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 Flagby Kate Messner
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Libraryby Chris Grabenstein
The Secret Zooby Bryan Chick
The Sixty-Eight Rooms by Marianne Malone
FANTASY
Dragons in a Bagby Zleta Elliott
Max & the Midknights by Lincoln Peirce
Upside-Down Magic by Sarah Mlynowski
GRAPHIC NOVEL
El Deafoby Cece Bell
I Survived the Sinking of the Titanicby Lauren Tarshis
HISTORICAL FICTION
Dashby Kirby Lawson
A Lion to Guard Usby Clyde Robert Bulla
Sugar by Jewell Parker Rhodes
HUMOR
Class Dismissed by Janet Tashjian
Pay Attention, Carter Jonesby Gary D. Schmidt
MYSTERY
Bobby 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 Basketballby 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 Rabbitby Cynthia Lord
A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold
Merci Suárez Changes Gearsby Meg Medina
The One and Only Ivanby 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 Robotby Peter Brown
SPORTS FICTION
Slam Dunk (STAT: Standing Tall and Talented) by Amar’e Stoudemire
Track Attackby 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
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!