The 2008 Summer Olympics will officially open in Beijing tomorrow. Television and computer screens will be filled with images of athletes and athletics, not to mention the host county.
I wonder how the Olympics can achieve what its slogan advertises: One World One Dream.
Maybe it begins by introducing children to the history and background of the games.
Older readers — even adults — will appreciate the informative tidbits and stunning photographs in Sue Macy’s recently updated Swifter, Higher, Stronger: A Photographic History of the Summer Olympics (National Geographic).
Younger readers continue to be intrigued by the Magic Tree House trip to early games in ancient Greece. A more recent Magic Tree House Research Guide: Ancient Greece and the Olympics Random) both satisfies curiosity as well as piques it.
Since Olympiads come from all over the world, an atlas such as the National Geographic World Atlas for Young Explorers, 3rd edition , may encourage kids to look at the world differently.
And of course, there’s an opportunity to examine different sports or the lives of individual athletes, past and present. One of my personal favorites is Wilma Unlimited (Harcourt). This picture book presents a downright inspiring biographical sketch of the first woman to win 3 gold medals in spite of huge obstacles.
Maybe, like the Olympics, books can help children envision a world filled with shared dreams.
About the Author
Reading Rockets’ children’s literature expert, Maria Salvadore, brings you into her world as she explores the best ways to use kids’ books both inside — and outside — of the classroom.
Publication Date
August 7, 2008