An exhilarating year of sport stretches ahead in this Olympic Year, as Paris hosts the first Olympics in Europe since London 2012 taking place in July and August, immediately followed by the Paralympics in August and September. Germany hosts the men's major football tournament, Euro 2024 in June and July. Later in the year the Cycling World Championship will take place in Denmark, and there are two cricket World Cups - the Men's Twenty20 in the US in June and the Women's Twenty20 starts in September in Bangladesh.

If your kids love sport then take a look at these winning titles for readers age 7 to 13 (KS2/3) - all have a sporting storyline and are sure to hit the back of the net.

Kick by Mitch Johnson  Mitch Johnson won the Branford Boase Award with his compelling debut, Kick. Chair of the Judges, our own expert reviewer, Julia Eccleshare said: “Kick is an adventure story that connects UK readers with a boy living a completely different and tough life halfway across the world; it is a book full of humour and heart. At a time when many children’s books seem to be looking inward, Mitch Johnson has written a book about a global issue, encouraging children to think about the way the world works, and even how they could effect change." 

The One Dollar Horse by Lauren St John - first in the One Dollar Horse Series.  Fifteen year old Casey Blue volunteers at a local riding school, but her dream is to win the world's greatest Three Day Event: the Badminton Horse Trials. The One Dollar Horse trilogy is gripping reading for horse-mad kids - as one of our Kids Review Panel said - 'This book was amazing and I couldn’t put it down. I loved it so much I can’t wait to read the second one!'

Ghost by Jason Reynolds - part of the Run Series  “Running isn’t anything I ever had to practice. It’s just something I knew how to do”, Ghost (real name Castle Cranshaw) explains. Ghost is the first in the excellent Run series which follows four kids from very different backgrounds, chosen to compete in an elite midde school track running team with a chance at the Junior Olympics. 

Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson  Like all the best sporting tales, Victoria Jamieson’s award-winning graphic novel is as much about resilience and perseverance as about sport, in this case roller derby. A team contact sport played mainly in the US, it is growing in popularity in the UK and no wonder - it looks great fun! Follow Astrid as she battles to become a tough, independent roller girl.

Armistice Runner by Tom Palmer  Tom Palmer creates a fictionalised story of Lily, a keen fell-runner, with a story steeped in the true history of the sport and in particular one record-breaking runner, Ernest Dalzell from Keswick, Cumbria. Through reading her grandfather's diaries Lily learns about Ernest's passion for fell running and also his experience on the front line during the Great War. Many of Tom's books have a sporting theme, particularly rugby and football - you can find a selection here.

Kicking Off by Eve Ainsworth Kicking Off is the fascinating and inspiring true story of a trailblazing female football team formed by workers in a WWI munitions factory. The Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C., founded in Preston Lancashire, was one of the earliest known women's association football teams in England. The women had joined the company in 1914 to help manufacture ammunition for the war - and made sporting history with their football success, set against the backdrop of the Suffragette movement and enormous social change. 

Rugby Heroes by Gerard Siggins part of the Rugby Spirit Series The Rugby Spirit series mixes thrilling rugby action with ghostly mystery as talented young player, Eoin Madden and his rugby-mad friends, juggle the demands of the rubgy squad, school work and ghostly visitations from rubgy legends of the past! The author, Gerard Siggins is a sports journalist and brings his stories a level of winning credibility and fantastic entertainment.

To the Edge of the World by Julia Green To the Edge of the World is a gripping adventure at sea, perfect for kids who enjoy sailing. Our Reader Review Panel gave it their seal of approval - 'To the Edge of the World is now my favourite book...The language was so descriptive, I felt I was right there on the boat. Nothing will top this book' and 'a great adventure story with strong characters and vivid description.' A beautifully written tale of courage, friendship, and survival. 

Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes In Black Brother, Black Brother Donte is painfully aware that his skin colour negatively influences his fellow students and his teachers. After an incident at school he is determined to tackle this inequality, joining the school fencing team to fight for his own self-esteem and to prove his detractors wrong.

And if your young readers prefer non-fiction, we have a collection of titles full of fascinating sporty facts here!