Besides our deep love of non-prime-time sports (like equestrian eventing and canoe slalom), we love the Olympics for the human interest stories. We love getting to know more about the athletes’ families and hometowns. We love hearing about the obstacles Olympians overcame to get their few moments of international fame.
If you’re planning to watch the Olympics with your kids and want to learn more about what it takes to get to the Olympics, we recommend one of our favorite strategies: read together! These are some of our favorite children’s books about notable American Olympians:
Jenny’s Picks:
Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story
In 1948, Dr. Sammy Lee became the first Asian American to win Olympic gold. But before taking the diving platform that summer, he endured discrimination, fought in the military, and became a medical doctor. (Notable book for both the National Council for the Social Studies and International Reading Association)
Winners Never Quit
Triple Olympic medal winning Mia Hamm tells a story inspired by her own experience as a very young athlete in this story for the youngest of readers. Little Mia overcomes her frustration by learning an important lesson in sportsmanship.
Megan’s Picks:
America’s Champion Swimmer: Gertrude Ederle
My five year old daughter is working on her swimming skills, and was inspired by this wonderful book about Olympic swimmer Gertrude Ederle. Ederle, known as Trudy, became an international superstar in 1926 when she was the first woman to swim across the English Channel. We love this book because it shows the successes and failures and hard work Trudy faced on her quest to swim the Channel. But it also paints a beautiful portrait of the friendship between Trudy and her sister Margaret, who helped design the special goggles Trudy wore on her 35-hour swim.
Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World’s Fastest Woman
After contracting polio at the age of 4, Wilma Rudolph was told she would never walk again. This book tells the inspiring tale of how Wilma battled disease, her leg brace, and segregation to become the fastest woman in the world at the 1960 Olympics.
Do you have a favorite book about American Olympians? Leave a comment and let us know!
Of course, the Olympics aren’t the only topic that can be shared with kids through great books. Check out OurStory for featured books on jazz, the Star-Spangled Banner, woman suffrage, and more!
Jenny Wei and Megan Smith are Education Specialists at the National Museum of American History.
Wilma Rudolph has always been an inspiration to me. I understand how devastating polio can be firsthand watching my father-in-law heroically provide for his family while dealing with the crippling disease. Compound that with segregation and the discrimination of the day. She was an amazing individual as well as a world class athlete. I am sure this is a great read.
Posted by: Debbie | July 24, 2012 at 08:28 PM
These look like wonderful stories! Now just to find some children to foist them on!
Posted by: Anne | July 18, 2012 at 07:01 PM
Hooray for eventing! Since you mention it, Life in the Galloping Lane, David and Karen O'Connor's memoir, is a great book about equestrian sport. Karen O'Connor will be competing in London on her new horse Mr. Medicott.
Posted by: Amanda Gustin | July 18, 2012 at 04:41 PM
We often focus on the negative rather than spending our energy on positive aspects in life. This is a great example of people who looked forward and overcome any and all odds. It is truly inspirational to learn about people who overcome various misfortunes to becoming recognized as the best in the world!
Matt
Posted by: Maxam Media | July 18, 2012 at 01:36 PM