Skip to main content

If You Liked...The Olympics

 I spent a lot of time watching the Olympics this year. The individual athletes, the collective teamwork, and great sportsmanship were all very refreshing to see and experience. I was feeling melancholy at the end of the closing ceremonies. Then, I was reminded about the Paralympics coming up at the end of August. If you enjoyed the Olympics, but don't know a lot about the Paralympics, or you do know about them and are excited to watch, you may also enjoy these books. 


Written by Patty Cisneros Prevo 
Illustrated by Dion MBD 
New York: Lee & Low Books Inc., 2023. Informational. 

The author of this book is a Paralympic gold medalist. In the book, the author highlights different athletes. I enjoyed learning about each one, and my favorite part was definitely the "daily challenges" and "daily joys" listed for each athlete. It felt like little mini biographies for each of them. There is a great list of resources at the end of the book for people who would like to explore more, a glossary of useful terms, and a timeline of the Paralympics.
 
Written by Igor Plohl 
Illustrated by Urska Stropnik Sonc 
New York: Holiday House, 2020. Picture Book.

This book is written by an author who suffered an accident that left him disabled. This picture book has great explanations written for anyone to understand more about how the Paralympics function. I loved the animals in the illustrations and the positive messages shared throughout.
 

Written by Francesca Cavallo 
Illustrated by Luis San Vicente 
Canada: Undercats, Inc. 2021. Biography. 

This moving story begins with a young baby being dropped at the doorstep of an orphanage in Russia. As the baby grew, she discovered she couldnā€™t walk on her feet, but instead walked on her hands. This was because she had spina bifida. Eventually, Tatyana is adopted and moves to America. Due to needing to use her arms so much, she is a very strong baby, child, and young woman! This is a beautiful story, focusing on the fact that athletes (and others) can improvise and use their strengths to succeed in non-traditional ways. 
Written by Francesca Cavallo 
Illustrated by Kezna Dalz 
Canada: Undercats, Inc. 2022. Biography.

A young boy who loves playing with his friends in Africa, has his world disrupted when war breaks out. He survives the war, while having to cope with the loss of his mother, and the amputation of a leg. Eventually adopted by a French family, he is also the recipient of a prosthetic leg. He loved to run and play sports with his new leg, but didnā€™t want the other children to make fun of him so he would always wear long pants and shoes. He felt comfortable enough telling a PE teacher about his prosthetic leg, which led to a discussion about getting a running blade. The beauty of this book is found in not just the physical success Jean-Baptiste experiences, but also the peace he obtains through participating in sports. 

By Chris Hawkes 
New York: DK Publishing, 2020. Informational. 224 pages. 

This encyclopedia has only a small entry specifically about the Paralympics, but very detailed information about specific sports. Each entry contains a ā€œfact file,ā€ which tells the type of sport, number of players involved, and any equipment needed. The book also has a section which highlights individual athletes and their accomplishments. The combination of infographics and photography keeps this lengthy informational book interesting. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Review: Faker

Faker By Gordon Korman New York: Scholastic Press, 2024. Fiction. 214 pages. 12-year-old Trey is used to starting over at a new school -- he has the routine perfectly memorized: make new friends, introduce his dad to the wealthy parents of his new friends, and "Houdini" themselves out of there before they get caught running their latest scam. Trey's dad is a master con artist, and Trey has just been promoted to full-partner. Their new scheme for the next big score brings them to the affluent suburb of Boxelder, TN where Trey's dad has cooked up a fake electric car company for investors to buy into. The only problem is that Trey is starting to grow tired of moving around and never putting down roots, especially after forming a fast friendship with Logan and developing a crush on Kaylee, a socially conscious girl in his class. As Trey longs for a normal life, is there any way he can convince his dad to get out of the family business? Gordon Korman is a perennial favorit...

If You Like...Ladybugs

Spring is almost upon us! We'll have more rain instead of snow, flowers will start blooming, and more bugs will be out. Ladybugs are some of the prettiest insects--and the least intimidating for those more wary of bugs. If you like ladybugs, check out these books! Ladybugs Do Not Go to Preschool Written by Ali Rutstein Illustrated by NinĢ‹a Nill Richmond, VA: Bright Light, 2024. Picture Book. Ravi loves ladybugs--he eats aphids instead of cornflakes for breakfast, brushes his mandibles instead of teeth, and has a ladybug costume complete with wings and antennae. He is certain that ladybugs don't have to go to preschool, and when Mom says that Ravi still has to go to school, he is nervous. However, thanks to Mom's patience and gentle encouragement, Ravi makes some new friends and realizes that preschool might be a good place for ladybugs after all. A Perfect Spot By Isabelle Simler Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2022. Picture Book. A ladybug is ready to ...

You Need to Read: Percy Jackson

I was a kid myself when  The Lightning Thief  by Rick Riordan was published, and it didn't take long for the Percy Jackson series to take the world by storm. Being the son of a Poseidon, Percy Jackson has some unique challenges as a half-blood. Here's some books that I think could've helped Percy when he was on his adventures trying to save the world: Greeking Out: Heroes and Olympians Written by Kenny Curtis and Jillian Hughes Illustrated by Javier Espila Washington D.C.: National Geographic, 2024. Informational. 191 pages. Percy, I know Chiron did a good job teaching you about mythology in Latin class, but this book is sure to be good to have on hand while you're traveling across the United States. Greeking Out  is written in a kid-friendly voice with vivid illustrations and a sometimes-snarky tone (much like Percy himself). It also presents real-life creatures and places along with the information about Greek mythology. The Homework Squad's ADHD Guide to School S...