Everyone knows books about the “traditional” sports: basketball, baseball, football, and soccer. But what about the sports that aren’t as big a deal to the general public. They are important to those who participate in them, and they can serve as backdrops for some pretty amazing stories.
![](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/514tlB197mS._SY346_.jpg)
Why We Fly
by Kimberly Jones and Gilly Segal
Sourcebooks Fire
“Why We Fly will appeal to young readers interested in competitive cheerleading, alternating-voice narratives, and books featuring social protest.” – Gary Anderson at What’s Not Wrong
![](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51-c7puvd+S._SX328_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg)
Don’t Hate the Player
by Alexis Nedd
Bloomsbury YA
“Don’t Hate the Player is a fantastic read that explores the challenges a young woman of color faces when she enters the world of competitive videogaming while trying to keep the rest of her life on track.” – Carla Reimer at Books I Can’t Shut Up About
![](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51ULVK-wc1S._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg)
Cheer Up: Love and Pompoms
by Crystal Frasier, illustrated by Val Wise, lettered by Oscar O. Jupiter
Oni Press
“The story is realistic, and I cared about what happens to the characters.” – Anne W
![](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51WQDWqY0dL._SX409_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg)
Bartali’s Bicycle: The True Story of Gino Bartali, Italy’s Secret Hero
by Megan Hoyt, illustrated by Iacopo Bruno
Quill Tree Books
“I can’t stop reading picture books that make me cry. A Tour de France winner smuggling documents for the resistance, hiding Jewish families & distracting guards at train stations. Illustrated in a luscious throwback to classic Italian posters.” – Dr. Genevieve Ford
![](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51pcUnCBxUL._SY425_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg)
Sakamoto’s Swim Club: How a Teacher Led an Unlikely Team to Victory
by Julie Abery, illustrated by Chris Sasaki
Kids Can Press, Ltd
“This little known story about Hawaiian history and sports history is a tale about perseverance, believing in yourself and how one person can make a difference for many. The lyrical, rhyming text, along with the tropical illustrations bring the story alive.” – Susan
![](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51gVatWGHUL._SX383_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg)
The Impossible Climb (Young Readers Adaptation): Alex Honnold, El Capitan, and a Climber’s Life
by Mark Synnott and Hampton Synnott
Viking Books for Young Readers
![](https://www.cybils.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Melissa-Lists-Featured-Images-1-100x100.png)