With opening ceremonies just five weeks away, the entire world is buzzing with Olympic anticipation. Help your K-5 students feel the excitement and check out this list of Olympic-related books. With many written by or about some of history’s most loved Olympic athletes, each book is sure to inspire, inform, or at least incite interest in this age-old tradition.

1. How to Train with a T. Rex and Win 8 Gold Medals. Cowritten by Olympic medalist Michael Phelps and sportswriter Alan Abrahamson, this fun picture book describes how Phelps earned his record-breaking 8 gold medals.
2. Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World’s Fastest Woman. This inspiring picture book describes how a five-year-old girl with a paralyzed leg would go on to become the first American woman to win three gold medals in a single Olympiad.
3. Dream Big: Michael Jordan and the Pursuit of Olympic Gold. Written by Michael Jordan’s mother, this heart-warming picture book gives kids a glimpse into Jordan’s childhood dreams and struggles.
4. Queen of the Track: Alice Coachman: Olympic High-Jump Champion. This uplifting picture book tells the story of Alice Coachman and her rise to Olympic fame despite racial tensions of her time.
5. Magic Tree House Fact Tracker #10: Ancient Greece and the Olympics. This nonfiction companion to Magic Tree House #16: Hour of the Olympics lays down the facts and teaches kids about the original games.
6. Olympics! This picture book describes all that goes into holding the Olympics, from the athletic training to the creation of the Olympic village, in a way that excites kids of all ages.
7. The Story of the Olympics. This picture book is perfect for older elementary school students who are interested in the fun, and often funny, facts surrounding the original games.
8. Olympic Poems: 100% Unofficial. This funny book of poetry is packed with clever poems related to just about every summer sport, the thrill of victory, and, of course, the agony of defeat.
9. Shawn Johnson Olympic Champion: The Story Behind the Smile. This photographic journal tells the story of Olympic gymnast and gold medalist Shawn Johnson in her own words.