Sports Legends (12 months)

After your personal note, The Lollipop Book Club will select and print a different reading quote for every book.

Here are some examples:

"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." -Dr. Seuss

"Outside of a book, a dog is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." -Groucho Marx

"There is more treasure in books than in all the pirates' loot on Treasure Island and best of all, you can enjoy these riches every day of your life." -Walt Disney

"When I say to a parent "read to a child", I don't want it to sound like medicine. I want it to sound like chocolate." -Mem Fox

"To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelled out is a spark." -Victor Hugo, Les Miserables

"Reading is important, because if you can read, you can learn anything about everything and everything about anything." -Tomie dePaola

“A good book has no ending.” -Robert Frost

"You can find magic wherever you look. Sit back and relax, all you need is a book." -Dr. Seuss

"A book is a dream that you hold in your hand." -Neil Gaiman

“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.” -C.S. Lewis

“Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them.” -Lemony Snicket

“Good friends, good books, and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life.” -Mark Twain

You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?!: In this striking picture book biography, an old-timer tells us what made Sandy Koufax such an amazing baseball player. We learn that the beginning of his career with the Brooklyn Dodgers was rocky, that he was shy with his teammates, and experienced discrimination as one of the only Jews in the game. We hear that he actually quit, only to return the next season--different--firing one rocket after another over the plate. We watch him refuse to play in the 1965 World Series because it is a Jewish high holy day. And we see him in pain because of an overused left arm, eventually retiring at the peak of his career. Finally, we are told that people are still "scratchin' their heads over Sandy," who remains a modest hero and a mystery to this day.

Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan's mother and sister team up for this heartwarming and inspirational picture book about faith and hope and how any family working together can help a child make his or her dreams come true. Michael Jordan. The mere mention of the name conjures up visions of basketball played at its absolute best. But as a child, Michael almost gave up on his hoop dreams, all because he feared he'd never grow tall enough to play the game that would one day make him famous. That's when his mother and father stepped in and shared the invaluable lesson of what really goes into the making of a champion--patience, determination, and hard work.

Teammates: Tiki can't believe it when the ball is knocked out of his hand in the Cave Spring Viking's last preseason game against their rival Knights. Ronde and Paco start secret practices with Tiki, and soon Tiki is transformed from a runner to a ball carrier.

The William Hoy Story, How a Deaf Baseball Player Changed the Game: All William Ellsworth Hoy wanted to do was play baseball. After losing out on a spot on the local deaf team, William practiced even harder―eventually earning a position on a professional team. But his struggle was far from over. In addition to the prejudice Hoy faced, he could not hear the umpires' calls. One day he asked the umpire to use hand signals: strike, ball, out. That day he not only got on base but also changed the way the game was played forever. William "Dummy" Hoy became one of the greatest and most beloved players of his time.

Charlie Takes His Shot: Charlie Sifford loved golf, but in the 1930s only white people were allowed to play in the Professional Golf Association. He was determined to break the color barrier in the PGA. In 1960 he did, only to face more discrimination. But Sifford kept playing, becoming the first black golfer to win a PGA tournament. 

Home Run, The Story of Babe Ruth: Like most boys, he spent his summers playing ball on a dirt lot, but George Herman Ruth, Jr. followed his dreams to become a legend. He is the Babe--Babe Ruth--and baseball is his game. Powerful oil paintings and spare, dramatic text draw readers into the mind of this larger-than-life sports hero. Reproductions of vintage-style baseball cards throughout the book detail Babe Ruth's career highlights.

Hank Aaron, Brave in Every Way: On April 8, 1974, America watched as Hank Aaron stepped up to the plate and hit home run number 715! With that hit, he surpassed Babe Ruth's legendary baseball record and realized a lifelong dream. Before blacks were allowed in the major leagues, Hank was determined to play. This is the story of how Hank Aaron became a great ballplayer and an inspiration to us all.

Dream Big, Michael Jordan and the Pursuit of Excellence: Long before he became a professional All-Star basketball player, Michael Jordan had dreams of winning an Olympic gold medal—and with dedication and perseverance, that’s exactly what he did. This heartwarming picture book, written by Michael’s mother and illustrated by Barry Root, gives a rare glimpse into a sports hero’s childhood and emphasizes the role that good values play in success. 

You Never Heard of Willie Mays?!: Many believe baseball great Willie Mays to be the best player that ever lived. He hit 660 home runs (fourth best of all time), had a lifetime batting average of .302, and is second only to Babe Ruth on The Sporting News's list of "Baseball's 100 Greatest Players." In Jonah Winter and Terry Widener's fascinating picture book biography, young readers can follow Mays's unparalleled career from growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, to playing awe-inspiring ball in the Negro Leagues and then the Majors, where he was center fielder for the New York (later San Francisco) Giants. Complete with sidebars filled with stats, here is a book for all baseball lovers, young and old.

Martina & Chrissie, The Greatest Rivalry in the History of Sports: Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert come from completely different places and play tennis in completely different ways. Chrissie is the all-American girl: practiced, poised, with perfect technique. Martina hails from Czechoslovakia, a Communist country, and her game is ruled by emotion. Everything about them is different, except one thing: they both want to be the best. But as their intense rivalry grows, something else begins to swing into place, and a friendship forms that will outlast all their tennis victories. Phil Bildner and Brett Helquist tell the engaging true story of these two masters of the court as they win title after title — and, most importantly, the hearts of the fans.

Pele, King of Soccer: This bilingual picture book will inspire, teach, and amaze readers as they learn about the man who revolutionized the sport of soccer. Do you know how a poor boy from Brazil who loved fútbol more than anything else became the biggest soccer star the world has ever known? This is the true story of Pelé, King of Soccer, the first man in the history of the sport to score a thousand goals and become a living legend.

Lou Gehrig, The Luckiest Man: This biography traces Gehrig's life, from childhood through his illustrious career with the Yankees to his struggle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and his tragic death at age thirty-seven. Expressive illustrations capture the strength, modesty, and dignity for which this remarkable man will always be remembered. 

Washcloth Lollipops: A great option for babies and kids who stay away from candy. Each washcloth is made of a soft cotton/polyester blend. Perfect for bath time! (Not available for chapter books.)

Little Lollipops: These little treats include a wide variety of cute animals and fun objects.  Rainbows, unicorns, fish, elephants, tigers, trains, dinosaurs, and fire engines are just some examples. Each one is about 2 inches in diameter.

Organic Lollipops: YumEarth Organic lollipops are the perfect solution for a child with allergies. Certified organic with no chemical dies and 100% natural colors and flavors. Made with real fruit extracts, 100% vegan, allergen-free, GMO-free, soy-free, nut-free, gluten-free, wheat-free and dairy-free. Lots of delicious flavors include grape, strawberry, mango, blueberry, sour apple, pomegranate, cherry and watermelon.

Big Lollipops: Our large lollipops guarantee big smiles when matched with great books! They are handcrafted and (almost) too cute to lick! Some themes include caterpillars, butterflies, dogs, cats, dragons, flowers, baseballs, ladybugs, birthday cakes and so much more. Each lollipop is at least 3 inches of sweetness.

Personalize every book with a message from the heart. You may write unique notes for every book or keep each one the same. For a special touch, we will add an inspirational quote at the bottom.

The first book will ship within a week after the order is placed. The rest of the books in the subscription will ship close to this same date every month.

If you would like to delay the start of the subscription, you may elect a later date on the checkout page.

Every time a book is shipped, you will receive an email with a tracking number. You will know exactly when every single book is received by the recipient.

How will the recipient know the length of the subscription?

A card is included in the first book with information about the gift, including the terms of the subscription.

Can I make changes to the book selections after the subscription is ordered?

We will happily assist you swap out any books that have not yet been shipped. Please submit your request through the Contact Us form.

Do subscriptions automatically renew?

No, we never renew subscriptions or charge your card after you place your initial order. We will alert you when the subscription has ended. If you would like to continue the service, you may place another order on the website.

Can I cancel the subscription before it is over?

No, we do not allow cancelations due to the highly customized service we provide. We will, however, work with you to tweak the book selections if reading preferences change.

Can siblings share a subscription?

Absolutely! Just remember to add extra lollipops.

Are there any options instead of lollipops?

Yes. You can choose to add stickers in lieu of lollipops. Each book will come with four 2"-3" stickers that can be used to decorate the inside covers of the books, water bottles, laptops, or any other object.

What if the child already has a book in the subscription?

While we cannot support returns or exchanges, we will gladly work with you before the books are sent. For example, if you would like to swap out a particular book, just submit a request through the Contact Us page.

Does The Lollipop Book Club ship to Canada?

No, we only ship within the United States.