Books About or By Female US Gold Medal Olympians

 

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Have you been watching the Olympics? Hazel and I have been watching the Women's Gymnastics. We are loving seeing these beautiful women make their dreams come true. What is your favorite sport to watch? I always feel like the Olympics brings positivity to the world. It gives us a sense of pride and love for our country, and I am guessing it does for other people around the world. It is a piece of history that is made every four years but doesn't often make it into the history books. However, did you know there are books written by former Gold Medal Olympians and even some about amazing Olympians and teams? Today I am going to share three such books. The ages of recommendations for these books range from 4 to 14. Only one of the books is really a history book about the gold medal Olympian team and the other two are books written by them sharing a piece of their advice off the field. The first book is From My Head to My Toes by Aly Raisman and illustrated by Bea Jackson. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8. 

From the Publisher:

A joyful ode to loving and caring for our bodies, from Olympic gold medalist and advocate Aly Raisman and bestselling artist Bea Jackson.

My body is my own.
My body is just right for me,
From my head to my toes

From My Head to My Toes gently introduces young readers to the topics of consent and bodily autonomy in a positive way. Cheerful and informative, this story focuses on the powerful message of self-love. Aly’s inspiring words are paired with expert-vetted resources, giving adults the tools to begin having these essential conversations with kids from a young age.

From Me:

You probably remember Aly Raisman from the 2012 and 2016 Olympics. She captained the U.S. teams in both of those Olympics, and they won gold. You may also remember that Aly brought sexual abuse charges against the USA gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar. This beautiful, diverse picture book is to teach young children what she wishes she had known. The book is written in a positive light about how each of us is in control of our own bodies. Each of us has a voice to use if we feel unsafe or have questions. We need to have safe people in our lives for us to talk to about our bodies. 

This book is very well written, and the illustrations are beautiful. I love how it has people of different races, religions, genders, and abilities. The message is loud and clear. It gives kids permission to not want a hug from someone or to want one. It teaches about setting boundaries and builds kids up with positivity. She also emphasizes that kids need to trust their feelings and themselves. At the end of the book there is a letter to adult readers from Aly. She shares the importance of the one adult who does the right thing and that the book is meant to help have open discussions about consent, appropriate boundaries and more. Then there is a list of ideas to help caregivers talk about bodies and boundaries with kids. It is a beautiful book and worth a read as a parent or caregiver of young children. It reminds me of I Said No! which I shared previously. 

Our next book shares the fight women soccer stars had for making a name for themselves as well as being treated fairly. The book is graphic novel. It is Mia and Friends: Mia Hamm and the Soccer Sisterhood that Changed History by Karlin Gray and illustrated by Micheline Hess. It is recommended for ages 7 to 10.

From the Publisher:

Based on the true story of soccer legend Mia Hamm, Mia and Friends follows a group of young women who made history at the 1999 Women’s World Cup!

Despite being named after a famous ballerina, little Mia Hamm never cared for pirouettes. Instead, she chased the ball: baseball, basketball, and especially soccer. Since she was often the only girl on her sports teams, she had a hard time making friends. But when fifteen-year-old Mia made the U.S. women’s national soccer team, everything changed. All around her, young women tackled and dribbled, passed and kicked, scored, and screamed. They were just like her—but even more skilled. For Mia to improve, she had to play up to the levels of Michelle Akers, Briana Scurry, Brandi Chastain, and so many others. She was determined not to let her team down.

From Me:

What an amazing story!! The book starts out with Mia Hamm's childhood and how it leads her to soccer. We see the struggles the U.S. Women's Team has when she is on it. They win the first FIFA Women's World Championship (later changed to the Women's World Cup). When they return home no one seems to know or care. These women then work on how to get people interested in their sport. They lose the World Cup but then win gold at the Olympics. The Olympics gold medal helps bring some people to watch them. These women reached out to girls playing soccer in parks and school teams. They really got involved in communities. When the United States hosts the Women's World Cup the stadiums are full. Their perseverance paid off.  They win that one too. This book shares so much of Mia's life and even some of her emotions. She was shy at first and did not want the spotlight. She learned quickly to talk about her teammates instead of herself. The book is well written and shows the things these women had to fight. From finding audiences to equal pay. It is all in here.

It is a wonderful graphic novel sharing the history of women's fight for equality even in more recent times then the age of suffragists. I love that it is a graphic novel to help some of the more reluctant readers discover the interesting history and the amazing women.

Our final book for today (don't worry there will be more sports and Olympics books next week) ties us also to soccer. It is Wolfpack (The Young Readers Edition) by Abby Wambach. It is recommended for ages 10 to 14. There is another edition for 14+. 

From the Publisher:

In this young readers adaptation of her #1 New York Times bestselling book, two-time Olympic gold medalist and FIFA World Cup champion Abby Wambach inspires the next generation to find their voice, unite their pack, and change the world.

From rising young star to co-captain of the 2015 Women’s World Cup Champion team, Abby Wambach’s impressive career has shown her what it truly means to be a champion. Whether you’re leading from the bench or demanding the ball on the field, real success comes when you harness your inner strength, forge your own path, and band together with your team.

Updated with stories that trace her journey from youth soccer to the hall of fame, this young readers adaptation of Abby’s instant bestseller Wolfpack is for the next generation of wolves ready to change the game.

From Me:

First, I want to mention how Abby thanks the women who fought before her and laid the pathway for her to play the sport she loves. She of course is talking about Mia Hamm and the teams mentioned in the previous book! Abby wrote this book to share what a leader truly is. She discusses in the introduction being asked to give a graduation speech at Barnard College. As she considered it, she realized they were not asking her to speak about being a soccer star but rather being a leader. She realized that she had to think about being a leader off the field now that she was retired from soccer. This book is her advice on being a leader. She mentions that leaders are often seen as important people--presidents, teachers, coaches, but in reality each person can be a leader. This book shares some of the things she sees as important for leaders to do.

This book has been adapted for the younger age to understand her advice and to become leaders in their own lives. This book seems like the perfect gift for a graduation. Because of the age it is intended for probably a middle school graduation, but I do not think a high school graduate would hate it either. The advice in it is amazing. It is well written and speaks about finding one's own best qualities. It lifts up the reader to become a leader. To lead in their life and fight for what is right. It is a wonderful book and I hope you will check it out.