Football books to get kids reading during World Cup

Earlier today we attempted to play football as a family, scoring goals in between helmets and running around in the sun. In the background we could hear groups cheering as England scored a goal, and it seemed like the football fever had arrived for full.

In recent weeks, we’ve also been reading about football, and there are a number of football-themed books for children who are all about ball games these days.

I often receive children’s books to review, and here are some of the World Cup related books I’ve come across

Fantastic Football Poems by John Foster and Korky Paul (Oxford University Press, £6.99)
A new edition of Fantastic Football Poems anthologised by John Foster and illustrated by Korky Paul was published in May before the FIFA World Cup kick off, and the poems cover every type of football match. Some are easier to read than others, some are rhyming, and some make us laugh. Get the 64-page book for a football enthusiast or perhaps to prepare for a summer of sports!

Barry Loser is the best at football Not! by Jim Smith (Egmont, £6.99)
When I started reading the new Barry Loser is the best at football Not! by Jim Smith–the tenth book in the Barry Loser series–I found myself sitting and smiling to myself despite being outside the target audience of 7 to 10 year olds. I quickly got the impression that this would be a fun read for primary school children who are now following the World Cup or collecting football cards, as in the book Barry’s class has gone World Cup crazy. Young readers will also like the short chapters and funny dialogue and illustrations.

Mr Men: The Big Match by Adam Hargreaves (Egmont, £5.99)
For preschoolers we always enjoy the Mr Men books, and there is a new football-themed Mr Men book– Mr Men: The Big Match, which came out in time for the World Cup. In this large-format book, the fun characters put on their own football tournament.

Tags: Barry Loser, Book, Books, Children's books, Egmont, Football, Jim Smith, Oxford University Press, Poems, Poetry, Review, World Cup