With the spirit of the Olympics in the air, the Children’s Librarians at Worcester Public Library thought it would be fun to share some amazing nonfiction books to explore more about the Olympics.

Crossing the Finish Line by Thushanthi Ponweera

When Sri Lankan Olympian Rantunge Karunanada raced in the 1964 Olympics, he quickly learned that he did not have much of a chance of winning the 10,000-meter race. However, just competing in the Olympics was a dream come true, and nothing was going to stop him from reaching the finish line.

Declan Farmer Paralympic Hockey Star by Matt Chandler

Declan Farmer is a two-time Paralympic gold medalist. This inspirational book details his life, challenges, and athletic career.

History and Stars of the World’s Greatest Sporting Event: From Athens 1896 to Paris 2024 by Vijayan Bala

Learn all about the modern Summer Olympics in this book! It includes information about the history of the games (including details on each event from 1896 to 2024), features rare photos, and highlights Olympic stars and record breakers. 

How Do You Become an Olympian? by Madeleine Kelly

How do athletes represent their county in the Olympics? How do athletes win medals? This books answers these and other questions and is filled with fun facts about the Olympics and Olympic athletes. 

Jubilee: the First Therapy Horse and an Olympic Dream by KT Johnston

When Lis Hartel contracted polio and became paralyzed, she was told that she would be lucky to walk again and riding a horse was even less likely. During rehabilitation, Liz began training with horses for therapy. After years of hard work, Liz and Jubilee, her horse, made it to the 1952 Olympics and won a silver medal. 

Luge by Ashley Gish

If you’re looking to learn about one of the most thrilling sports of the Winter Games, this book is for you. Learn about the luge sleds, the aerodynamic gear, and the types of races that the athletes compete in. 

Swimming Toward a Dream by Reem Faruqu

Yusra Mardini swam in Syria with hopes to someday go to the Olympics, but when war came, she was no longer safe. This book recounts how she attempted to cross the sea looking for safety and how she eventually was invited to participate in the 2016 Olympics on the first-ever Refugee Team!

Touch the Sky: Alice Coachman, Olympic High Jumper by Ann Malaspina

This beautiful book written in verse follows Alice Coachman’s journey from her segregated Georgia hometown in the 1930’s to becoming the first African American woman to ever win an Olympic Gold. 

Twist, Tumble, Triumph: The Story of Champion Gymnast Agnes Keleti by Kerry Olitzky

When Agnes was told Jewish athletes were not allowed in the gym any longer, she began to train in secret at a school gym with another teammate, Istvan Sarkany. It became even more difficult to train after Nazis began to patrol the streets of Budapest. This book portrays Agnes’s story as she never gave up on her dream and became an Olympic champion in 1952!

Who is Chloe Kim? by Stefanie Loh

Chloe Kim earned a gold medal at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in 2018 at just 17 years old! Learn all about Chloe’s life and career as a snowboarder in this popular Who Is series book.

We hope this helps you further explore this topic!

- Stacy and Alyssa