2.28.2002
Walter Hays
School
Social/Emotional
Learning
Reading List.*
--Students--
Sportsmanship
Preschool
Loudmouth George and the Big Race, Nancy Carlson OL E Car / PACL PB Carlson
George brags, procrastinates, and offers excuses instead of training for the big race--much to his later embarrassment. Ingram. (Ages: Preschool).
Ages 4-8
Aesop's Fable: The Tortoise and the Hare, Mark
Schlichting OL 398.24 Aes
/ PACL CDROM 398 T712mp
The hare once boasted of his speed
before the other animals and challenged everyone to a race. The tortoise
answered the challenge and the race took a turn that surprised the boastful
hare. Ipac. (Ages 4-8).
The Berenstain Bears Go Out for the Team, Stan &
Jan Berenstain WH E
Ber / PACL PB Berenstain
When backyard sluggers Brother and Sister join the Bear Country Cub League, they get real uniforms and play on a baseball field. They also have pressure to win and competition from the other cubs. Mama's advice helps them prepare sensibly for team sports. Ingram. (Ages 4-8).
Billy Goat, Dave and Pat Sargent
Billy, a young goat who likes to brag and does not play fair, discovers that he is more respected and liked when he plays by the rules. http://pcssdmedia.k12.ar.us.. (Ages 4-8).
Don't Fidget a Feather, Erica Silverman WH E Sil / PACL PB Silverman
Duck proposes a contest to Gander to see who can freeze in place longer without moving even a feather. They stand while bees buzz them, bunnies leapfrog over them, a strong wind blows them into bushes -- and while Fox carries them to his den. As Fox prepares his stew, Duck begins to think Gander is too scared to move, so she scares Fox away. . . [shows the] proud idiocy of the two competitors. Horn Book. (Ages 4-8). (Recommended in Valerie & Walter's Best Books for Children).
Franklin Plays the Game, Paulette Bourgeois OL E Bou / PACL PB Bourgeois
Franklin loves to play soccer, but he has trouble kicking the ball. In this book, Franklin discovers the rewards of practice and teamwork. http://pcssdmedia.k12.ar.us.. (Ages 4-8).
Good Sportsmanship, Janet Riehecky
This book defines good sportsmanship by presenting situations in which it is important to be a good sport. http://pcssdmedia.k12.ar.us.. (Ages 4-8).
Great Ball Game: A
Muskogee Story, Joseph Bruchac OL 398.2 Bru / PACL Juv 398 B887gb
In this Muskogee Indian tale, the birds argue with the beasts
about which are better--those with teeth or those with wings. When the quarrel
escalates to the brink of war, both sides agree to settle their disagreement on
the playing field. The first side to score a point will set the other's
punishment. The bat, who has wings as well as teeth, is initially spurned by
both sides, then permitted to join the beasts. He scores the goal and banishes
the birds for half the year. "So it is that the Birds fly south each
winter. . . . And every day at dusk Bat still comes flying to see if the
Animals need him to play ball." Booklist
. (Ages 4-8).
Hooray for Snail!, John Stadler OL E Sta / PACL Juv Reader F Stadler
Slow Snail hits the ball so hard during a baseball game that it flies to the moon and back. Will Snail have time to slide in for a home run?. Ingram. (Ages 4-8). Reader.
I Hate Red Rover, Joan Lexau OL E Lex / PACT Juv. Reader F Lexau
Jill does poorly with games at
school until sharing her problem with Grampa helps her find a solution. Ipac.
(Ages 6-8). Reader.
It's Just a Game, John Farrell OL E Far
A soccer team learns that sports should be played not only to win, but to have fun. Ipac. (Ages 4-8).
Let the Games Begin, Maya Ajmera OL 796 Ajm / PACL
796 A 312L
Text and photographs of children from around the world focus on various aspects of sports, including physical benefits, the importance of practice, overcoming obstacles, teamwork, and more. IPac. (Ages 4-8).
Nobody Likes to Lose, Lydia Marshall
WH 157 Mar
Sandy comes in last in her heat at the swim meet but learns the difference between winning against herself and winning against others.Ipac. (Ages 7-9).
Old Turtle's Soccer Team, Leonard Kessler WH E Kes
Cat got a soccer ball for his birthday, and he and his friends challenged the Rockets to a game. But they didn't know the rules, and the Rockets walked off the field. So Old Turtle volunteered to teach them, and after much practice, they turned out to be winners. Ingram. (Ages 4-8).
On Your Mark, Get Set,
Go! the First All-Animal Olympics,
Leonard Kessler OL E Kes / PACL Juv Reader F Kessler
Everyone gets to participate in the first All-Animal Olympics except Worm but he keeps training anyway. IPac. (Ages 4-8). Reader.
Ronald Morgan
Goes to Bat, Patricia Giff WH E Gif /
PACL Juv. Reader F Giff
Ronald Morgan loves to play baseball. Unfortunately, he can't hit, he can't catch, and he holds the bat at the wrong end. But Ronald has a lot of spirit--and that just may be all he needs to be good. Ingram. (Ages 4-8). Reader.
So What If I'm a Sore
Loser? Barbara Williams
The constant competition between cousins creates sore losers
and equally sore winners. http://smiles.ci.san-marino.ca.us/MARION/AAH-0028.
(Ages 5-8).
Soccer Sam, Jean Marzollo OL E Mar / PACL Juv Reader Fiction Marzollo
In a perceptive tale of friendship and sports, Sam's visiting Mexican cousin overcomes the language barrier by teaching soccer to his new friends. Book Description. (Ages 4-8). Reader.
Who's The Man, Hank Herman WH F Her
A basketball team is supposed to win, right? Star center Will Hopwood is totally annoyed when the Branford Bulls' coaches keep putting the second-stringers in the game. When Will tells the coaches to stick with the starters, they order him to butt out. Butt out? Then Will and teammate Derek Roberts are chosen to play in the league's all-star game. Being honored as an all-star proves to Will that he's absolutely right, and he wastes no time telling everybody what to do. But when it comes to actually playing in the all-star game, Will learns a lesson he never expected! Book Description. (Ages 4-8).
Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the Worlds Fastest Woman, Kathleen Krull WH 921 Rudolph, W / PACL PB Krull
A young reader's introduction to champion athlete Wilma Rudolph follows her development of polio at age four, an illness that doctors said would prevent her from ever walking, her schooltime achievements, and her gold-medal successes at the 1960 Olympic Games. Ingram. (Ages 4-8).
Winning Ways in Soccer, Janet Grosshandler WH 796.334 Gro / PACL 796.33 G878w
An introduction for young children, featuring large action photos in full color, an easy text, and an appended note for parents. Grosshandler describes and illustrates the (minimal) equipment needed, rules, field positions, ways to move the ball, penalties, and safety practices, then takes readers quickly through a game between two young, mixed teams. Like the author's Everyone Wins at Tee Ball (1990), this will give prospective players, and their parents, a good idea of what they're getting into. Kirkus Reviews. (Ages 4-8).
Ages 9-12
The Blond Brother, James Geibel
Racial tension in his new high school undermines Rich
Gaskin's efforts to help his team win the state basketball championship. http://pcssdmedia.k12.ar.us. (Ages 7-10).
The Book of Changes: Stories, Tim Wynne-Jones OL SC Wyn / PACL Jun Fiction Wynne-Jones
The dialogue is laugh-out-loud funny in these touching short stories, and the universal situations are drawn right from the middle-grade experience: confronting a bully, starting a first job, learning to lose at sports, discovering weakness in a hero, meeting a stranger on a journey. Booklist. (Ages 9-12). (Recommended in Valerie & Walter's Best Books for Children).
Champions Don't Cry, Nan Gilbert
A thirteen-year-old doesn't know if she has what it takes to
be a tennis champion but won't quit until she finds out. http://pcssdmedia.k12.ar.us.
(Ages 10-13).
Cross-Country Runner, Leon McClinton
A star player quits football in his senior year and turns to
cross-country running where he encounters derision and discouragement. http://pcssdmedia.k12.ar.us. (Ages 9-12).
Get Those Rebounds! Les Etter
Although he loves basketball, sixteen-year-old Rick is
convinced he'll never attain the star status of his older brother. http://pcssdmedia.k12.ar.us.
(Ages 7-10).
Good Sports: Winning, Losing & Everything in Between, Therese Kauchak OL 796 Kau / PACL 796 K21g
American Girl's behind-the-scenes look at sports includes advice on being a great teammate, a good winner, and a gracious loser; dealing with parents and coaches; playing with boys; and deciding whether to quit the team. Also includes advice from famous women athletes and a list of addresses for sports associations so girls can get even more information about the sports they love. Book Description. (Ages 9-12).
Highpockets, John Tunis OL F Tun / PACL F Tunis
This is an exciting tale and one that will be long
remembered for analysis of a sportsman who learns through adversity to adjust
himself to his team and to his world. Ingram.
(Ages 10 and up).
The Hit-Away Kid, Matt Christopher OL F Chr / PACL F Christopher
Barry McGee is the Peach Street Mudders' hit-away batter, but sometimes his desire to win leads him to bend the rules. Rival pitcher Alec Frost steals a prized possession and then challenges Barry to win it back by hitting two home runs off him. Will Barry play fair and risk losing his possession? Or will his determination to win get the best of him? Ingram. (Ages 9-12).
Horse Games, Bonnie Bryant OL F Bry
Stevie is excited about a great new sport--polocrosse. When she learns that the Horse Wise Pony Club will be playing against her boyfriend's team, she's thrilled. Now she'll finally have the chance to show him what a good rider she is! Her best friends, Carole and Lisa, are enthusiastic about anything that has to do with horses, but they don't share Stevie's fierce drive to win. Carole would rather spend time with their new friend Marie, who was injured in an accident. Marie needs help, and Carole knows that horses are the answer. If she can interest Marie in riding again,she'll be on the road to recovery.
When Stevie sprains her ankle, her determination is as strong as ever. Carole and Lisa thought she was a terror as a player, but they can't believe what she's like as a coach! Her competitive spirit is starting to threaten their friendship. What will it take to get the Saddle Club team spirit back again? From the Publisher. (Ages 9-12).
Johnny Long Legs, Matthew Christopher OL F Chr
Even though he is the tallest member of the basketball team,
a young boy finds he is far from being the best player. Ingram. (Ages 9-11).
Lives of the Athletes: Thrills, Spills (and What the
Neighbors Thought), Kathleen Krull OL 920 Kru / PACL 927.96 K94L
Collects little-known and fascinating facts about twenty of the world's legendary athletes, from Babe Ruth's fancy for pickled eels and chocolate ice cream to Johnny Weissmuller's secret Tarzan yell. Ingram. (Ages 9-12).
The Meat in the Sandwich, Alice Bach OL F Bac
Ten-year-old Mike feels his dream of
becoming a star athlete threatened by his older and younger sister. Then he is
befriended by a competitive all-around athlete who changes his life. Ipac. (Ages 10-13).
Molly Gets Mad, Suzie Kline
Third grader Molly is jealous of Florence's superior ice skating ability but makes an interesting discovery about teamwork when she joins the hockey team. http://pcssdmedia.k12.ar.us.. (Ages 9-12).
Not Bad for a Girl, Isabella Taves
PACL F Taves
An eleven-year-old girl
playing for a little league baseball team experiences hatred and abuse from
adults whose traditional thinking reserves baseball for boys. Webpac. (Ages 9-12).
On the Balance Beam, Nancy Robison OL F Rob
Andrea's dream of becoming an accomplished gymnast is threatened by her own impulsiveness and a jealous member of her gym team. Ipac. (Ages 8-10).
Play-By-Play, Mel Glenn
Fourth graders Jeremy and Lloyd are best friends until an
interest in soccer makes Lloyd wildy competitive and changes their
relationship. www.worldsoccernetwork.com/bookstore. (Ages 9-10).
Rabbit Ears, Alfred Slote OL F Slo / PACL F Slote
In order to become a good pitcher
for his baseball team, fifteen-year-old Tip tries to overcome his sensitivity
to the jeers of the opposing players. IPac.
(Ages 10-12).
Red Hot Hightops, Matt Christopher PACL F Christopher
The red hightops that Kelly finds in her locker give her an extra boost of confidence on the basketball court, but soon she begins to wonder where they came from and if they are hexed. Ingram. (Ages 9-12).
Runner-Up, Mike Neigoff
OL F Nei
Convinced that he will be a loser,
a young boy with a talent for running is reluctantly persuaded to join the
track team. Ipac. (Ages 9-11).
Skateboard Scramble, Barbara Douglass
WH F Dou
Although she loves skateboarding,
Jody is uneasy when her father insists that she participate in a skateboard
competition, especially as she would be competing against her best friend. Ipac.
(Ages 9-11).
Single to Center, Bill Carol OL F Car
An eleven-year-old boy has to work out the problem of having his sister play on the Little League team while he sits on the bench. Ipac. (Ages 9-11).
Soccer Duel, Thomas Dygard
WH F Dyg/ PACL Young Adult F
Dyg
A former football star finds he must share the spotlight with other players when he decides to play soccer. Ipac. (Ages 11-14).
Soccer Hero, Mike Neigoff OL F Nei
After Specs Conn organizes a
junior high soccer team he has to decide if his ambition to play will hurt the
team's ability to win. Ipac. (Ages 9-11).
S.O.R. Losers, Avi Wortis PACL F Avi
Each member of the South Orange River seventh-grade soccer
team has qualities of excellence, but not on the soccer field. http://pcssdmedia.k12.ar.us.
(Ages 9-12).
The Stinky Sneakers
Contest, Julie Peters
There is a lesson about sportsmanship and honesty in this early chapter book about two boys whose friendship is threatened when they enter a smelly sneaker contest. Horn Book. (Ages 9-12).
Tough Loser, Barthe DeClements
Nine-year-old Jenna cares for new puppies while trying to help her thirteen-year-old brother Mike, whose temper threatens to ruin his chances of becoming a hockey star. http://pcssdmedia.k12.ar.us.. (Ages 9-12).
Woodsie (The Wolfbay Wings, #1) , Bruce Brooks WH F Bro
Dixon Woods is new to hockey and new to the Wings, last year's regional champs. But their old coach has left and taken the best players, without whom the remaining team members are in over their heads. Although he is blessed with good hockey sense, devotion, and an easygoing disposition, Dixon has a lot to learn. Kirkus Reviews. (Ages 8-12). (Recommended in Valerie & Walter's Best Books for Children).
Ages 13 and Up
The Hotshot, Alfred Slote
PACL F Slote
A young boy realizes that a good player is not always the
one who scores but the one who helps the team win. http://pcssdmedia.k12.ar.us. (Ages:
Young Adult).
Ironman, Chris Crutcher OL F Cru / PAMP Young Adult Fiction Crutcher
When one of his frequent outbursts lands him in an anger management class, Bo interrupts his triathlon training to spend two mornings a week discussing personal issues with a group of emotionally wounded classmates. Horn Book. (Ages: Young Adult). (Recommended in Valerie & Walter's Best Books for Children).
Point Spread, Thomas Dygard
A linebacker with a brilliant college record sees his hopes for a career in professional football totter and his teams's season threatened when he is implicated in a gambling scandal. http://pcssdmedia.k12.ar.us..
(Ages Young Adult).
Sportsmanship, John Bowman
Examines the differences between good and bad sportsmanship. http://pcssdmedia.k12.ar.us.. (Ages Young Adult).
Winning Kicker, Thomas Dygard OL F Dyg
A pretty, 110-pound girl joins her high-school football team
as a first-rate place kicker. This book deals matter-of-factly with the
problems created by her doing so. Ingram.
(Ages 11-14).
Not Reviewed
Ages 4-8
Wheels, Jane Thomas (Ages 4-6).
Ages 9-12
Rivals on Ice, Elizabeth Van Steenwyk (Ages 9-11).
The Tennis Menace, Alex Allen (Ages 8-10).
We Didn't Mean It, Sharon Addy (Ages 8-10).
Ages 13
and Up
The All-American Coeds, Betsy Madden (Ages 12 and up).
The Fifth Base, Joseph Archibald (Ages 12 and up).
Love and Tennis, Alfred Slote (Ages 12-14).
Speed, Rozanne Knudson (Ages 12 and up).
Web Sites
Guidelines for Effective Character Education Through
Sports
Jeffrey P. Beedy, Ed.D., and Russell W. Gough, Ph.D.
We are a nation intensely interested in sports. Many scholars
suggest that, in terms of cultural scope and significance, sports are second
only to religion in our country. Sports play a powerful part in molding the
character of the nation-especially the character of millions of our nation's
youth who participate in organized sports programs. Because of the growing
frequency of unsportsmanlike attitudes and conduct at all levels of athletic
competition, many observers have concluded that, contrary to the popular adage,
sports do not build good character. However, if all stakeholders-coaches,
administrators, teachers, parents, game officials, players, students, boosters,
and fans-adhere to the following guidelines, youth sports programs (K-12) can
be very positive, character-building endeavors. [Nt: Has resource list for further reading.] http://www.character.org/reference/index.cgi?detail:sports_guidelines
Positive Learning Using Sports
Sports P.L.U.S. - Positive Learning Using Sports - is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the use of sports as a positive educational medium. We believe that within sports lie valuable lessons and potentially powerful learning opportunities. Our goal is to show others how to tap into these lessons and create programs that develop good athletes and good people.
*
We
have not yet had the chance to read all the books recommended, so you might to
pre-read the selections if you are concerned about content. Of those we have read, we added a notation
if we thought the theme might pose some problems for you (such as death,
capital punishment, or discussion of the topic in the context of a religious
holiday).
Books marked WH are in our library, OL in other Palo
Alto School District libraries, PACL at the Palo Alto Children's Library, PAM
ain at Palo Alto Main Library and PAMP at Palo Alto Mitchell Park Library.