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 2017-18 school year. In the meantime…START READING TODAY!
Reading Olympics teams pose for a photo during the 2017 tournament at Goochland Elementary School.
2017-18 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 2018 at the Goochland Reads kick-off event.
**UPDATED: The final title for Reading Olympics is The Littles by John Peterson!
ADVENTURE
Book of the Dead by Michael Northrup
Capture the Flag by Kate Messner
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
BIOGRAPHY
The Boy on Fairfield Street by Kathleen Krull
The Double Life of Pocahontas by Jean Fritz
Who Was Thomas Alva Edison? by Margaret Frith
FANTASY
Dragon in the Sock Drawer by Kate Klimo
Upside-Down Magic by Sarah Mlynowski
The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer
HISTORICAL FICTION
Blood on the River by Elisa Lynn Carbone
In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse by Joseph Marshall
I Survived the Eruption of Mount St. Helens, 1980 by Lauren Tarshis
Sugar by Jewell Parker Rhodes
HUMOR
My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish by Mo O’Hara
Public School Superhero by James Patterson
Smile by Raina Telgemeier
MYSTERY
Fuzzy Mud by Louis Sachar
The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing by Sheila Turnage
Holes by Louis Sachar
The Key to Extraordinary by Natalie Lloyd
NONFICTION
Allosaurus: The Strange Lizard by Rob Shone
Hoop Genius by John Coy
Looking for Miza by Peter Greste
POETRY / NOVEL IN VERSE
Hate That Cat by Sharon Creech
Wet Cement: A Mix of Concrete Poems by Bob Raczka
REALISTIC FICTION
Class Dismissed by Allan Woodrow
Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate
A Handful of Stars by Cynthia Lord
Lucky Strike by Bobbie Pyron
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
The Remembering Day by Pat Mora
Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks
SPORTS FICTION
Slam Dunk by Amar’e Stoudemire
Track Attack by Betty Hicks
A Whole New Ballgame by Phil Bildner
Students from all three elementary schools compete in the annual GCPS Reading Olympics Tournament.
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
