All ages:

Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World's Fastest Woman. By Kathleen Krull. The story of Wilma Rudolph, the prematurely born black child who, despite suffering from polio, became the first woman to win three Olympic gold medals.

Books by Matt Christopher, widely considered America's best-selling sports book author, who has written books about so many sports and prominent athletes that at least one or two are bound to make even reluctant kinesthetic readers grow to love reading.

Younger Readers:

Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring. By Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan. Making Appalachian Spring – Spare, dramatic text and uncluttered watercolors relay the story of the collaborative creation of a classic American ballet. Sibert Honor Book

Middle Readers:

Shake, Rattle & Turn That Noise Down! How Elvis Shook Up Music, Me and Mom. By Mark Alan Stamaty. An autobiography in graphic novel format shows how Stamaty’s love of Elvis and rock and roll, at first drove his mother crazy but ultimately made her proud.

Older Readers:

Heart of a Samurai. By Margi Preus. This swashbuckling adventure is based on the true story of Manjiro, the young fisherman believed to be the first Japanese person to visit America, who against all odds, became a samurai. Newbery Honor Book

Discover more books that are perfect for each of your kids ages & interests with the Random House Children’s Book FinderKidzmet Recommends the Random House Children's Book Finder
Summer Reading Recommendations for the “Body Smart” Child