I'm Fred Bowen. I write sports fiction for kids 8 years old and up, and a weekly sports column for kids in The Washington Post.

I have four new books: Dugout Rivals, Hardcourt Comeback, Touchdown Trouble, and Soccer Team Upset. And my nine other books have just been reissued with really cool covers. All 13 books weave a little sports history into a fast-paced story about today’s kids playing ball. And each book includes a bonus history chapter at the back. When a kid reads one, there are 12 more to enjoy.  

I’m also happy to announce that my first picture-book biography was just published:  No Easy Way. It’s about Ted Williams, the famous slugger who played for the Boston Red Sox. It’s been honored as a Junior Library Guild Selection.

The cool thing about writing books is getting to talk about them. I have been a guest author at lots of schools and conferences, and I have met a lot of interesting kids, parents, and educators. The Winners Take All Community Read (based on my book of the same name) has been used in many schools as a fun way to get kids and grownups talking together about a book…and life. It’s been very exciting for me to attend the big group discussions and to be part of a high-energy event centered on reading!

I've been a big sports fan since I was a kid. My best childhood memories are from playing Little League in the park and basketball on the playground. I can still remember homeruns, bad calls, and great comebacks from those games. My favorite reading back then was sports fiction and the sports section in the newspaper. Many of today's kids are as sports-crazy as I was. And I am thinking about them as I write my books and my columns.

I invite you to click around my website. If you have questions or comments, you can reach me at sportstory@aol.com.

www.SportsStorySeries.com