Whether your students are obsessed with basketball, football, gymnastics, swimming, baseball, track, tennis, cheerleading, or just LOVE an underdog story… this video is packed with high-interest middle grade and YA sports books that can help turn reluctant readers into engaged readers! 🏀⚽📚
In this fast-paced Reading Round Up, I preview 20 sports-themed books perfect for:
✔️ First Chapter Friday
✔️ Middle School ELA
✔️ Classroom Libraries
✔️ Independent Reading
✔️ Reluctant Readers
✔️ Book Tastings
✔️ Reading Engagement
✔️ Sports Fans
These books feature competition, teamwork, perseverance, friendship, identity, resilience, mystery, and heart — all wrapped into stories your students will actually WANT to read.
📖 BOOKS FEATURED INCLUDE:
• Becoming Muhammad Ali (https://amzn.to/4aW9zsd)
• Change the Game (https://amzn.to/3lSinLe)
• Chirp (https://amzn.to/36oz5GK)
• Chunky (https://amzn.to/3c3IlD3)
• The Crossover (https://amzn.to/3JfoBvj)
• Dragon Hoops (https://amzn.to/3J1iXg7)
• Duel (https://amzn.to/4fI9oDF)
• Free Throws, Friendship and Other Things we Fouled Up (https://amzn.to/3IoFrJf)
• Kareem Between (https://amzn.to/4dTIYjf)
• Last Shot (https://amzn.to/3vBIc4I)
• Legacy and the Queen (https://amzn.to/414DL2h)
• Life in the Passenger Seat (https://amzn.to/4nFVg1Y)
• Nikki on the Line (https://amzn.to/36nGvgz)
• The Running Dream (https://amzn.to/3Acqjdb)
• Stealing Home (https://amzn.to/454waPF)
• Swim Team (https://amzn.to/3ObSUI5)
• The Tryout (https://amzn.to/3S4rQtn)
• Vanishing Act (https://amzn.to/3cwy1qy)
• War Games (https://amzn.to/4dpuIyx)
This video is designed to help middle school teachers quickly discover engaging book recommendations for students while building a stronger reading culture in the classroom.
Looking for more First Chapter Friday resources? Grab your First Chapter Friday Start Up Kit here: www.amandazieba.com/teachersignup
OR, REALLY level up your reading recommendation game with the FREE Word Nerd Daily App!
📱 The Word Nerd Daily App includes:
• First Chapter Friday videos
• Writing prompts
• Teaching tips
• Brain breaks
• Book recommendations
• RitaBot lesson planning help
• Ready-to-use engagement ideas for middle school teachers
FULL First Chapter Friday Worksheet Bundle:
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/First-Chapter-Friday-Read-Aloud-Videos-Engaging-Middle-School-Reading-Resource-8469855
🧡 Learn more about the Word Nerd Collaborative:
www.wordnerdcollaborative.com
Thanks for supporting reading engagement, literacy joy, and authentic book excitement in middle school classrooms!
** Slides designed and edited by Amanda Zieba and Kristen Nyholm using Canva Pro. Music Credit: Amanda Zieba and Suno Pro (2026)
#FirstChapterFriday #MiddleSchoolELA #SportsBooks #ReluctantReaders #ReadingEngagement #ClassroomLibrary #BookRecommendations #IndependentReading #ReadAloud #MiddleGradeBooks #YABooks #TeachersPayTeachers #ELAResources #ReadingCulture #wordnerd #amandazieba #readingrecommendations #booksforboys #booksforteens #sportsbooks
In this fast-paced Reading Round Up, I preview 20 sports-themed books perfect for:
✔️ First Chapter Friday
✔️ Middle School ELA
✔️ Classroom Libraries
✔️ Independent Reading
✔️ Reluctant Readers
✔️ Book Tastings
✔️ Reading Engagement
✔️ Sports Fans
These books feature competition, teamwork, perseverance, friendship, identity, resilience, mystery, and heart — all wrapped into stories your students will actually WANT to read.
📖 BOOKS FEATURED INCLUDE:
• Becoming Muhammad Ali (https://amzn.to/4aW9zsd)
• Change the Game (https://amzn.to/3lSinLe)
• Chirp (https://amzn.to/36oz5GK)
• Chunky (https://amzn.to/3c3IlD3)
• The Crossover (https://amzn.to/3JfoBvj)
• Dragon Hoops (https://amzn.to/3J1iXg7)
• Duel (https://amzn.to/4fI9oDF)
• Free Throws, Friendship and Other Things we Fouled Up (https://amzn.to/3IoFrJf)
• Kareem Between (https://amzn.to/4dTIYjf)
• Last Shot (https://amzn.to/3vBIc4I)
• Legacy and the Queen (https://amzn.to/414DL2h)
• Life in the Passenger Seat (https://amzn.to/4nFVg1Y)
• Nikki on the Line (https://amzn.to/36nGvgz)
• The Running Dream (https://amzn.to/3Acqjdb)
• Stealing Home (https://amzn.to/454waPF)
• Swim Team (https://amzn.to/3ObSUI5)
• The Tryout (https://amzn.to/3S4rQtn)
• Vanishing Act (https://amzn.to/3cwy1qy)
• War Games (https://amzn.to/4dpuIyx)
This video is designed to help middle school teachers quickly discover engaging book recommendations for students while building a stronger reading culture in the classroom.
Looking for more First Chapter Friday resources? Grab your First Chapter Friday Start Up Kit here: www.amandazieba.com/teachersignup
OR, REALLY level up your reading recommendation game with the FREE Word Nerd Daily App!
📱 The Word Nerd Daily App includes:
• First Chapter Friday videos
• Writing prompts
• Teaching tips
• Brain breaks
• Book recommendations
• RitaBot lesson planning help
• Ready-to-use engagement ideas for middle school teachers
FULL First Chapter Friday Worksheet Bundle:
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/First-Chapter-Friday-Read-Aloud-Videos-Engaging-Middle-School-Reading-Resource-8469855
🧡 Learn more about the Word Nerd Collaborative:
www.wordnerdcollaborative.com
Thanks for supporting reading engagement, literacy joy, and authentic book excitement in middle school classrooms!
** Slides designed and edited by Amanda Zieba and Kristen Nyholm using Canva Pro. Music Credit: Amanda Zieba and Suno Pro (2026)
#FirstChapterFriday #MiddleSchoolELA #SportsBooks #ReluctantReaders #ReadingEngagement #ClassroomLibrary #BookRecommendations #IndependentReading #ReadAloud #MiddleGradeBooks #YABooks #TeachersPayTeachers #ELAResources #ReadingCulture #wordnerd #amandazieba #readingrecommendations #booksforboys #booksforteens #sportsbooks