Classroom libraries should be filled with books that get students excited about reading. Books about sports and athletes are among the most popular books and are also inspirational and informative for students at all reading and grade levels. It’s always a great time to get inspired to read!
1. Ready for Sports: Basketball
by Elliot Riley
Interest level: P-1
Run, dribble, pass, shoot, score! Ready for Sports: Basketball introduces young readers to one of the most popular sports for kids. From uniforms to scoring, the engaging text and images provide children with the knowledge they need to be ready to play with confidence.
2. My Favorite Sport
by Robert Rosen
Interest level: P-1
Oscar and Olivia are watching the Olympics. Find out what each country’s flag looks like and at which sports each country excels.
3. Flying High: The Story of Gymnastics Champion Simone Biles
by Michelle Meadows
Interest level: K-3
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. When she was six years old, her grandparents Ron and Nellie Biles adopted Simone and her sister Adria. Simone was introduced to gymnastics that same year, launching a lifelong passion fueled by remarkable talent, sacrifice and the undying support of her family.
4. Duke Kahanamoku
by Laurie Calkhoven
Interest level: 1-3
A skill-building introduction to the achievements of the father of modern surfing describes how he won international fame in four Olympics while introducing the sport of board surfing to Australia and developing a new life-saving protocol.
5. Yusra Mardini: Refugee Hero and Olympic Swimmer
by Kelly Spence
Interest level: 2-5
A competitive swimmer in Syria, Yusra Mardini never let go of her Olympic dream, even when civil war made it too difficult to train in her country. In 2016, she was allowed to compete in the Rio Olympics as part of a special team for refugees. This was only months after making a daring crossing of the Mediterranean Sea in a sinking boat that she helped tow to shore. Dozens of lives were saved on the voyage.
6. Babymouse Goes For The Gold
by Jennifer L & Matthew Holm
Interest level: 2-5
Babymouse is perfect for fans of Junie B. Jones, Ivy and Bean, Bad Kitty and Dork Diaries! Babymouse has big dreams and wet whiskers. She has joined the swim team and is ready to dive in. Next stop, the Olympics! But competitive sports aren’t really her strong suit. Will hard work and determination earn her a gold medal?
7. Judo
by Greg Roza
Interest level: 3-6
Judo is a grappling martial art first established in Japan. Instead of punching and kicking, judo practitioners use their opponent’s movements against them. They strive to take their opponent to the ground using grappling, throws and sweeps. They may also use chokes and joint locks to make an opponent tap out. Readers will learn about judo’s rich history, its basic moves and how it can help students be the best they can be in the dojo as well as outside it.
8. Undercover BMX
by Jake Maddox
Interest level: 3-6
Devon Rosario has played basketball his whole life, and he’s great at it, so great, in fact, that his dad, team and community in the Bronx can’t imagine him doing anything else. While Devon loves his team, he’s not so happy with the rigid structure his success in the sport and his father’s expectations has created. So, when he sees Jamal, a Yemeni refugee and new kid at school, doing BMX tricks on his bike, he’s intrigued. Can Devon keep his newfound love of BMX under wraps?
9. The Long-Lost Secret Diary of the World’s Worst Olympic Athlete
by Tim Collins
Interest level: 3-6
Meet Alexander, a boy living in Athens, Greece, in 380 BC. The famous Olympic games are just around the corner, and he gets to go and assist one of Athens’ prized athletes. But when the athlete gets sick the day of his competition, can Alexander uncover the plot against Athens and prove himself a hero? The hilarious Long-Lost Secret Diary series puts readers inside the heads of unlucky people in unfortunate situations. The accessible, irreverent stories will keep young readers laughing as they learn the importance of not being afraid to learn from their mistakes.
10. Zion Unmatched
by Zion Clark & James S. Hirsch
Interest level: 3-6
An extraordinary, deeply inspirational photo essay follows elite wheelchair racer and Netflix documentary star Zion Clark on his quest for Paralympic gold. This stunning photographic essay showcases Zion Clark’s ferocious athleticism and undaunted spirit. Explore Zion’s journey from a childhood lost in the foster care system to his hard-fought rise as a high school wrestler to his current rigorous training to prepare as an elite athlete on the world stage.
11. Proud: Living My American Dream (Young Readers Edition)
by Ibtihaj Muhammad
Interest level: 3-7
At the 2016 Olympic Games, Ibtihaj Muhammad smashed barriers as the first American to compete wearing hijab, and she made history as the first Muslim American woman to win a medal. But before she was an Olympian, activist and entrepreneur, Ibtihaj was a young outsider trying to find her place. Growing up in suburban New Jersey, Ibtihaj was often the only African American Muslim student in her class. When she discovered and fell in love with fencing, a sport most popular with affluent young white people, she stood out even more. Rivals and teammates often pointed out Ibtihaj’s differences, telling her she would never succeed. Yet she powered on, rising above bigotry and other obstacles on the path to pursue her dream.
12. Defying Hitler: Jesse Owens’ Olympic Triumph
by Nel Yomtov
Interest level: 3-9
At the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, the last thing Adolf Hitler expected was to see a black man compete and win. Jesse Owens didn’t just win, he was dominant in the track and field events, winning four gold medals and helping to set a world record. Now, in this graphic novel, readers can witness one of the most iconic moments in sports history as Owens proves that people of all races can compete and win at the Olympic games.
13. Track (4-Book Series)
by Jason Reynolds
Interest level: 5-9
Ghost. Patina. Sunny. Lu. A fast but fiery group of kids from wildly different backgrounds are chosen to compete on an elite track team. They all have a lot to lose, but they also have a lot to prove, not only to each other, but to themselves. Discover each of their stories in this complete collection of Jason Reynolds’s explosive New York Times bestselling Track series.
14. The Boys in the Boat: The True Story of an American Team’s Epic Journey to Win Gold at the 1936 Olympics (Young Readers Edition)
by Daniel James Brown
Interest level: 5-12
The Olympic finals of the eight-oared rowing race. Germany, Italy, USA. The American boat touches the finish line first, beating all odds and sending Hitler away in a silent rage. In the midst of the Great Depression, the nine rowers showed the world what true grit really meant. They were western, working-class boys who never expected to beat the elite teams of the East Coast and Great Britain, yet they did. At the center of the tale is Joe Rantz, whose personal struggle and ultimate triumph captures the spirit of his generation, the one that would prove in the coming years that the Nazis could not prevail over American determination and optimism.
What books about athletes, sports or the Olympics do your students love to read? Share in the comments below!
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