Sports Illustrated Kids – July-August 2026

Summary

Sports Illustrated Kids' July/August 2026 issue, Vol. 38 No. 4, leads with Olympic gold medalist Caroline Marks and her all-star lineup of pros delivering the ultimate summer guide — plus sharks on page 39, Kimi Antonelli's F1 rookie season, and a "What If Tom Brady Was an Expo?" alternate-history feature. The 56-page issue covers swimming, baseball, football and auto racing.

Marks' "Endless Summer" cover story on page 34 features an all-star athlete panel sharing their summer activity guides. The "What If Tom Brady Had Been a Montreal Expo?" feature imagines the exponential impact on baseball history. Kimi Antonelli — who signed with Mercedes at 18 as F1's third-youngest driver — gets a full profile on page 48 after four Grand Prix wins in his first five starts of the season. The "Freeze Frame" department leads with Detroit Tigers star Riley Greene caught in a rain delay at Baltimore, and a New South Wales Blues State of Origin victory over Queensland. Sports Cards cover 12 athletes: Matt Boldy (Olympic gold medalist for USA hockey), Jessica Pegula (world No. 5, owns 11 singles titles), Sophia Wilson, Tetairoa McMillan, Jaylen Brown, Elliot Cadeau (Michigan's Final Four MOP), Casey O'Brien (Patty Kazmaier winner), Kevin McGonigle (8-year, USD 150M extension after 48 MLB games).

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Content Guide

▸ Cover Story

p.34 · Endless Summer
Caroline Marks and an all-star lineup of pros drop their ultimate summer guide. Activities, training tips and how to spend the season like an Olympic athlete.

▸ Features

p.14 · You Wrote, We Illustrated
Kids' sports stories brought to life by professional illustrators. Reader-submitted ideas turned into full-page art — the most participatory feature in the issue.

p.16 · What If Tom Brady Had Been a Montreal Expo?
The exponential impact of Brady choosing baseball. One of SI Kids' best "What If" features — grounded enough to educate, imaginative enough to entertain.

p.48 · Kimi Antonelli
The Mercedes driver cannot stop winning. Antonelli — F1's third-youngest driver ever — profiles his path after four Grand Prix wins in five starts.

▸ Departments

p.2 · Freeze Frame
Mist Opportunity: Riley Greene caught in a Baltimore rain delay, went 1-for-4 as the Orioles won 7-4. Just Scare: Julia Robinson leapt over by Jessica Sergis in State of Origin — the Blues won 11-6.

p.7 · Sports Cards
Twelve cards including Matt Boldy (Olympic gold), Jessica Pegula (world No. 5, USD 24M career prize money), Kevin McGonigle (USD 150M extension), and Elliot Cadeau (NCAA champion and Final Four MOP).

p.52 · What's the Call?
Interactive sports-rules puzzles. Test your knowledge of the rules across football, basketball and baseball.

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Editor's Take

SI Kids continues to lead the children's sports category by refusing to talk down to its audience. The Caroline Marks cover gives young girls a genuine sports role model without manufacturing drama. The "What If Tom Brady Was an Expo?" feature is the best creative idea in the issue — it teaches baseball history through an alternate timeline that any young fan can engage with. The Antonelli profile is well-timed to his early-season dominance. The Sports Cards section remains essential collecting content for young readers. The weakness is the Freeze Frame section, which has strong photography but thin reporting — the Riley Greene entry tells readers the score but not why the moment matters. Best for: kids 8-14 who want to read about current athletes in a voice that respects their intelligence.

Strengths
• Caroline Marks cover gives girls a genuine sports role model
• Brady/Expos What If is an inspired creative concept
• Sports Cards section is genuinely collectible

Weaknesses
• Freeze Frame photos lack narrative depth
• Some feature pages feel thin on content

Verdict: Recommended — Smart, creative kids' sports content that does not talk down.