We are smack dab in the middle of football season and I don’t know about you, but at my house, football is IMPORTANT. I love college football (especially the Gamecocks). My husband loves professional football (especially the Carolina Panthers).
Over the years, I feel like our love of football has grown more intense. Our closet reflects our teams (hello garnet and black and Panthers blue), we often have football shaped food around the house (currently – pretzels, brownies), we plan our Super Bowl Party a year in advance, and I like to find books that are about football (I do love a theme).
If your house if full of football fans like mine, here are some books you might enjoy!
Beginning Readers and Picture Books
The Mo Jackson series is a great one for beginning readers. For a football story, check out Don’t Throw It to Mo! by David A. Adler
Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry – this book is not at all about football, but it IS written by a former NFL wide receiver who played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Cincinnati Bengals, Carolina Panthers, and the Baltimore Ravens. The book is a beautiful story about a dad figuring out how to get his little girl’s hair perfect.
Books by Tiki and Ronde Barber – Brothers and football legends Tiki and Ronde Barber have joined forces to write a number of books about football – there is something for everyone – from picture books like Gameday to a chapter book series called Game Time.
Between the Lines: How Ernie Barnes Went from the Football Field to the Art Gallery by Sandra Neil Wallace – Ernie Barnes was an NFL football player and an artist. Interesting true story.
The Day Roy Riegels Ran the Wrong Way by Dan Gutman – Recreates a painful (but funny) moment in sports history.
The Greatest Game Ever Played by Phil Bildner – The 1958 NFL championship game is known to football fans as the “Greatest Game Ever Played.” Phil Bildner tells a heartwarming father-and-son story against the backdrop of this historic moment.
Teens and Adults
Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger – Classic story of a high school football team. Read the book that the television series is based on.
You probably loved the movie, so why not read The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis. This is a true story of football player, Michael Oher.
Mind and Matter by John Urschel – Urshel is a mathematician and former offensive lineman for the Baltimore Ravens. While he was an offensive lineman for the Ravens, he simultaneously pursued his PhD in mathematics at MIT. Amazing.
Want to learn more about football? Read a book for kids – they are the best ones to learn from!
The Football Fanbook: Everything You Need to Become a Gridiron Know-it-All (A Sports Illustrated Kids Book) by Gary Gramling and The Editors of Sports Illustrated Kids
T is for Touchdown: A Football Alphabet by Brad Herzog – An information-filled alphabet book, all about football.
Check out these authors who write football stories – Matt Christopher, Mike Lupica, Tim Green.
Check out these Football players and coaches who have written books – Tim Tebow, Tony Dungy, Kurt Warner, Shaquem and Shaquill Griffin.
Looking for a book club? Join former Colt’s Quarterback, Andrew Luck, in his book club.
Do you have a favorite book about football? What would you add to the list?
