By Caroline Dowse, Megan Cradock, Konstantopoulou, Zalak Shah
From the Euros 2024 to Wimbledon, and now the Olympics, this summer continues to be filled with exciting stories and achievements in sport. Sport and books go hand in hand: they make people happy; they make people cry, but they can also bring everyone together. Whether it is a story about a plucky underdog or a romance between rivals, there is something for all. Dive into these recommendations to find the perfect accompaniment to 2024’s busy summer of sport…
Fancy a classic rags to riches tale?
Try Keeper by Mal Peet
Paul Faustino, a South American sports journalist, is excited to secure an interview with legendary footballer El Gato. The story follows the interview, as El Gato reveals how he went from working in the logging industry to becoming the world’s greatest goalkeeper. As a teenager, he was trained by the mysterious “Keeper,” a ghost who haunts an abandoned football pitch hidden in the rainforest. The incredible skills the Keeper teaches him elevates him through league football to the national team, where he helps them win the World Cup during a penalty shootout. At first, Faustino is incredulous about El Gato’s story, but he soon realises that there may be some truth to the tale.
Although Keeper is a YA book, it is engaging enough to satisfy any football-loving adult. El Gato’s rise from poverty to football icon is uplifting, and the football scenes are well-written and exciting. This is the perfect tribute to the “Beautiful Game.”
Fancy a sport-related mystery this summer?
Try Running Girl by Simon Mason
When Chloe Dow goes missing while out on a run and her body is later pulled out of Pike Pond, it sparks a media frenzy. It soon becomes clear that Chloe wasn't on one of her usual runs – this time she was running for her life. The police are asking the wrong questions and Garvie Smith (our unlikely and often very frustrating hero) decides that solving a homicide is more interesting than revising for his GCSEs – particularly given that Chloe was his ex-girlfriend and he was also one of the last people to see her alive. That, and there's something confusing him about the running shoes she wore that night.
With his mum threatening to move them to Barbados if Garvie doesn't improve his grades and the police trying to keep him away from the case, Garvie has his work cut out. What starts out as a game to procrastinate on his revision soon becomes a desperate hunt for the truth and, as Garvie begins to understand Chloe's secrets and exactly what led to her losing her life, it becomes clear that he's putting his own in danger too. So much for dying of boredom at school – this murder investigation looks like it'll be the death of him.
Looking for more than just a sporty romance?
Try The Deal by Elle Kennedy
Two polar opposites with one thing in common: their unwavering passion for their respective goals.
Hannah Wells is a college student deeply embedded in the field of music and, as she juggles a waitressing job, her studies and overcoming a rape assault of the past, she determines to make her music dreams come true.
One day, she quite literally falls upon the most popular hockey player in her school: Garrett Graham. He is a lone-wolf and a party animal at the same time; popular yet closed off, breezy and anxious. With a trauma-imposing excuse for a father and a dark past surrounding his now-gone mother, he tries to focus on his love for hockey and make himself a star of the sport. But the road has just too many abrupt turns.
When the two worlds collide, and the two chaotic characters meet to form a fake relationship, they may come to realize they aren’t pretending after all.
Looking for a story of how sports can help triumph over grief?
Try Western Lane by Chetna Maroo
Western Lane is a poignant novel that deals with grief, familial relationships, identity and resilience. When they lost their mother, Gopi and her two sisters struggled to make peace with the situation and deal with their loss. The only thing holding them and their emotionally distant father together was the game of squash. Under the tutelage of her father, Gopi immerses herself deeply into the game and finds purpose and solace in the difficult demands of her training.
Gopi’s journey of self-discovery and healing against the background of squash shines even more with Maroo’s writing. Her detailed description of the game and the way she uses the sport as a character to portray discipline, determination and escape is beautiful. Western Lane is a story of human strength and spirit. It’s a reminder that sports are important – not only for our physical health but also our emotional wellbeing. The kind of dedication they demand, the sense of community they provide and the escape they promise can sometimes help us overcome the biggest hurdles in our lives.
Comments