Amazing Americans: Olympians

Gr 1-3–The layouts in each of these titles are colorful and image heavy, and the text blocks are short and simple, an appealing combination for younger or reluctant readers. Small gold medallions punctuate the text with bits of trivia—Katie Ledecky enjoys playing piano and traditional Irish dance, Simone Biles was adopted by her grandparents when she was six. Though some additional details find their way into the texts (Michael Phelps’s mother says he “never sat still” as a boy, Kevin Durant was already six feet tall in middle school), the narratives are typically short on biographical details and focus instead on athletic accomplishments. Throughout, the photos almost exclusively depict the athletes in competition. Each entry concludes with some sparse “read more” suggestions. VERDICT: Engaging and highly visual, these may serve as simple introductions for early readers or an enticement to struggling students.