Summer Library is in full swing with our Olympic theme, Ready, Set, Read...! We have some new books geared toward this theme for our kiddos to check out!
Animal Swimming and Diving (Animalympics)
by Isabel Thomas
Who would win the Olympic gold medals if all the competitors were animals? Each book in the series covers a different type of Olympic sport, while each chapter looks at a different event. Primarily intended as high-interest reads, the books contain information relating to biology, and allow readers countless opportunities to compare and contrast. In addition, medal tables at the back of the books tally medals won by the different animal classifications, including mammals, reptiles and birds. This book looks at Swimming and Diving, pitting elephant seal against kingfisher in diving and dolphin against pilotfish in synchronized swimming.
The Extra Yard (Home Team)
by Mike Lupica
Teddy, a young football player, learns that sometimes bridging the distance in your family can be harder than stretching for an extra yard on the field in the second book of the Home Team series from New York Times bestselling author and sportswriting legend Mike Lupica. Last spring Teddy’s life changed for the better. He started working out, shaping up, and even earned a spot on the Walton baseball team, and with the team he went all the way to the Little League World Series. But the best things to come out of that season were his friendships with Jack, Cassie, and Gus, and the confidence to finally try out for the sport he really loves—football. So when eighth grade begins, Teddy couldn’t be more psyched. Until his mom drops a bomb: his father—who left them a long time ago—is back in Walton and back in their lives. And Teddy isn’t happy about it. As a former star football player at the school, Teddy’s dad is thrilled to find out his son is going out for the team, but Teddy begins to wonder if his father only cares about him now because he’s putting on the helmet. Can Teddy find a way to go the extra yard for the team and for himself, or is the distance between him and his father too much to overcome?
Remarkable Stories of Teamwork in Sports (Count on Me: Sports)
by Brad Herzog
Teamwork can take many forms, from simple to surprising. In these true stories teaching teamwork, readers will learn about six pitchers who joined forces to throw a no-hitter for the Houston Astros in 2003. They’ll travel with Susan Butcher and her sled dogs as they work together to win the 1990 Iditarod. Through twenty dramatic examples, kids will see the true power of teamwork.
The Count on Me: Sports series is a collection of dramatic tales of character in action, bringing together exciting sports history, real-life examples of sports and character building, and lively storytelling. Each book features twenty true stories of athletic challenge, triumph, and sometimes heartbreak. All the books explore a wide variety of sports, with historical and contemporary episodes featuring male and female athletes from around the world.
Grit and Gold (Time Machine Magazine)
by Brandon Terrell and Eduardo Garcia
Time-traveling cousins Nate and Rachel are on the move to watch legendary Olympic swimming events and gain knowledge that will help them in their own sporting lives. We have 3 other books in this series: Harmony and Hoops; Pluck and Perfection; and Valor and Victory.
Sheri Holmes
Director of Library/Media Services Ellinwood School/Community Libraries