Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Three New Sports-Themed Books from National Geographic Kids

Don't you just LOVE the Olympics? Well, kids do too. Help keep the excitement for sports going with these three new titles from National Geographic Kids.


Published May, 2016
National Geographic Children's Books
48 Pages
Review copy provided by publisher

This fun fill-in activity book takes the reader through the Olympic experience from the beginning to the closing ceremony. Kids fill in the list of parts of speech or word categories and then insert them into the passage (like Mad Libs). They can play with a friend or fold the page to play alone. Each fill-in is accompanied by a silly illustrated page in full color. My family and I enjoyed doing some of these while we were on vacation recently. I can't wait to share them with my students.

by Eric Zweig
With Sports Reporter Shalise Manza Young
Published March, 2016
National Geographic Children's Books
64 Pages
Review copy provided by publisher

Goodreads Summary
Become an expert on sports, just in time for the 2016 Olympics! From archery to zip lining this book covers EVERYTHING about the world's favorite team and individual sports. With stunning visuals and energetic, impactful design, readers won't stop until they've learned everything there is to know about the history, rules and regs, training, and practice of dozens of athletic pursuits. Includes popular sports such as baseball, basketball, football, soccer, tennis, and quirkier sports such as fencing, curling, and table tennis.

My Thoughts
Most people know that Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympic athlete. But did you know that the oldest professional hockey player to play a game is Gordie Howe at the age of 52? 
We love baseball here in the US, but the top five sports worldwide are soccer, cricket, basketball, field hockey and tennis based on worldwide viewers. This book is perfect for any sports or trivia buff. It is jam-packed with facts, stats and amazing photos. It would make a great addition to any classroom or school library for grades 3+.

Published May, 2016
National Geographic Children's Books
208 Pages
Review copy provided by publisher

I think the title explains this book perfectly. Every page is filled with interesting facts about sports, but you don't need to be a sports fan to appreciate it. I am not particularly interested in sports, but I really enjoyed this book. 

Here are a few facts I learned:
*America's first female Olympic champion completed against her own mother-and won! (pg. 9)
*The olympic torch has been to space. (pg. 62)
*Rock climbers often have thicker finger bones than other people. (pg.95)
*The average life span of an NBA basket is about 10,000 bounces (pg. 126)

Readers will also learn facts about sports and games they have never heard of like octopus wrestling, joggling and falconry just to name a few. 

I expect not to see Weird But True-Sports on the shelf for long after book-talking it to my 4th graders. 

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