Going the Distance: Focus on Summer Olympics

Since the modern Olympics were revived in 1896, the Summer Olympics have grown into a more dazzling exhibition with each successive occurrence. The most recent Summer Olympics, Athens 2004, offered spectacular pageantry linking ancient origins to the present incarnation. The 2000 games, held in Sydney, Australia, displayed the vibrant enthusiasm of a sports-obsessed host country along with world-class venues. This year, even as the eternal flame of the Olympic torch is challenged by protests along the route from Athens to Beijing, it is estimated that more than 10,000 athletes will gather in China to compete under the ideal expressed in the Olympic creed:

The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win, but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph, but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered, but to have fought well.

Whether we’re casual fans or sports geeks, the Olympics have much to offer; the athletic competitions entertain as they also enlighten and broaden our world perspective. Above all, there are the wonderful human stories that capture our hearts and fire our imaginations: tales of wide-eyed rookies making their debut, veterans attempting a comeback, and favorites upstaged by underdogs. For most athletes, this will be their one chance in the spotlight; their opportunity to be “swifter, higher, stronger.”

As excitement for the games grows, use the following books to offer readers across the grades an overview of the history and meaning of the Olympics along with a perspective on the accomplishments of some very talented champions.

ADLER, David A. America’s Champion Swimmer: Gertrude Ederle. illus. by Terry Widener. Harcourt. 2000. Tr $16. ISBN 978-0-15-201969-3; pap. $6. ISBN 978-0-15-205251-5.

Gr 1-3-Ederle won three gold medals in the 1924 Amsterdam Olympics before becoming the first woman to swim the English Channel in 1926. Through text and art, the athlete’s buoyant spirit and the significance of her accomplishments in an era when women’s lives were severely restricted are brought to light. “Many people felt that a woman’s place was in the home. But Gertrude Ederle’s place was in the water.”

BINGHAM, Jane. Welcome to the Ancient Olympics! Raintree. 2007. PLB $28.21 ISBN 978-1-4109-2889-4; pap. $7.99. ISBN 978-1-4109-2896-2.

Gr 1-3-A simple text, combined with maps, photographs, and graphics, introduces the ancient Olympics and aspects of ancient Greek civilization to young readers. The games were designed to honor Zeus and Hera, and this book briefly limns the origins and ideals of the competition, along with the athletic contests and their participants.

BROWN, Don. Bright Path: Young Jim Thorpe. illus. by author. Roaring Brook. 2006. Tr $17.95. ISBN 978-1-59643-041-9.

K-Gr 3-In this picture-book biography, Brown’s fluid watercolor illustrations and text depict a youthful Jim Thorpe whose “bright path” offered both incredible challenge and opportunity. Attendance at military-style Indian schools ended an idyllic childhood spent outdoors, but it also led to sports. A natural athlete, Thorpe went on to win two gold medals at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics. A two-page epilogue covers the tragic end to his career.

BRUCHAC, Joseph. Jim Thorpe’s Bright Path. illus. by S. D. Nelson. Lee & Low. 2004. RTE $17.95. ISBN 978-1-58430-166-0.

Gr 1-4–Bruchac focuses on Thorpe’s childhood, culminating in his outstanding sports achievements at Carlisle Indian School, and relates Thorpe’s outstanding sports abilities to his Native American heritage. Though school trapped him indoors “away from the forest and prairies” he loved, it also put him on the path to athletic stardom. Luminous acrylic illustrations detail Thorpe’s struggles and accomplishments. An author’s note covers the remainder of Thorpe’s life.

CROWE, Ellie. Surfer of the Century: The Life of Duke Kahanamoku. illus. by Richard Waldrep. Lee & Low. 2007. RTE $18.95. ISBN 978-1-58430-276-6.

Gr 2-4-An appreciative, fact-filled picture- book tribute introduces the legendary surfer. This native Hawaiian’s career included trips to four Olympics where he earned three gold medals, two silver, and one bronze, and befriended Jim Thorpe and Johnny Weismuller. Crowe’s inspiring account is complemented by vibrant, action-filled paintings.

KRULL, Kathleen. Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World’s Fastest Woman. illus. by David Diaz. Harcourt. 1996. Tr $17. ISBN 978-0-15-201267-0; pap. $7. ISBN 978-0-15-202098-9.

Gr 2-4-Rudolph won three gold medals in an outstanding performance at the 1960 Rome Olympics, but her path to track and field stardom was never easy. She overcame childhood bouts of scarlet fever and polio and faced poverty and racism before earning a college scholarship and a place in Olympic legend. Through engaging text and arresting art, Rudolph’s inspiring story is related in memorable fashion.

MIDDLETON, Haydn. Modern Olympic Games. rev. ed. Heinemann Library. 2007. PLB $29.29. ISBN 978-1-4329-0265-0.

Gr 2-5-Profusely illustrated with color photographs, charts, and graphics, this work presents an excellent overview of the Olympics. Beginning with a thumbnail sketch of how the modern games were revived, it describes the high points of ensuing contests, including brief accounts of how sites are selected, where athletes are housed, and how sports are added or dropped from competition.

PATTERSON, Carly, with Clint Kelly. Carly Patterson: Be Strong. Positively for Kids. 2005. Tr $15.95. ISBN 978-0-9765722-3-7.

Gr 2-4-In this brief book, Patterson describes the training, hard work, and determination it took to reach the apex of her sport, gymnastics, and win a gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics at just 16 years of age. With its abundant color photographs and graphics, this scrapbooklike work should appeal to young readers looking for insight into what it takes to become a champion.

WEATHERFORD, Carole Boston. Jesse Owens: Fastest Man Alive. illus. by Eric Velasquez. Walker. 2007. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-0-8027-9550-2.

Gr 2-5-Weatherford focuses on Owens’s accomplishments at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, where he won four gold medals. Hitler had hoped to use the games to showcase his ominous regime, but Owens, who had overcome a sickly childhood, poverty, and Jim Crow racism, single-handedly disproved Hitler’s racist propaganda. Velasquez’s pastel illustrations in panels bring the exciting action to life.

YOO, Paula. Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story. illus. by Dom Lee. Lee & Low. 2005. RTE $16.95. ISBN 978-1-58430-247-6.

Gr 2-4-Sammy Lee’s father left Korea because he believed that any dream was possible in America. As he stood outside his neighborhood pool, which only allowed people of color to swim one day each week, young Sammy questioned his father’s promise. Nostalgic, sepia-hued illustrations bring Lee’s inspiring story to life, as he persevered to become a doctor and the first diver to win gold medals in two Olympics.

BLACKLOCK, Dyan. Olympia: Warrior Athletes of Ancient Greece. illus. by David Kennett. Walker. 2004. Tr $17.95. ISBN 978-0-8027-8790-3.

Gr 5-8-Visually arresting graphic illustrations and a brief text convey information about the ancient Olympics, their origins, and activities. Led by the Oracle at Delphi, King Iphitus designed the games as a temporary halt to the incessant wars among Greece’s city-states. On the sacred grounds of Olympia, contestants competed in events, all related to warfare, such as chariot racing and wrestling, in contests designed to honor the gods.

BURGAN, Michael. Great Moments in the Olympics. World Almanac Library. 2002. PLB $30. ISBN 978-0-8368-5348-3.

Gr 4-6-Burgan features 10 highlights from the summer and winter Olympic Games in this well-written volume. Included are profiles of Paavo Nurmi, Jesse Owens, Mark Spitz, and Nadia Comaneci. Burgan also covers Bob Beacon’s 1968 record-breaking long jump and the bitterly contested gold medal basketball game between the U.S. and the Soviet Union in 1972.

DUBLIN, Anne. Bobbie Rosenfeld: The Olympian Who Could Do Everything. Second Story, dist. by Orca. 2005. pap. $11.95. ISBN 978-1-896764-82-5.

Gr 5-8-Bobbie Rosenfeld excelled at hockey, basketball, softball, and track and field, and represented Canada at the Amsterdam Olympics of 1928, where she and her teammates won four medals. This was the first Olympics in which women athletes were allowed to compete in track and field. Rosenfeld blazed paths for women throughout her extraordinary life, and Dublin does a fine job of bringing her accomplishments to light.

FISCHER, David. The Encyclopedia of the Summer Olympics. Watts. 2004. pap. $19.95. ISBN 978-0-531-16392-4.

Gr 5-9-This beautifully crafted and readable resource opens with a concise overview of the history of the Olympics. The majority of the book consists of profiles of Olympic sports from archery and badminton through weightlifting and wrestling. The final section features 20 brief sketches of Olympians, ranging from familiar (Jesse Owens, Greg Louganis, Jackie Joyner-Kersee) to lesser-known athletes (Ray Ewry, Fanny Blankers-Koen, Emil Zatopek).

FREEDMAN, Russell. Babe Didrikson Zaharias: The Making of a Champion. Clarion. 1999. Tr $19. ISBN 978-0-395-63367-0.

Gr 6-9-Impeccably researched, this biography examines Babe’s irrepressible spirit, love for sport, and boundless energy. Babe rewrote the rules and the record books, earning three world records in track and field at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics before taking up golf in the 1940s. She challenged assumptions about femininity and athleticism and forged a path for women athletes.

GIFFORD, Clive. Summer Olympics: The Definitive Guide to the World’s Greatest Sports Celebration. Kingfisher. 2004. Tr $12.95. ISBN 978-0-7534-5693-4.

Gr 4-8-Gifford offers a fascinating array of Olympic facts and trivia in this lively, well-researched account. He highlights six modern summer Olympics and provides sketches of Olympic history and ideals, profiles of events, and a brief recounting of great accomplishments.

HATTON, Caroline. The Night Olympic Team: Fighting to Keep Drugs Out of the Games. Boyds Mills. 2008. Tr $17.95. ISBN 978-1-59078-566-9.

Gr 5-8- This is a readable account of a group of scientists at the UCLA Olympic Drug Lab who worked around the clock during the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics to detect illegal drug use. Hatton offers a timely and accessible approach to the issues raised by performance-enhancing drugs and the drug testing of athletes.

KRULL, Kathleen. Lives of the Athletes: Thrills, Spills (and What the Neighbors Thought). illus. by Kathryn Hewitt. Harcourt. 1997. Tr $21. ISBN 978-0-15-200806-2.

Gr 5-8-Lively and humorous profiles of 20 athletes, including Jim Thorpe, Duke Kahanamoku, Johnny Weismuller, Gertrude Ederle, Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Sonja Henie, Jesse Owens, Wilma Rudolph, and Flo Hyman, are complemented by entertaining watercolor and pencil drawings. Readers learn that Thorpe enjoyed cooking raccoon stew, Weismuller drove a Buick with a leopard-skin top, and Zaharias disarmed rivals by announcing: “OK, Babe’s here! Now who’s gonna finish second?”

MACY, Sue. Swifter, Higher, Stronger: A Photographic History of the Summer Olympics. National Geographic. 2008. Tr $18.95. ISBN 978-1-4263-0290-9; PLB $27.90. ISBN 978-1-4263-0302-9.

Gr 4-7-In this excellent overview of the modern Olympic Games, Macy covers their rebirth in 1896, the participation of female athletes, breakthrough athletes, highlights and controversies, and unlikely heroes. Complemented by archival and color photographs, this is a well-researched and thoughtful introduction, strengthened by a knowledgeable perspective.

OXLADE, Chris & David Ballheimer. Olympics. DK. 2005. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-7566-1083-8.

Gr 5-8-Snippets of text and abundant color photographs and graphics give readers a wide-ranging overview, from the ancient games to the modern summer, winter, and paralympic Olympics. A treasure trove of accessible trivia, this volume introduces the events, symbols, and traditions, and offers a fascinating glimpse of athletic training and nutrition, clothing and equipment, sports venues, and mascots.

RAPPOPORT, Ken. Ladies First: Women Athletes Who Made a Difference. Peachtree. 2005. Tr $14.95. ISBN 978-1-56145-338-2.

Gr 4-8-Rappoport celebrates the groundbreaking feats of women athletes. Gertrude Ederle, Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Wilma Rudolph, Joan Benoit Samuelson, Sonja Henie, and Nadia Comaneci are among those included. The brief profiles bring to life the women’s characters, some of the challenges they faced, and the significance of their accomplishments.

ROSEN, Michael J. Balls! 2006. ISBN 978-1-58196-030-3.

____. Balls! Round 2. 2008. ISBN 978-1-58196-066-2.

ea. vol: illus. by John Margeson. Darby Creek. Tr $18.95.

Gr 4-6-Browsers and sports fans will relish these well-crafted books that focus on the construction, history, and role of balls in sports. Fascinating fun facts, plentiful action photographs, and color graphics cover a variety of balls, such as those used in the Olympic sports of basketball, soccer, handball, and volleyball. There’s even a lighthearted look at oddballs, goofballs, and animals that turn into balls, such as hedgehogs and armadillos.

COMANECI, Nadia. Letters to a Young Gymnast. Basic Bks. 2003. Tr $23. ISBN 978-0-465-01276-3.

Gr 9 Up–Comaneci was just 14 when she became the first gymnast to receive a perfect score in the Montreal Olympics in 1976. In letters to an imaginary fan, she reveals the strength of character and determination it took to reach that accomplishment. In this riveting autobiography, readers also learn of the courage it took for her to defect from her native country, Romania.

CORBETT, Sara. Venus to the Hoop: A Gold Medal Year in Women’s Basketball. Knopf. 1998. pap. $14. ISBN 978-0-385-49352-9.

Gr 9 Up-This readable account follows the preparation and training of the 12 women who competed as the U.S. Women’s Basketball team in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Upon their selection, they undertook a year of sacrifice and travel and won respect for their professionalism. Including such notables as Teresa Edwards, Lisa Leslie, and Sheryl Swopes, the book offers insight into the status of women’s sports.

CRAWFORD, Bill. All American: The Rise and Fall of Jim Thorpe. Wiley. 2004. Tr $32.50. ISBN 978-0-471-55732-6.

Gr 10 Up-Crawford details Thorpe’s tragic career, casting a clear-eyed perspective on the corrupt, rambunctious sports scene of Thorpe’s heyday. The author’s investigative report reveals that the downfall of the greatest athlete of the early 20th century was brought about by a combination of injustice, racism, and betrayal by friends and rivals. Crawford finds poignancy and relevance in Thorpe’s epic story.

MULLEN, P. H., Jr. Gold in the Water: The True Story of Ordinary Men and Their Extraordinary Dream of Olympic Glory. St. Martin’s. 2001. Tr $24.95. ISBN 978-0-312-26595-3; pap. $15.95. ISBN 978-0-312-31116-2.

Gr 10 Up-In an adrenaline-charged account of the swimmers of the Santa Clara Swim Club and their arduous two-year struggle to win a place on the U.S. Olympic swim team for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, long-distance swimmer Mullen offers an insider’s view of the increasingly difficult training, intense rivalries, emotional triumphs, and heartbreak these athletes faced.

SCHAAP, Jeremy. Triumph: The Untold Story of Jesse Owens and Hitler’s Olympics. Houghton. 2007. Tr $24. ISBN 978-0-618-68822-7; pap. $14.95. ISBN 978-0-618-91910-9.

Gr 10 Up-The 1936 Berlin Olympics were designed to showcase Hitler’s Germany to a world audience; however, the outstanding track and field accomplishments of Owens shattered the Nazi ideal of Aryan supremacy. Schaap’s detailed account of the games, and the events leading up to them, gives insight into Owens’s character and perspective on this momentous period.

WALLECHINSKY, David. The Complete Book of the Summer Olympics: Athens 2004. Sport Media Publishing. 2004. Tr $37.95. ISBN 978-1-894963-34-3; pap. $24.95. ISBN 978-1-894963-32-9.

Gr 10 Up-This treasure trove of Olympic trivia will delight sports geeks and casual fans. Created by an Olympics historian and commentator, it offers statistics, dramatic play-by-play anecdotes, and images for each event spanning the history of the modern games since 1896.