The Story of the Olympics

By Dave Anderson
Foreword by Carl Lewis
William Morrow, $16

ISBN 0688129544


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Olympic themes spark young readers' dreams

Review by Dee Ann Grand

While the Olympic torch bears down on Atlanta and Olympic fever gains momentum worldwide, several medal-deserving books might jump-start an Olympic dream or two for young readers. Knowing that middle readers tend to ignore biographies and histories, several authors have cleverly added action and outright chuckles to factual information, giving a fresh flavor to informational storytelling.

An example of this attention-keeping style is Pulitzer Prize-winning sportswriter Dave Anderson's The Story of the Olympics. Focusing on the lives of famous Olympic athletes, Anderson details the ongoing evolution of the Games from ancient Greece to the 1996 Olympic Summer Games in Atlanta, revealing that as human abilities expand and interests change, so do the games themselves. With the 1996 Olympics' new additions of softball, beach volleyball, and cycling/mountain biking, the Olympic evolution continues. Young readers will appreciate the fast pace and the dramatic photos of faces captured in unwavering determination.

Dee Ann Grand lives in Atlanta, is caught up in the Olympic fervor, and is a book editor for young readers.

©1996, ProMotion, inc.

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