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Mike Lupica is a longtime sports columnist and commentator who started his career covering the New York Knicks when he was just 23. In the past 30 years, he's written for newspapers and magazines, authored biographies of professional athletes, and appeared as a television anchor for ESPN. He has also coached his kids' basketball, baseball, and soccer teams and, in his spare time, writes bestselling middle grade and YA novels about, you guessed it, sports. When it comes to athletics, it seems there's nothing Lupica doesn't know or can't do.

Lupica's stories combine the best of team sports: suspense, hard work, dedication, cooperation, obstacles, victory, defeat, and life lessons that stay with you long after the game is over. His books engage hardcore fans, reluctant readers, rookies, and sports junkies because he uses his real-life experiences to create a fictional world of young boys striving on and off the field that feels relevant and deeply personal. Most importantly, Lupica's stories remind readers that sports is merely a part of our lives and that athletes are measured not just by their success on the field, but by who they are off of it. The world of sports, he says, "teaches kids about being on a team, being part of something greater than themselves if they play hard and well and unselfishly. If they can learn that, they can apply it to anything they do, in or out of sports, for the rest of their lives."

Lupica is the author of over 30 books for adults and children. We've compiled what we think is the "essential" list of his middle grade titles for the football, basketball, or baseball enthusiast in your family, including the recently released football story Lone Stars.

For Basketball Fans

by Mike Lupica

This sequel to Travel Team reminds readers that although Danny Walker is a small kid, he has a big game. Now Danny is going to summer camp with the best players in the country and he'll need to dig deep to overcome challenges he never imagined.

Did we miss one of your favorite Mike Lupica books? Tell us about your top pick in the comments below!

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An Introduction to Mike Lupica: Sports Stories and Life Lessons for Tween Readers | Brightly

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Mike Lupica is a longtime sports columnist and commentator who started his career covering the New York Knicks when he was just 23. In the past 30 years, he's written for newspapers and magazines, authored biographies of professional athletes, and appeared as a television anchor for ESPN.

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Mike Lupica talks about his new book, football and concussions

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In "Lone Stars," his latest novel for young readers, sports columnist Mike Lupica tells the story of a 12-year-old football player who's having doubts about the game. He tells TODAY's Matt Lauer that the story was inspired by the "new information" that has emerged about football and concussions.

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Forced to live on his own after his mom dies and her boyfriend abandons him, 12-year-old Jayson does whatever it takes to get by. He will...

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Michael Arroyo has a pitching arm that throws serious heat along with aspirations of leading his team all the way to the Little League Wo...

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Great Football Story

I really enjoyed this book. It reminded me a lot of the books I read as a teenager about the team being down and surprise player taking them to the big game.

But this book was more it was a story about a quarterback, of course, but also his girlfriend was going blind.

Great writing and the characters that were all very relatable.

I recommend this book

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Great Football Story I really enjoyed this book. It reminded me a lot of the books I read as a teenager about the team being down and surprise player taking them to the big game. But this book was more it was a story about a quarterback, of course, but also his girlfriend was going blind.

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This is my favorite so far! I loved it.. By the way, I'm an adult, reading the books my 11-year old daughter checks out. But she liked it, too. :-)This is my favorite so far! I loved it.. By the way, I'm an adult, reading the books my 11-year old daughter checks out. But she liked it, too. :-) ...more (less)

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This is my favorite so far! I loved it.. By the way, I'm an adult, reading the books my 11-year old daughter checks out. But she liked it, too. :-)This is my favorite so far! I loved it.. By the way, I'm an adult, reading the books my 11-year old daughter checks out.

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Strike Zone book. Read 46 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. A timely and heartfelt follow-up to #1 New York Times bestsell...

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You may also want to look at these other trailers:

Jayson stole shoes from Foot Locker so he could play basketball in them. He grew up from a rough part of town and didn't have any money. Jayson got sent to the Lawton's and has to make it in a new school with new people.

Teachers / Librarians:

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You may also want to look at these other trailers: Jayson stole shoes from Foot Locker so he could play basketball in them. He grew up from a rough part of town and didn't have any money. Jayson got sent to the Lawton's and has to make it in a new school with new people.

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Million-Dollar Throw, Mike Lupica - 9780399246265

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Mike Lupica talks about his new novel Fantasy League