Book Pick of the Week: Soccer Trophy Mystery

This Fall, award-winning author and Washington Post KidsPost Sports Columnist ("The Score") Fred Bowen is back with more soccer action—and a new mystery—in Soccer Trophy Mystery (Peachtree Publishing; 9/1/21; ISBN: 978-1-68263-078-5; Hardcover $16.99; Ages 7-12; 144 pages), the newest addition to the popular middle grade Fred Bowen Sports Story Series that I think will be of interest to readers of GA Followers​​​ as "his many action-packed novels speak to the hearts and minds of young sports lovers, and he demonstrates know-how and grace in writing about baseball, basketball, soccer and football” (Washington Parent). The publisher is also giving away copies of the book at children's soccer tournaments around the country this September, in Texas, Maryland, and California.

Thirteen-year-old twins Aiden and Ava and their good friend Daniel, all avid soccer players, have just learned their county league soccer trophy mysteriously disappeared forty years ago from the town library. It was never recovered. So between games and practices for the town’s soccer championships, the three friends try to solve the case. But will these amateur detectives be able to unravel the mystery and find someone who had both motive and opportunity to commit the crime? And will their teams make it all the way to the championships?

As with the rest of the acclaimed series, Fred Bowen weaves exciting play-by-play sports action with real sports history, including a chapter in the back of the book of “The Real Story” behind the disappearance of the original World Cup trophy that was never recovered. Featuring a new mystery storyline, as well as focusing on girls in sports, Soccer Trophy Mystery is also a great book for character education both on and off the field.

Now with 24 books and close to a million copies sold, the bestselling series has received national and critical acclaim, saying the series “is flush with life lessons about perseverance, dedication, and picking oneself up after a hard knock” (Booklist) and “Fred Bowen never disappoints" (Washington Parent). Each title in the series functions as a standalone, so readers can dive right in whether this is their first foray into the series, or their 24th!

FRED BOWEN is the author of Peachtree’s popular Fred Bowen Sports Story Series for middle grade readers. A lifelong sports fanatic, he has coached youth league baseball, basketball, and soccer. His kids’ sports column “The Score” appears each week in the KidsPost section of the Washington Post. Bowen lives in Maryland. Visit his website at www.fredbowen.com.