Randolph Elementary School

Crozier, Virginia

Reading Olympics

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Reading Olympics

Reading Olympics is designed to promote teamwork, self- confidence, and reading for FUN! Books from the list are selected for students of all reading abilities and interests. All students in grades 4 & 5 are encouraged to become a Reading Olympian! If your child is interested in participating in the Reading Olympics program, more information will be sent home at the beginning of the 2020-21 school year. In the meantime…START READING TODAY!
Reading Olympics teams pose for a photo during the 2017 tournament at Goochland Elementary School.

2020-21 RO Book List

There are 36 titles on the Reading Olympics list. Only 35 are listed below. The 36th title will be revealed in January 2021 at the Goochland Reads kick-off event.

ADVENTURE

  • Avalanche! (Survivor Diaries)  by Terry Lynn Johnson 
  • Capture the Flag  by Kate Messner
  • Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library  by Chris Grabenstein
  • The Secret Zoo  by Bryan Chick
  • The Sixty-Eight Rooms  by Marianne Malone

FANTASY

  • Dragons in a Bag  by Zleta Elliott
  • Max & the Midknights  by Lincoln Peirce
  • Upside-Down Magic  by Sarah Mlynowski

GRAPHIC NOVEL

  • El Deafo  by Cece Bell
  • I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic  by Lauren Tarshis

HISTORICAL FICTION

  • Dash  by Kirby Lawson
  • A Lion to Guard Us  by Clyde Robert Bulla
  • Sugar  by Jewell Parker Rhodes

HUMOR

  • Class Dismissed  by Janet Tashjian
  • Pay Attention, Carter Jones  by Gary D. Schmidt

MYSTERY

  • Bob by Wendy Mass & Rebecca Stead
  • Escape from Monticello  by Steven K. Smith
  • The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing  by Sheila Turnage
  • Holes  by Louis Sachar

NONFICTION

  • Hoop Genius: How a Desperate Teacher and a Rowdy Gym Class Invented Basketball  by John Coy
  • Looking for Miza: The True Story of the Mountain Gorilla Family Who Rescues One of Their Own  by Peter Greste
  • Mr. Ferris and His Wheel  by Kathryn Davis
  • Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes and Stinkers: Celebrating Animal Underdogs  by Melissa Stewart
  • Thirty Minutes Over Oregon: A Japanese Pilot’s World War II Story  by Marc Tyler Nobleman

POETRY / NOVEL IN VERSE

  • Gone Fishing  by Tamera Wissinger

REALISTIC FICTION

  • Because of the Rabbit  by Cynthia Lord
  • A Boy Called Bat  by Elana K. Arnold
  • Merci Suárez Changes Gears   by Meg Medina
  • The One and Only Ivan  by Katherine Applegate
  • Save Me a Seat  by Sarah Weeks
  • Song for a Whale  by Lynne Kelly

SCIENCE FICTION

  • Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat  by Johnny Marciano & Emily Chenoweth
  • The Wild Robot  by Peter Brown

SPORTS FICTION

  • Slam Dunk (STAT: Standing Tall and Talented) by Amar’e Stoudemire
  • Track Attack  by Betty Hicks

Digital Reading Olympics titles available on Epic:

  • El Deafo
  • Upside Down Magic (audio book)
  • I Survived the Sinking of theTitanic (non-graphic novel version)
  • Hoop Genius
  • Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and Stinkers
  • A Boy Called Bat
  • Save Me a Seat (audio book)

Digital Reading Olympics titles available via the Pamunkey Library (Libby or Overdrive app) using a public library card:

  • Capture the Flag
  • Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library
  • The Secret Zoo
  • The Sixty-Eight Rooms
  • Max and the Midknights
  • Upside Down Magic
  • El Deafo
  • I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic (non-graphic novel version)
  • Dash
  • A Lion to Guard Us (Hoopla Only)
  • Class Dismissed
  • The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing
  • Holes
  • Hoop Genius (also available on Hoopla)
  • Mr. Ferris and His Wheel (also available on Hoopla)
  • Thirty Minutes Over Oregon
  • Gone Fishing (Hoopla Only)
  • Because of the Rabbit
  • A Boy Called Bat
  • Merci Suarez Changes Gears
  • The One and Only Ivan
  • Save Me a Seat
  • Song for a Whale
  • The Wild Robot
Congratulations to the 2018 Champions, “Unreasonable Logic” from RES!

Team Member Requirements

Reading Olympians will work in teams to collectively read from a list of 36 books during the school year. In the Spring, participants will go to the annual tournament and be asked questions about the books in order to earn points for their team.
Reading Olympics team members must…
  • be a 4th or 5th grade student
  • read a minimum of 8 books from the book list• 2 books must be read by October 15   • 4 books by December 15   • 8 books by March 15
  • pass an Accelerated Reader test with a grade of 80% or higher for each of the 8 books read
  • attend weekly meetings
  • have a positive attitude and be a good team player
Photo of students at tournament
Students from all three elementary schools compete in the annual GCPS Reading Olympics Tournament.
Congratulations to the THREE teams from RES that tied for first place at the 2019 Tournament!