It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a weekly blog hop hosted by Kellee and Ricki of Unleashing Readers. The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.
Head over to Unleashing Readers to join the link-up and share your reading!
Yay, Spain! The FIFA World Cup grabbed my attention for the first time, and between matches, I searched my shelves for books I can display in the library once we get back to school. Some are older titles that we loved and some are brand new. I’m going to call the display “SOCCER STARS!”
A Note: These books aren’t all about soccer, per se, but the sport of soccer is part of the plot, so I’m including the titles here. These are all middle-grade fiction books that I have read either in the past or recently. This post is not meant to promote ALL the fictional soccer books on the market (there are so many!).
Bea is for Blended by Lindsey Stoddard. 2021, Harper. We loved Bea!
Booked by Kwame Alexander. 2016, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Still my favorite “Kwame” book! I read this one aloud to my sixth graders back when it published and we loved it! Nick Hall! Nick Hall! (By the way, we still want to know what was in the dragonfly box. LOL – IYKYK)
Almost Sunset by Wahab Algarmi. 2025, Harper Alley. This one was special because it incorporated a community learning together with a Muslim-American family who celebrated Ramadan. Hassan is a relatable main character.
The Academy: A Middle Grade Soccer Adventure by T.Z. Layton. 2025, Sourcebooks. This is book one of a popular series.
The Beautiful Game by Yamile Saied Mendéz. 2026, Little Brown Books. The author was kind enough to send me some swag to go along with this book. Thank you!
Offside by Christina Diaz Gonzalez and Mari Costa. 2026, Scholastic. The newest book for our collection. I cannot wait for students to see this one in August.
Now I need to gather my nonfiction books about soccer, too! It’s Monday! What are YOU reading?
Reading Teacher Writes 