Blogderby Book Edition: Sporty reads for teens

Sports fiction for teens: As an athletic fanatic and sporty young adult author, I’m always on the hunt for an amazing book that features an athletic main character. And guess what? Some of the best teen and tween novels on bookshelves today feature a sporty protagonist.

Born to run? There’s a ton of great sporty books out there for cross-country and track lovers. Eileen Cook’s (http://www.eileencook.com) What Would Eileen Do? follows Emma on her quest to snag a track scholarship with some major boy bumps along the way. Pheobe in Tera Lynn Child’s (http://www.teralynnchilds.com/) sensation, Oh My Gods, is a die-hard cross-country runner. Even best selling author, Megan McCafferty’s (http://www.meganmccafferty.com/) main character Jessica Darling (Sloppy Firsts) runs cross-country in high school.

 Performancing enhancing steroids isn’t just for boys anymore. Kathy Mackel (http://us.penguingroup.com/static/html/blogs/guest-author/boost-kathy-mackel) tackles this controversial subject and more in her eye-opening basketball book, Boost.

 If soccer is your game, you’re in luck because soccer books are booming. Liz Tigelaar’s (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/471527.Liz_Tigelaar) Pretty Tough is filled with plenty of soccer action, both on the field and off. Parker from Tina Ferraro’s (http://www.tinaferraro.com/) The ABC’s of Kissing Boys thinks she’s a sho-in for the varsity soccer team after two long years on junior varsity except she doesn’t make it. 

Are you a fastpitch fanatic? After moving to Texas, Ella learns to fit in through the softball team in Weezie Mackey’s (http://www.weeziekerrmackey.com/) Throwing Like a Girl. Keri Mikulski’s (http://www.kerimikulski.com) Screwball series follows superstar pitcher, Ashley Clarke, as she attempts to juggle serious softball with school, sports, and a social life, including a new boyfriend.

 Teen sports fiction doesn’t stop with softball. Alexa Young’s (http://www.alexayoung.com/) Frenemies series features gymnastics. Chris and Winston go on a post graduation cross-country bike trek in Shift by Jennifer Bradbury (http://www.jennifer-bradbury.com/). Boxing is Taylor Lucia’s sport of choice in Taylor Morris’s (http://www.taylormorris.com/) tween book, Total Knockout. And Liz Tiglear (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/471527.Liz_Tigelaar) tackles football in the second Pretty Tough series novel, Playing for the Boys.

 Can’t find the sport you’re looking for? Or am I missing a great book? Let me know at www.kerimikulski.com. Keep reading.

Fashion: Ralph Lauren takes on the U.S. Olympic Team

Later this summer,  the U.S. Olympic team will be sporting preppy styles and miniature polo players. That’s according to an announcement that none other than Ralph Lauren will be outfitting the Team USA during the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as designing clothes for them to wear during their down time. 

Ralph and Co. signed a contract with the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) to replace the Canadian apparel company Roots Ltd., which outfitted the United States team for the past three Olympic Games and was to continue through 2008. The two parted ways in January.

Apparently, the committee was looking for something a little more formal for this year’s Olympians. The head officer of the USOC told Lauren that his inspiration for this year is Chariots of Fire, so expect lots of V-neck sweaters and blazers in a patriotic palette of red, white, and blue.

The Olympics deal could translate into millions in sales of Olympics-branded products that will be carried at Polo boutiques in the United States and on the company’s Web site. The company is in talks with several United States department stores to carry the clothes and is working with officials to potentially set up shops in Beijing.

In keeping with Olympic tradition, attire for the opening ceremonies won’t be revealed until August 8, the first official day of the festivities.

What do you think of the designer choice?