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| Photo Courtesy of Angela Bair, 2017 |
I recently went cross-country skiing at the
Lake Metroparks Chapin Woods Reservation in Kirtland, Ohio and this experience
inspired me to write a blog identifying winter Olympics themed books for children.
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| Olympic Rings Image Courtesy of Guts, Glory & Gold: Olympic Athletes Pass the Torch |
The 2018 Winter Olympics, officially known as the
XXIII Olympic Winter Games or PyeongChang 2018 is an international
multi-sporting event scheduled to take place from February 9-28. 2018 from Pyeongchang
County, South Korea. In 2022, Beijing, China will host the next winter Olympics
being the first city ever to host both the summer and winter games. The 2018
winter Olympics features the 15 following sports: alpine skiing, biathlon, bobsleigh,
cross-country skiing, curling, figure skating, freestyle skiing, ice hockey, luge,
nordic combined, short track speed skating, skeleton, ski jumping, snowboarding,
and speed skating.
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| Image of Mom Reading to Daughter Courtesy of Getty Images/Fat Camera |
The winter Olympics are a perfect way to get children
excited about reading. Even reluctant readers may be willing to pick up their
favorite book on the history of Olympics or their favorite winter sport or
athlete. As you watch the games with your family or browse the sections of
books at a bookstore or the library, note your child’s interests. Research done
by scholars has proven that looking for a book that matches a child’s interest
will lead to motivation in reading for pleasure about their favorite topics,
book characters, or activities.
I’ve complied a list of picture books, first readers,
fiction, and non-fiction titles for librarians, teachers, caregivers, and
children to browse for ideas on winter Olympic reads. Additionally, a section
on Korea will be listed as well for those wanting to learn more about the host
country. Several books pertaining to winter Olympic sports and history will be
included in the list. From fact-filled books to picture books children will
have fun learning about the winter Olympics.
2018 Winter
Olympics Themed Reads For Kids
Picture
Books:
A is for Axel: An ice skating alphabet by Browning,
Kurt
Angelina ice skates by Holabird, Katharine
Bunny slopes by Rueada Claudia
Camels don't ski by Simon, Francesca
Cross Country Cat by Mary Calhoun
Dino Hockey by Lisa Wheeler
Dora and the Winter Games by Martha T. Ottersley
Dream Big Little Pig by Kristi Yamaguchi
First Tracks by Johnny Boyd
Henry Holton Takes the Ice by Sandra Bradley
How to Train with a T-Rex and Win 8 Gold Medals by
Michael Phelps
I'm cool! by Kate McMullan
Learning to Ski with Mr. Magee by Chris Van Dusen
Lucy tries Luge by Lisa Bowes
Lucy tries short track by Lisa Bowes
Lucy tries short track by Lisa Bowes
Marja's skis by Jean E. Pendziwol
Max and Marla by Alexandra Boiger
Olympig by Victoria Jamieson
Pearl's new skates by Holly Keller
Slush Mountain by Rune Bjr̜n Lie
Snowboarding for fun! by Beth Gruber
Snowman Paul at the Winter Olympics by Yossi Lapid
Snowy Sports: Ready, Set, Play! by Per Henrik Gurth
Tacky and the Winter Games by Helen Lester
That's hockey by Dave Bouchard
The Hockey Sweater by Roch Carrier
The Hockey Sweater by Roch Carrier
The Moccasin Goalie by William Roy Brownridge
First
Readers:
Bob the Builder Muck on ice by Emily Sollinger
Ice Magic by Matt Christopher
Ready Freddy Ready Set Snow by Abby Klein
Scooby Doo The big bad blizzard by Gail Herman
Snowboard twist by Jean Craighead George
Snowfall surprise by Jane B. Mason and Sarah Hines
Stephens
Squirrels on skis by J. Hamilton Ray
Teamwork trouble by Dan Gutman
Fiction:
Babymouse #7: Skater Girl by Jennifer L. Holm
Babymouse #17: Extreme by Jennifer L. Holm
Boxcar Children: The mystery of the stolen snowboard by
Gertrude Chandler Warner
Boxcar Children: The hockey mystery by Gertrude
Chandler Warner
Bravo, Mia! by Laurence Yep
Breaking the ice by Gail Nall
Casey and Derek on the ice by Marty Sederman
Flat Stanley's Worldwide Adventures #4: The Intrepid
Canadian Expedition by Jeff Brown
The G.G. Book #1: G.G. Snowboards by Marty Mokler Bank
Geronimo Stilton #10: Saves the Olympics by Geronimo
Stilton
Geronimo Stilton #33: Gold Medal Mystery by Geronimo
Stilton
Gold medal winter by Donna Freitas Freitas, Donna,
Golden girl by Mari Mancusi
Gus & Gertie and the lucky charms by Nixon,
Joan Lowery.
Jake Maddox: ICE RINK ROOKIE by Jake Maddox
Jake Maddox: Snowboard hero by Jake Maddox
Katie Kazoo Switcheroo #22: It's Snow Joke! by Nancy
Krulik
Katie Kazoo Switcheroo: Super Special on Thin Ice by
Nancy Krulik
Magic Treehouse #16: Hour of the Olympics by Mary Pope
Osborne (chapter book)
Mia by Laurence Yep
Minecraft the griefer's revenge by Morgan,
Winter, author.
Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics
My Weird School Fast Facts: Sports by Dan Gutman
Nancy Drew: Ski school sneak by Carolyn Keene
Race for the gold by Dana Mentink
Rainbow Magic Fairies: Olympia the Games Fairy by Daisy
Meadows
Rainbow Magic Sports Fairies #3: Zoe the Skating Fairy
by Daisy Meadows
Ring Force by Brian Brown
Robert and the great escape by Barbara Seuling
Rush for the Gold: Mystery at the Olympic Games by
John Feinstein
Snowboard maverick by Matt Christopher
Snowboard showdown Matt Christopher
Snowboard struggle by Jake Maddox
Spinning away by Jake Maddox
Spy ski school by Stuart Gibbs
The Babysitters Club Little Sisters: Karen's Figure Eight by Ann M. Martin
The Babysitters Club Little Sisters: Karen's Figure Eight by Ann M. Martin
The mean girl meltdown by Lindsay Eyre
Thea Stilton and the lost letters
Wingman on ice by Matt Christopher
Non-Fiction:
A Kids Guide to the 2018 Olympic Winter Games by Jack
L. Roberts
A very young skier by Jill Krementz
Biathlon, Cross-Country, Ski Jumping, and Nordic
Combined (Winter Olympic Sports) by Kylie Burns
Bobsledding and the luge by Brimner, Larry Dane
Bode: Go Fast, Be Good, Have Fun by Bode Miller
Curling by Claire Throp
Figure Skating (Winter Olympic Sports) by Joseph
Gustaitis
Figure skating by Claire Throp
For the love of curling by Annalise Bekkering,
Freestyle skiing by K. C. Kelley
Freeze frame: a photographic history of the Winter
Olympics by Sue Macy
Fun Facts about the Summer and Winter Olympic Games by
Baby Professor
G is for Gold Medal: An Olympics Alphabet by Brad
Herzog
Girls play to win figure skating by Chrös McDougall
Girls play to win skiing and snowboarding by Karen L.
Kenney
Great moments in Olympic skiing by Brian Trusdell
Great moments in Olympic snowboarding by Brian Howell
High-Tech Olympics by Nick Hunter
How hockey works by Keltie Thomas
How hockey works by Keltie Thomas
Ice kings / by Ellen Labrecque
Living in ... South Korea by Chloe Perkins (Host
Country)
Native Athletes in Action! by Vincent Schilling
Olympics! by B.G. Hennessy
Paralympic sports events by Johnson, Robin (Robin
R.)
Ski superpipe by Darice Bailer
Snowboard (Winter Olympic Sports) by Joseph Gustaitis
Snowboarding: A complete guide for beginners by George
Sullivan
Sophie Skates by Isadora, Rachel
South Korea by Jessica Rudolph (Host Country)
Speed Skating by Laura Hamilton Waxman.
Speed skating by Brimner, Larry Dane
Super hockey infographics by Jeff Savage
The Hockey Book for Girls by Stacy Wilson
The miracle on ice by Brian Trusdell
The Winter Olympics by Nick Hunter
The Winter Olympics For Children: The Amazing History,
Sports, and Athletes of the Winter Olympics: Sports for Kids by Quincy Wright
Yes I Can!: The Story of the Jamaican Bobsled Team by
Devon Harris
Biography
& Autobiography:
A journey: The autobiography of Apolo Anton Ohno
by Ohno, Apolo Anton.
All About Apolo by Joe Layden
Finding the edge: My life on the ice by Karen Chen
Mikaela Shiffrin by Jon M. Fishman
Picabo Street: Downhill dynamo by Joel Dippold
Shaun White: (Amazing Athletes) by Matt Doedon
Movies, Popular Culture and Games on the Winter Olympics:
Films:
Cool Runnings
D2: The Mighty Ducks
From up on Poppy Hill
Getting there
Ice princess
Lindsey Vonn: In the Moment
Miracle
Red Army
Television Shows:
Dinosaur train. Classic in the jurassic. (Classic in the Jurassic Olympics)
Discover the winter Olympics with Cecile & Pepo.
Inspector Gadget. Season one, volume one
Magic school bus. Bugs, bugs, bugs (Ant Olympics)
Scooby-Doo!. Laff-a-lympics spooky games.
SpongeBob SquarePants. The seascape capers (Fast Food
Olympics)
The busy world of Richard Scarry. Good times never
end! (First Olympics)
Yo Gaba Gaba (Olympics)
Video Games:
Mario and Sonic at the Winter Olympic Games (DS)
Mario and Sonic Sochi 2014 (Wii)
Steep: Road to the Olympics (Playstation; X-Box)
Winter Sports: The Ultimate Challenge (Wii)
Winter Blast: Snow and Ice Games (Wii)
