Olympics Books for Kids

When it comes to Olympics books for kids, I’m your girl! The Olympics are a HUGE deal in my house with my entire family.

Olympic Books for Kids

I grew up loving the games, and I’ve passed my love of the Olympics to my children. When the Winter or Summer Olympics are on we watch recaps nightly and even track the medal totals on paper sheets hung up in our family room.

It’s SERIOUS business, which is why I adored putting this list of my favorite kids’ books about the Olympics together for you. But don’t let the fun stop with your kids! We also have a fun list of books about women in sports.

The Best Olympics Books by Age

Books about the Olympics for Preschoolers and Toddlers

Olympig

Author: Victoria James

Year: 2012

Genre: Fiction

Age: 3-8

Olympig is the cutest story about a pig named Boomer who wants to compete against the other animals in the Animal Olympics. Except he isn’t able to win any sports! Instead of getting upset, his mindset is that it was great practice for the Winter games.

Olympig makes me smile every time I read it. The charming pictures, the silly text, and the sincere message make this my favorite Olympic book for kids!

Jesse Owens

Author: Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara

Illustrator: Anna Katharina Jansen

Year: 2020

Genre: Nonfiction

Age: 4-7

More info: Part of the Little People, Big Dreams series

The biography of famed athlete Jesse Owens and his journey to the 1936 Berlin Olympics is explored in this book. It tells his story starting in his childhood and also addresses the hardships and racism he encountered in a way children can understand.

It’s important to note that the Olympics are not always a perfect experience for every athlete. Racism and sexism has always existed in sports and this book addresses that in an age-appropriate way.

Curious George and the Summer Games

Author: Margret & H. A. Rey

Year: 2020

Genre: Toddler Books

Age: 4-7

Does your toddler want to get in on the olympic spirit? Then consider this cute story about Curious George. In this tale, George participated in the town’s summer games while getting into his usual antics.

Curious George is one of my favorite storybook characters. The beloved monkey’s antics in this story are as charming as always and I loved how he supports his teammate.

Dream Big Little Pig

Author: Kristy Yamaguchi

Illustrator: Tim Bowers

Year: 2011

Genre: Fiction

Age: 3-7

Figure skating superstar, Kristy Yamaguchi, is now a children’s author with multiple ice skating picture books under her belt. This particular story is about Poppy who has big dreams of being an ice-skating super star!

Poppy is the cutest figure skater around! I love the story and illustrations but the message of persisiting is what really has me giving this the stamp of approval.

Picture Books about the Olympics

She Persisted Sports

Author: Chelsea Clinton

Illustrator: Alexandra Boiger

Year: 2020

Genre: Nonfiction

Age: 4-8

This book tells the story of over a dozen American female Olympic athletes like Mia Hamm, the Venus sisters, Jean Driscoll, Kerri Walsh Jennings, and more.

If you are looking for a comprehensive list of some of the biggest names in Olympic history, check out this one!

Sakamotos Swim Club

Author: Julie Abery

Illustrator: Chris Sasaki

Year: 2021

Genre: Nonfiction

Age: 5-8

The story itself is based on the true story of a swim club in Hawaii whose little program for kids leads to an Olympic gold!

The illustrations of this story keep it at the top of our list of books about the Olympics for kids because they suck you right into the pages.

How to Train with a T.

Author: Michael Phelps

Illustrator: Ward Jenkins

Year: 2009

Genre: Fiction

Age: 4-8

Michael Phelps talks about his training routine in this funny little picture book! He explains how he napped, how much he swam, and how many calories he consumed all with infographics that are riveting and silly.

The infographics really bring this story to life. Since Phelps will be an Olympic Correspondent for the Summer Games, I think it’s helpful to show kids his historic victories.

dream big michael jordan

Author: Deloris Jordan

Illustrator: Barry Root

Year: 2017

Genre: Nonfiction

Age: 3-5

This charming picture book biography about Michael Jordan was written by his own Mother!!! It talks about Michael’s life as a child, and how the values he was taught helped him become the superstar athlete known the world over.

For basketball lovers, there is no better Olympic book than this one. I adore the fact that it was written by Jordan’s mother as well.

Lines by Suzy Lee

Author: Suzy Lee

Year: 2017

Genre: Wordless Picture Book

Age: 3-5

Suzy Lee pays tribute to the grace of figure skating with this wordless picture book. It’s a perfect pick to get ready for the Winter Olympics.

I absolutely love these stunning illustrations. Any ice skating lover will quickly find this becoming their new favorite book.

Chapter Books for Kids About the Olympics

Magic treehouse olympics

Author: Mary Pope Osbourne

Illustrator: Sal Murdocca

Year: 2010

Genre: Early Reader Fiction

Age: 6-9

Jack and Annie are once again sent on an adventure to the past! This time, their destination is Ancient Greece where they get to see the Olympic Games played.

Jack and Annie are the perfect explorers – constantly adapting and learning. This adventure is the reason my son became interested in Ancient Greece and the Olympics!

Find this book in: Magic Treehouse books are geared towards early readers. For more books for early readers, check out this post!

what are the paralympic games

Author: Gail Herman

Illustrator: Andrew Thomson

Year: 2020

Genre: Nonfiction

Age: 8-12

This non-fiction book in the What Are series explains the Paralympic Games and the incredible athletes who participate. There is also a Summer Games and a Winter Games edition of this book.

I love this particular book because it highlights all the amazing things people with disabilities can do.

Find this book in: Olympics Books for Kids / Best Books for 10-year-olds

The Boys in the Boat Youth

Author: Daniel James Brown

Year: 2015

Genre: Nonfiction

Age: 10+

Like the adult version, this edited-down book tells the true tale of the 1936 USA men’s rowing team and their unlikely run for the gold medal. It’s a non-fiction story that reads like fiction, and sports nuts will love this story!

The Olympic games scenes gave me such a heightened sense of American pride. I was rooting for the team and cheering them on the whole time. I thought I would be bored by the minutia of rowing, but I wasn’t.

Find this book in: Olympics Books for Kids / Books for Tweens / Best Books for a 12-year-old

Gymnastics Books for Kids

flying high

Author: Michelle Meadows

Illustrator: Ebony Glen

Year: 2020

Genre: Nonfiction

Age: 4-8

This picture book biography tells the story of Simone Biles from her life as a young child to her eventual trips to the Olympics.

This gymnastics book is perfect for kids who love the sport and were inspired by Simone’s many medal wins!

Shes Got This

Author: Laurie Hernandez

Illustrator: Niña Mata

Year: 2018

Genre: Nonfiction

Age: 3-7

Gold medalist Laurie Hernandez wrote this adorable story about a little girl named Zoe who follows her dreams of becoming a gymnast.

The cheerful pictures and wonderful message make this a must-read for anyone looking for gymnastics books for kids.

Nadia who couldnt sit still

Author: Karlin Gray

Illustrator: Christine Davenier

Year: 2016

Genre: Nonfiction

Age: 6-9

Nadia Comaneci competed as a gymnast in the 1976 Olympics. This story tells about her journey from a small town in Romania to the winners’ podium, when she collected her gold-medal.

Kids need to recognize the history of the Olympic games. While I love to show kids stories about current athletes, it’s important to highlight the trailblazers of the past.

BTB Elements and icons 20

Even the youngest kids can get into the Olympic spirit! Here are some suggestions to incorporate the Olympic Games into your home.

  • Read a book about the Olympics in the weeks leading up to the games to build excitement
  • Track the medal count for your home country and a few close competitors each night. My kids love to tally the medals with different colors for gold, silver, and bronze.
  • Watch highlights of key sports each night.
  • Figure out your child’s favorite sport and try to pick a few athletes to track from trials to the final games.
  • Find the craziest sports your family probably hasn’t seen to watch together. In winter, look at curling, speed skating, and skeleton. In summer, check out synchronized swimming, dressage, and Canoe slalom.

How do you explain the Olympics to a child?

With books! I love to read picture books and nonfiction stories about athletes to my children to prepare them for the games. This list holds some of my favorite picks.

More Kids Books About the Olympics

Epilogue

Will you be watching anything during the Paris 2024 Olympic games? We plan to watch archery, football, swimming, and gymnastics.

Books about Women in Sports

Books about Women in Sports

Looking to explore more sports books for the Olympic games? Check out these!

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

2 Comments