Get Ready for the World Cup!

Kicking Things Off!

With the 2026 soccer world cup right around the corner, there's no better way to kick off the season than with these incredible soccer reads! We're thrilled to welcome CHRIS BARISH, author of Lionel Messi’s World Cup Triumph, DANIEL MELAMUD, editor of The FIFA World Cup Pop-Up Book, LAURIE MORRISON, author of Where Ella Went, and CHARLES R. SMITH JR., author of World Soccer Kings. From novels and graphic novels to poetry and pop-ups, there's something here for all young fans and soon-to-be fans! Join us for a celebration of the beautiful game.

About the Books:

Lionel Messi’s World Cup Triumph written by CHRIS BARISH

It’s the 2022 FIFA World Cup final, and Lionel Messi is one match away from victory. Despite his many awards and accolades, Messi has never been able to add a World Cup trophy to his collection.

If Argentina wins, this would be a historic moment not just for the country, but for the entire legacy of soccer on the international stage. Live through the match that changed the game forever.

The FIFA World Cup Pop-Up Book edited by DANIEL MELAMUD

Experience the world’s greatest sporting spectacle like never before in this extraordinary pop-up book. Bursting with energy, color, and movement, this immersive celebration of soccer’s most iconic tournament leaps off the page. Each spread transforms into a dazzling three-dimensional scene, from historical moments to full stadiums to pop-up recreations of the trophies and medals that players work so hard for, this book has it all!

Where Ella Went by LAURIE MORRISON

Eighth Graders Sadie and Pug don’t have anything in common except for their love of soccer and their loyalty to Ella, the overachieving team captain. So when Ella doesn’t show up for the most important game of the season and her parents pull her out of school, unlikely duo Sadie and Pug are determined to find out what happened. There’s no way Ella abandoned the team!

But as Sadie and Pug dig deeper, they begin to realize that Ella’s life wasn’t as perfect as it seemed. And maybe Sadie and Pug have a few secrets that need to come to light, too. Maybe all their classmates do

World Soccer Kings by CHARLES R. SMITH JR.

Whether the poems in this book are cheering for the Pennsylvania Pelé, Christian Pulisic; Cristiano Ronaldo, with his record-breaking right; or “Blue Blur” Kylian Mbappé, who torches the net with his afterburn blast, Charles R. Smith Jr.’s high-energy verse, paired with stylized, kinetic photographs, celebrates the talents of an international roster of soccer superstars. 

Saturday, June 6th at 2pm at Our 17th St Store!