The Summer Olympics are almost here and the Youth Services department has a list of books to engage young readers in this special competition. From a mystery novel set at the Tokyo Summer Olympics (written by Olympic medalists, the Shibutani siblings), to a biography written in rhyme about Olympic swimmer and refugee, Yusra Mardini, to non-fiction books about specific Summer Olympic sports, the FPPL Youth Services department has you covered.
Fiction:
Kudo Kids: The Mystery of the Masked Medalist by Maia and Alex Shibutani (Olympic Medalists)
Accompanying their journalist parents to the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, twelve-year-old Andy Kudo and his eleven-year-old sister Mika find themselves immersed in an augmented reality game developed by a former Olympic medalist, that brings players together from all over the world to search Tokyo for virtual medals and clues to the secretive creator’s identity.
Magic Tree House: Hour of the Olympics by Mary Pope Osborne
Their magic tree house takes Jack and Annie back to retrieve a lost story in ancient Greece, where they witness the original Olympic games and are surprised to find what girls of the time were not allowed to do.
Thea Stilton and the race for the gold by Thea Stilton
Join Thea Stilton and the Thea Sisters on an adventure packed with mystery and friendship!The Thea Sisters help their friend Beatrice prepare for the Summer Olympics!
Non-Fiction:
Flying high : the story of gymnastics champion Simone Biles by Michelle Meadows and Ebony Glenn
A lyrical picture book biography of Simone Biles, gymnastics champion and Olympic superstar.
Before she was a record-breaking gymnast competing on the world stage, Simone Biles spent time in foster care as a young child. Nimble and boundlessly energetic, she cherished every playground and each new backyard.
From her athletic early childhood to the height of her success as an Olympic champion, Flying High is the story of the world’s greatest gymnast from author Michelle Meadows and illustrator Ebony Glenn.
How to train with a T.Rex and win 8 gold medals by Michael Phelps and Ward Jenkins
With his record-breaking eight gold medals won for swimming in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Phelps became an international sensation. In this picture book, Phelps explains the mind-boggling statistics of his years of training in terms young kids can understand.
I am a promise by Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce with Ashley Rousseau and Rachel Moss
As Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce becomes a runner, winning 6 Olympic and 10 World Championship medals, she also learns what her grandmother meant when she called Shelly Ann “a promise.”
Yusra swims by Julie Abery and Sally Deng
A biography in rhyme relates the story of Olympic swimmer and Syrian refugee Yusra Mardini.
Swimming and diving (Summer Olympic Sports) by Allan Morey
Presents information about swimming and diving in the Olympics including different types of swimming strokes, different diving events, and synchronized swimming.
Combat sports (Summer Olympic Sports) by Matt Doeden
Presents information about the rules and types of combat sports in the Olympics, including wrestling, boxing, tae kwon do, judo, and fencing.
Track and field (Summer Olympic Sports) by Matt Doeden
Presents information about track and field in the Olympics including events such as relays, hurdles, pole vault, javelin throw, and shot put.