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Touchdown! 16 Fiction and Nonfiction Books about Football

It’s fall! Football season is well underway—high school, college, and the NFL. Here are a few children’s and YA fiction and nonfiction books about football. Some are by familiar names like Colin Kaepernick, Tony Dungy, and Brian Westbrook Sr., and others are about unsung players, such as Joe Delaney and Chester Pierce. Enjoy!

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1. Heroic Heart: An Illustrated Biography of Joe Delaney

Frank Murphy | Charnaie Gordon | Anastasia Magloire Williams | Triumph Books | October 17, 2023 | PB | Amazon | Bookshop


2. The Mouse Who Played Football

Brian Westbrook Sr. | Lesley Van Arsdall | Mr. Tom | Temple University Press | August 1, 2022 | PB | Amazon | Bookshop


3. Pigskins to Paintbrushes: The Story of Football-Playing Artist Ernie Barnes

Don Tate | Abrams BYR | August 17, 2021 | PB | Amazon | Bookshop


4. Follow Chester!: A College Football Team Fights Racism and Makes History

Gloria Respress-Churchwell | Laura Freeman | Charlesbridge | September 17, 2019  | PB | Amazon | Bookshop



5. Austin Plays Fair: A Team Dungy Story About Football

Tony Dungy | Lauren Dungy | Guy Wolek | Ten Peaks Press | August 7, 2018 | PB | Amazon | Bookshop


6.  The Stone Thrower

Jael Ealey Richardson | Matt James | Groundwood Books | May 1, 2016 | PB | Amazon | Bookshop


7. Football With Dad: A Book for Dads and Kids (Little Golden Book)

Frank Berrios | Brian Biggs | Golden Books | May 5, 2015 | PB | Amazon | Bookshop


8. You Can Do It!

Tony Dungy | Amy June Bates | Little Simon Inspirations | July 8, 2008 | PB | Amazon | Bookshop



9. Who Is Colin Kaepernick? (Who HQ Now)

Lakita Wilson | Who HQ | Gregory Copeland | May 3, 2022 | Chp Bk | Amazon | Bookshop


10. Micah Hudson: Football Fumble

Tanisia Moore | Aeron Cargill | Reycraft Books | September 12, 2023 | Chp Bk | Amazon | Bookshop


11. Mascot

Charles Waters | Traci Sorell | Charlesbridge | September 5, 2023 | MG | Amazon | Bookshop


12. Before the Ever After

Jacqueline Woodson | Nancy Paulsen Books | September 1, 2020 | MG | Amazon | Bookshop



13. End Zone (Barber Game Time Books)

Tiki Barber | Ronde Barber | Paul Mantell | Paula Wiseman Books | August 5, 2014 | MG | Amazon | Bookshop


14. Wild Card (Barber Game Time Books)

Tiki Barber | Ronde Barber | Paul Mantell | Paula Wiseman Books | July 24, 2012 | MG | Amazon | Bookshop


15. Colin Kaepernick: Change the Game (Graphic Novel Memoir)

Colin Kaepernick | Eve L. Ewing | Orlando Caicedo | Graphix | March 7, 2023 | YA | Amazon | Bookshop


16. Kneel

Candace Buford | Inkyard Press | September 14, 2021 | YA | Amazon | Bookshop


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