2018 Winter Olympics Books for Kids

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. 

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.

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.

Image of Two Moscow boys learning to read in the snow Courtesy of Carl Mydans/Time & Life.

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

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 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 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

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:

Caillou. Celebrating seasons! (iTunes) 

Dinosaur train. Classic in the jurassic. (Classic in the Jurassic Olympics)

Discover the winter Olympics with Cecile & Pepo.

Backyardigans (March on Mt. Olympus) 

Inspector Gadget. Season one, volume one

Magic school bus. Bugs, bugs, bugs (Ant Olympics)

Peg the Cat (Olympics)

Scooby-Doo!. Laff-a-lympics spooky games.

Seasame Street (Luging)

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)