What’s a February event the whole family might enjoy? The 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, of course! And there’s no need to travel to Milano Cortina, in Northeast Italy. You and the kids can watch these world-class hockey players, skiers, snowboarders and figure/speed skaters on your TV or screen at home. The Olympics will be held (and televised and streamed) from Feb. 6-22, and the Paralympics from March 6-15. And if you’re curious about past Games or have questions about the sports or countries involved, you might check out these books. Many are available from local libraries.
Tots – Age 7
“She Persisted in Sports”
By Chelsea Clinton
Illustrated by Alexander Boiger
Philomel, 2020, $17.99
As author Chelsea Clinton states, “[I]t’s not easy to be a girl athlete.” Girls’ sports often were—and still can be—marginalized, underfunded and underappreciated. This book’s brief biographies of 12 American female Olympians highlight their skill, dedication and hard work. Golf maven Margaret Ives Abbott became the first American woman Olympic champion in 1900. Track star Wilma Rudolph overcame polio-related disabilities to become the first American woman to win three gold medals. As a child, figure skating medalist Kristi Yamaguchi had to wear a cast to correct her club foot, but she was still determined to skate. More recently, sisters Jocelyne and Monique Lamoreaux honed their hockey talents on the boys’ team when they were young. And in 2018, with key goals, they helped the U.S. Women’s Hockey Team achieve victory. The book ends by encouraging all young athletes and readers: “They persisted and so should you.”
“Figure Skating”
By Laura Hamilton Waxman
Illustrated with color photos
Amicus, 2018, $9.99
In this early chapter book, intriguing facts and dynamic photos help youngsters experience the Olympic sport of figure skating. Author Laura Hamilton Waxman explains that it was part of the first modern Winter Olympics in 1924. She describes the major categories—individual (women and men), pairs, ice dancing and team—and explains the judging process. All types test the skaters’ skill, strength, stamina and grace, and they must jump, spin and perform fancy footwork. As they watch the 2026 Winter Olympics, the whole family will appreciate this easy-to-understand guide to requirements and judging.
“Ice Hockey and Curling”
By Laura Hamilton Waxman
Illustrated with color photos
Amicus, 2018, $9.99
Thanks to indoor ice rinks, hockey has become one of the most popular winter sports for American kids. The book explains the difference between hockey and curling, mentioning that both have Olympic categories for men and women. Hockey is a high-action team sport, with players on skates hitting pucks with sticks on smooth, flat ice. In contrast, curling teams focus on precision. Players wear special shoes, not skates, and slide heavy granite stones across bumpy ice toward a target. Both sports promise edge-of-your-seat drama. Want to learn more? Check out the book’s back matter for helpful websites and resources.
Preteens
“What Are the Winter Olympics?”
By Gail Herman
Penguin, 2021, $5.99
Re-visit key moments in this fascinating history of the Winter Olympics! You never know what may happen—a star athlete might stumble or fall, a little-known contender could emerge a winner. There was the perfectly scored ice dancing of the British pair Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean in 1984. In 1988, the underdog Jamaican bobsled team won hearts and later inspired the Disney film “Cool Runnings.” In short track speed skating in 1992, an upset shot Australian Steven Bradbury to the lead. And was the Czech Republic’s Esther Ledecka able to garner double gold in two very different sports? Yes, in skiing and snowboarding in 2018, at her first Olympics!
“Brenna Huckaby: Paralympic Snowboarding Champ”
By Emma Carlson Berne
Capstone, 2021, $31.32
As a child in relatively snow-less Louisiana, Brenna Huckaby was a highly ranked gymnast. Then at the age of 14, she received a devastating diagnosis. She had bone cancer, and her right leg above the knee had to be amputated. Following surgery, she began using a prosthetic leg, but soon realized gymnastics was no longer a good fit. She tried other sports and clicked with snowboarding. Huckaby credits her gymnastics training with her skill and delight in snowboarding. According to the book, the “snowboard reminded [her] of a moving balance beam,” her favorite gymnastics event. She and her mother moved to snowy Utah, and she began para-snowboard training with the hope of competing in a future Paralympics. In 2018, she did just that, traveling to South Korea and winning gold in her two events. “It was official. Huckaby was now the best female para-snowboarder in the world!”
Teens
“The Boys of Winter”
By Wayne Coffey
Crown, 2005, $18
This sports classic was re-issued in 2020 for the 40th anniversary of what history has dubbed the “Miracle on Ice.” Subtitled “The Untold Story of a Coach, a Dream, and the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team,” this compelling nonfiction narrative can be enjoyed by teens and adults. It follows the American players and their coach as they prepare for and participate in the Lake Placid Olympics. And it chronicles their victory against the Soviet ice hockey team—a victory that amazed the world.
Mary Quattlebaum lives in Washington, D.C. and is the author of 30 award-winning children’s books, most recently Queen Elizabeth II, an early reader biography. She teaches in the graduate program in writing for children at the Vermont College of Fine Arts, writes frequently for The Washington Post and is a popular school and conference speaker. maryquattlebaum.com
Mary Quattlebaum lives in Washington, D.C. and is the author of 30 award-winning children’s books, most recently Queen Elizabeth II, an early reader biography. She teaches in the graduate program in writing for children at the Vermont College of Fine Arts, writes frequently for The Washington Post and is a popular school and conference speaker. maryquattlebaum.com
