9 Baseball Books Kids Say
Are Home Runs

by Kari Ness Riedel

Photo credit: David Roth, The Image Bank/Getty Images

For our family, the longer days of spring and summer are synonymous with baseball. Many hours are spent cheering at little league games, playing catch in the front yard, and staying up way past bedtime to see if the Giants are on their way to another World Series victory.

When my baseball enthusiast son struggled to find books he really wanted to read, I found tapping into his love of the game was a home run.

Here are top picks for fiction books involving baseball recommended by my son and other young readers on Bookopolis, a kid-friendly social network and book discovery tool I created for students ages 7 – 13.

  • Baseball Books for Older Readers
    (4th - 8th grade level)

  • Heat

    by Mike Lupica

    Available from:

    Twelve-year-old little league pitcher, Michael, throws serious heat on the field but has had many fires to contend with at home ever since his father died after their family escaped from Cuba. Tyler, 11, recommends it for middle schoolers, “Thrilling book...very inspirational and descriptive.” This is one of many bestselling sports fiction reads by professional sportswriter Mike Lupica. He has several other books focused on baseball as well as football and basketball that are perfect for fans of realistic sports drama.

    Also available from:
  • The Girl Who Threw Butterflies

    by Mick Cochrane

    Available from:

    Molly Williams, an eighth grader with a gifted knuckleball, just wants to play ball. Especially since pitching makes her feel closer to her dad who just died in a car accident. This is a story of a young girl redefining herself after a tragedy and how her love of the game aids in that. Ella, 9, recommends this book, “because it’s touching and heartwarming” and perfect for fans of baseball.

    Also available from:
  • Soar

    by Joan Bauer

    Available from:

    In this book by Newbery Honor-winner and tween favorite, Joan Bauer, we meet Jeremiah, a huge baseball fan who dreams of going pro. But those dreams clash with reality when he learns that he is unable to play due to a physical problem. When Jeremiah moves to a new town, he puts his love of baseball into action as a coach and makes a dramatic impact on his new community. A story of friendship and tragedy that is a good reminder of how sports and sports leaders can bring out the best in everyone.

    Also available from:
  • Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen!

    by Sarah Kapit

    Available from:

    Eleven-year-old Vivy Cohen is determined to pursue her passion for baseball and she refuses to let anything get in the way – not her autism or her mother’s concern about her being the only girl on the team. With a major-league pitcher cheering her on as her pen pal and new friends, things are going well for Vivy... until a big accident lands her back on the bench. One reader raved that "it's a really exciting book because there are lots of twists and turns."

    Also available from:
  • A Long Pitch Home

    by Natalie Dias Lorenzi

    Available from:

    A champion cricket player back home in Pakistan,10-year-old Bilal struggles to play baseball, the “America’s version of cricket." Suddenly sent to live in Virginia with his extended family, Bilal misses his home, his sport, and his father, Baba. He hopes that if he can prove himself as a pitcher, Baba will come to America. To do that, he'll need some help from the best player on the team, a girl named Jordan whose also missing her dad. A lovely story filled with heart and humor that's perfect for baseball lovers.

    Also available from:

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2017 and updated in 2024.