimmy Hanks, a kid who struggles on his road to the Major Leagues. I can take more punches than you can, is Jimmy s motto. The story spans a ten-year period in his life. The baseball action moves through high school disappointments, college highs, the transition into the Minor Leagues, and finally the Majors. Jimmy narrates his exciting journey.

Sasha Beckdell Lewis is afraid of everything. Clowns. Cats. Snowballs. Most knives. Some forks. Car wash places. Sprinkler heads. Men in beards. Men in moustaches. Blood. Ketchup (because it looks like blood). Most kinds of cheeses. And that s just her starter list. But when her best friend, Courtney, forces her to try out for the girls soccer team, everything changes. Suddenly, things aren t so scary anymore. Through soccer, Sasha learns to not be afraid of the world. The author of this book, Holly Goldberg Sloan, is also the screenwriter of the Disney classic Angels in the Outfield.

"Amelia's heart hammered against her chest. It was the only indication that she was still alive as her enemy's golden eyes seared into her soul. Revenge was upon them, and there was no backing down whether Amelia was ready or not." With her life hanging in the balance, Amelia must decide if she wants a new life with a new love or, once again, put her life in danger to save Aaron. As time runs out a decision must be made and Amelia is determined to do what needs to be done. When she learns that Aaron is being held by three dangerous women, who were created by a demented doctor, she realizes just how far she must go from a parallel realm before it's too late. She must summon the courage to fight them off to save not only Aaron, but herself.

On her way to try out for the Olympic basketball team, Brittany Bristol, the Long Shot, bumps into her old crush, her brother s best friend Brian. The book is told in flashbacks, as Brittany recalls her childhood when she first fell in love with Brian. Long Shot is a story about love and the different paths people choose in life. Although nobody believes that tiny Brittany Bristol has a chance to go anywhere with the sport of basketball, she never quits. Will she make the Olympic team? Will she be reunited with Brian?

Francisco Paco Diaz is an angry kid who gets into fights at school all the time. Ever since his brother got locked up, Paco hasn t been the same. To avoid being sent to military school, he takes the advice of a psychologist and searches for a punching bag to hit. That s where he meets El Buho, and that s where his entire life changes. The Owl, a tough-as-nails fellow Puerto Rican who runs the local boxing gym, sees something special in Paco. After reluctantly agreeing to work with El Buho, Paco falls in love with the sport of boxing. Although he is a skilled boxer, in order to be the best, Paco must keep his emotions in check. In the ring, losing control means losing the bout. As he tries to become an Olympic athlete, Paco must first fight his inner demons. Fighting El Fuego is the inspirational story of a young man s passion for the sport of boxing and how the fire in his belly nearly burns him to the ground.

On her way to try out for the Olympic basketball team, Brittany Bristol, the Long Shot, bumps into her old crush, her brother s best friend Brian. The book is told in flashbacks, as Brittany recalls her childhood when she first fell in love with Brian. Long Shot is a story about love and the different paths people choose in life. Although nobody believes that tiny Brittany Bristol has a chance to go anywhere with the sport of basketball, she never quits. Will she make the Olympic team? Will she be reunited with Brian?