Best Biographies of Sports Stars (2026): 5 Books Compared

A young soccer fan finishes the season and wants to read about the players they admire, so the best biographies of sports stars are the ones matched to the reader’s age and attention span. We compared five sports biographies by pages, reading age, grade level and edition, using only what each listing publishes. Four are for children; one is an adult memoir.

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The picks

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	The Flea by Part	9.7/10	Buy
2	Boy Who Became a Star by Herman	9.5/10	Buy
3	World Cup Women by Walters	9.5/10	Buy
4	Shooting Stars by James	9.5/10	Buy
5	Stars of All Time by Jökulsson	9.5/10	Buy

1

The Flea by Part

Michael Part·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 120-page Messi biography for readers 8 to 12, updated for the 2026 World Cup per the description.

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Pros

• Follows Messi from age five in Rosario to Barcelona, per the description
• Reading age 8-12 years and 120 pages suit independent readers
• The description says it is updated for the 2026 World Cup

Cons

• Description discusses a childhood growth condition
• 2017 publication date, though updated for 2026
• No grade level is stated

2

Boy Who Became a Star by Herman

Steve Herman·9.5/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 39-page illustrated Messi story for ages 6 to 9, for young soccer fans.

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Pros

• 39 illustrated pages suit early readers
• The listing gives a reading age of 6-9 years, marked as from customers
• Published August 16, 2017 by CreateSpace

Cons

• Description discusses a medical condition that affected his growth
• Reading age is marked as from customers, not the publisher
• No grade level is stated

3

World Cup Women by Walters

Meg Walters·9.5/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 32-page illustrated story of the 2019 US Women's World Cup team for ages 4 to 8.

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Pros

• Covers the 2019 US Women's World Cup win with 23 players, per the description
• Illustrated edition, 32 pages, reading age 4-8 years
• Published November 19, 2019 by Sky Pony

Cons

• Only 32 pages, the shortest book here
• Covers a team rather than a single star's biography
• No grade level is stated

4

Shooting Stars by James

LeBron James·9.5/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

LeBron James's 288-page memoir of his youth basketball team, for older readers.

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Pros

• 288 pages, the longest book here, in a 2023 reissue
• Memoir of James's youth team and their championship run, per the description
• Published August 1, 2023 by Penguin Books

Cons

• Description mentions inner-city challenges and exploitation
• No reading age or grade level is stated
• Adult memoir rather than a children's biography

5

Stars of All Time by Jökulsson

Illugi Jökulsson·9.5/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 64-page illustrated collection of soccer legends for ages 7 to 13.

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Pros

• Covers many legends from Pelé to Messi and Ronaldo, per the description
• Filled with facts and illustrations, per the description
• Published September 5, 2017 by Abbeville Kids

Cons

• Reading age 7-13 conflicts with a grade level of 1-2
• Collection of many stars rather than one biography
• 2017 publication date

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More picks to compare

• Worlds Greatest Sports StarsSuits ages 6-12; 160 pages, reading age 8-12, grade 3-7.Check on Amazon
• Basketball Stars by NavaltaSuits basketball fans 8-12; 128 pages, 2025.Check on Amazon
• Jamal Murray by GeoffreysSuits basketball fans; 137-page Jamal Murray biography.Check on Amazon

Compare the picks

Book details as published on each listing, collected 19 October 2026.

How we scored them

The Shelf Score weighs fit for the reader, contents and edition, value, and the listed reading age or level where one is given. Four of the five listings state a reading age; the LeBron James memoir states none. How we pick explains the weights.

Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each book’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score. Reading age or level counts on a list where at least one listing gives one, and a book whose listing gives none then scores zero on it. Where no listing gives one, the score is taken over the other 85 points. Books carry no warranty, so warranty is not scored.

How to choose the best biographies of sports stars

Match the reading age to the reader

Reading ages here run from 4-8 to 8-12, with the Messi story at 6-9 marked as from customers rather than the publisher. One listing contradicts itself: Stars of All Time lists a reading age of 7-13 against a grade level of 1-2, so check the sample pages before buying. For a young independent reader, The Flea’s 120 pages at ages 8-12 is the natural step up from the 39-page Messi story.

One star or many

Three picks follow one athlete: two on Messi and one LeBron James memoir. The other two cover many stars: Stars of All Time collects soccer legends and World Cup Women covers the 2019 US team. A reader obsessed with one player wants the single biography; a reader still discovering the sport gets more from the collection. Our history and biography lists cover more life stories.

Check the edition year

Sports books age fast. The Flea description says it is updated for the 2026 World Cup, and Shooting Stars is a 2023 reissue, while the other three date from 2017 to 2019. An older edition is fine for history, but a young fan may notice when a “current star” book predates their favorite player’s big moments.

Before you buy

• Check whether the reading age comes from the publisher or is marked as from customers.
• Look for contradictions between reading age and grade level on the listing.
• Confirm the edition year, since sports books go out of date quickly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which book suits a 6-year-old soccer fan?

The Messi story by Steve Herman: 39 illustrated pages with a customer-listed reading age of 6-9. World Cup Women at ages 4-8 also fits, at 32 pages.

Are these books appropriate for kids?

Four are children’s books with stated reading ages from 4 to 13. The LeBron James memoir is an adult book whose description mentions inner-city challenges, and two Messi books discuss a childhood medical condition, so check the descriptions first.

Which has the most pages?

Shooting Stars by LeBron James at 288 pages, a 2023 reissue. The longest children’s book here is The Flea at 120 pages.

Still deciding? Our top pickThe Flea by Part

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Related lists

See every history and biography list and all nonfiction lists.

More lists: biographies of strong women, biographies of US presidents and biographies of the last 5 years.