The World's Most Athletic Booklist

Get into the Summer Reading Olympics spirit by checking out the books below! Each book centers around one of the official sports of the 2008 Summer Olympics, which will take place in Beijing, China this August.

Ages 6-8

Boing! by Sean Taylor

A terrible thing has happened to the Great Elastic Marvel, five time World Trampolining Champion. While jumping on a trampoline, he suddenly flips right out a window and plunges toward a zooful of lions, a speeding railroad train, and even more unthinkable dangers.

Mighty Jackie: The Strike-Out Queen by Marissa Moss 

Jackie Mitchell had one pitch—a wicked, dropping curve ball. And on April 2, 1931, she made baseball history by striking out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig during an exhibition game in Tennessee.

Super Fast, Out of Control! by Louis Sachar

The word at school is that Marvin will be taking on the hill with his new mountain bike. But the truth is, he can barely climb on the seat! And the gears—forget about it. So Marvin can't help but wonder...how did he suddenly become known as a daredevil?

Young Pele: Soccer's First Star by Lesa Cline-Ransome

The story of a poor Brazilian boy named Edson, who kicked rocks down roads and dribbled balls made from rags. Edson then goes on to become Pele, greatest soccer player of all time.

9-12

Archer's Quest by Linda Sue Park

Kevin, a twelve-year-old math whiz, is shocked beyond belief when a young man named Skillful Archer, complete with bow and arrows, crash lands in his bedroom and claims to be a legendary ruler from ancient Korea.

King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry

Sham, a golden-red stallion born in the Sultan of Morocco's stables, and the stable boy Agba go on an adventure that takes them from the sands of the Sahara, to the royal courts of France, and finally to the green pastures and stately homes of England.

The Night I Flunked My Field Trip by Henry Winkler

Fourth-grader Hank, while on a field trip aboard "The Pilgrim Spirit," is thrilled when the ship’s captain chooses him to be the first mate.  But being first mate is not all it's cracked up to be, especially for a crazy captain who takes his job a little too seriously.

Wilma Unlimited by Kathleen Krull

The dramatic and inspiring true story of runner Wilma Rudolph, who overcame childhood polio and eventually went on to win three gold medals in a single Olympics.

13+

The Brave by Robert Lipsyte

Having left the Indian reservation for the streets of New York, seventeen-year-old boxer Sonny Bear tries to harness his inner rage by training with Alfred Brooks, who has left the sport to become a policeman.

The Outside Shot by Walter Dean Myers

When Lonnie Jackson leaves Harlem for a basketball scholarship at a Midwest college, he knows he must keep his head straight and his record clean. That's the only way he'll have a chance of making it to the pros someday.

Open Court by Carol Clippinger

Hall Braxton takes no prisoners on the tennis court. She is nationally ranked on the junior circuit, and her parents want to send her to a tennis academy where they regularly churn out professional players. But Hall isn't sure she's ready to devote her entire life to tennis.

Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher

TJ is an intellectually and athletically gifted, adopted teenager who shuns organized sports and the gung-ho athletes at his high school until he agrees to form a swimming team and recruits some of the school's less popular students.

Source for book descriptions: publisher