Olympics Review Series: G is for Gold Medal: An Olympics Alphabet by Brad Herzog, Illustrated by Doug Bowles

The 2012 Olympics in London are upon us!  It is an exciting time for the world as we gather together in healthy competition while supporting our various countries.  Children, especially, look forward to the Olympics, as they get to watch a diverse group of athletes from far away places strive to do their best and take home that medal.

If you and your children will be watching the Olympics this year, then I have just the review collection for you.  Each day during the Olympics (so for 17 days, now through August 12th) I will be reviewing one children's book that has to do with the 2012 Summer Olympics!  These are books that you can read together or that they can read by themselves to enhance their knowledge and also their excitement about the Games!

Today I am reviewing G is for Gold Medal: An Olympics Alphabet by Brad Herzog and illustrated by Doug Bowles.  I always like to recognize the illustrator because without his/her drawings, children's books would be a lot less fun. :)

Even though this book is an ABC book, it is not exactly a book for early readers.  Each letter has it's own short stanza poem (see inside the circle in first photo) but also a lengthy explanation about the history of the Olympics.

Letter A.  See the short poem in the circle and the longer passage to the left of the page.

Close up of the longer passage from above photo.

Older elementary students would be able to read the longer passages.  If you decide to read the longer passages to your younger child, interest could wane.  He/she will probably want to turn the page and get going already.  However, if your child is very interested in the Olympics, give it a try.  I recommend, depending on your individual child's attention to the topic, looking up the letter/Olympic sport associated with what you are currently watching on TV.  This will allow your child to more easily connect reading the book with the act of watching the Olympics on TV, and also hold their interest longer.

AGES 5 to 7 for short stanzas; 8 to 11 for longer passages

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