We’re no ESPN commentators, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy a good sports book every now and then. From soccer to baseball to football — even sled dog racing! — our latest podcast covers them all.

So grab your cleats/mitt/helmet/bobsled and take a listen:

Part 1: Sports memories from us and Avi!
  (8:11)
Download the MP3 (7.5 MB)

Part 2: In the outfield, over hill, and on the gridiron — our sports book picks, plus one from you
  (4:59)
Download the MP3 (4.6 MB)

And don’t forget: in honor of Valentine’s Day, our next theme is romance! So watch our latest Mystery Book Theater video and check out these books involving romance that’ll make you swoon — in a good way.
— Nancy and Karen

PS – In Part 1 of the podcast, Karen mentions her favorite scuba diving experience and Nancy mentions an embarrassing snowboarding moment. Here’s digital proof of both (in the video, Nancy’s the one in white):

Reviewed by: Michael, Age 12 from Rhode Island

This book is about a boy named Nate “Brady” who has a chance to win a million dollars at a patriots game. His best friend has an eye condition that someday she will go blind. Will Nate make the through and help his friend get her eyesight back?

Rating:

What happens when you take a group of kids who hate sports, and you force them to play soccer against actual teams from other schools? Disaster, that’s what.

Watch the video for this week’s mystery book to see how their first game unfolds, and then send in your guess of what book it’s from. We’ll name the first person to get it right in our next podcast!

UPDATE 2/9/10: Wanna know the book? Listen for the answer in our “We Are THE CHAMPIONS!” Podcast, all about sports books.

With the Super Bowl right around the corner, we figured we should stock up on some sports books in addition to the snack food and soda. And no, these aren’t all about football. Actually, these picks cover a range of athletics, from hockey to wrestling to synchronized swimming! (Yeah, you heard us — synchronized swimming!)

Consider these the MVPs of the sports book world (not necessarily in medal order):

Fiction:

1. Out Standing In My Field by Patrick Jennings (Karen’s pick)
2. Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner (Nancy’s pick)
3. Million-Dollar Throw by Mike Lupica
4. Baseball Card Adventures series by Dan Gutman
5. There’s a Girl in my Hammerlock by Jerry Spinelli
6. Football Hero by Tim Green
7. Summerland by Michael Chabon
8. The Kid Who Only Hit Homers by Matt Christopher
9. The Melting of Maggie Bean by Tricia Rayburn
10. The Boy Who Saved Baseball by John H. Ritter
11. In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson by Bette Bao Lord
12. My Thirteenth Season by Kristi Roberts
13. Surfer Dog by Elizabeth Spurr
14. The Girl Who Threw Butterflies by Mick Cochrane
15. Bat 6 by Virginia Euwer Wolff
16. Skating Shoes by Noel Streatfeild
17. Skinnybones by Barbara Park

Nonfiction:

1. Freeze Frame: A Photographic History of the Winter Olympics written by Sue Macy, photos by Peggy Fleming
2. How Hockey Works by Keltie Thomas
3. The Greatest: Muhammad Ali by Walter Dean Myers
4. Nascar (DK Eyewitness Books) by James Buckley
5. The Greatest Moments in Sports by Len Berman
6. Sports Illustrated Kids Year In Sports 2009

If you’ve read any of these, send in your book review. Or send in a review of your favorite sports book!

If you’ve read any of these, send in your book review. Or send in a review of your favorite sports book!

UPDATE 2/9/10: We revealed the answer to our Sports Mystery Book Theater in the “We Are THE CHAMPIONS!” Podcast, so take a listen if you want to know the answer. Or just tune in if you want to hear about Karen’s ridiculous sports injury.