Great Books to Kick Off the Olympics!

Summer is just around the corner and with it comes picnics in the park, lazy days at the beach and reading for fun. That's right: now your child is free to read whatever she wants, wherever she wants, however she wants, rather than having to read for school. And, not only is it more fun, but reading during the summer months is also really important. “Experts agree that children who read during the summer gain reading skills, while those who do not often experience learning losses,” says Carol H. Rasco, president and CEO of Reading is Fundamental (RIF), a nonprofit organization promoting literacy.

That's why RIF is hosting “Reading Is Fun” Week from May 12-18, as a way to celebrate pleasure reading and mark the start of the summer reading season.

Reading can be a great compliment to some of the exciting activities taking place during the summer months. Vacationing somewhere famous? Find a great book that takes place there. Can't wait for the next Batman movie to come out? Get a hold of the comic books in preparation for the big night.

There's another big event happening this summer, too: the Beijing Olympics! There are tons of great books about Olympic sports to whet your child's appetite, which is why RIF put together The World’s Most Athletic Booklist for children of all ages. Here's is a sampling of that list:

Boing! by Sean Taylor
A terrible thing has happened to the Great Elastic Marvel, five time World Trampolining Champion. While jumping on a trampoline, he suddenly flips right out a window and plunges toward a zooful of lions, a speeding railroad train, and even more unthinkable dangers.

Super Fast, Out of Control! by Louis Sachar
The word at school is that Marvin will be taking on the hill with his new mountain bike. But the truth is, he can barely climb on the seat! And the gears—forget about it. So Marvin can't help but wonder...how did he suddenly become known as a daredevil?

Young Pele: Soccer's First Star by Lesa Cline-Ransome
The story of a poor Brazilian boy named Edson, who kicked rocks down roads and dribbled balls made from rags. Edson then goes on to become Pele, greatest soccer player of all time. 

King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry
Sham, a golden-red stallion born in the Sultan of Morocco's stables, and the stable boy Agba go on an adventure that takes them from the sands of the Sahara, to the royal courts of France, and finally to the green pastures and stately homes of England.

Wilma Unlimited by Kathleen Krull
The dramatic and inspiring true story of runner Wilma Rudolph, who overcame childhood polio and eventually went on to win three gold medals in a single Olympics.

The Outside Shot by Walter Dean Myers
When Lonnie Jackson leaves Harlem for a basketball scholarship at a Midwest college, he knows he must keep his head straight and his record clean. That's the only way he'll have a chance of making it to the pros someday.

Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher
TJ is an intellectually and athletically gifted, adopted teenager who shuns organized sports and the gung-ho athletes at his high school until he agrees to form a swimming team and recruits some of the school's less popular students.

For more ideas on how to get your child's nose in a good book this summer, check out www.rif.org