Animal Olympics: Creatures Great and Small Competing in Incredible, Impressive, and Extraordinary Events!

K-Gr 2–This enlightening nonfiction book showcases the abilities and skills of animals from many different habitats. Animals “compete” for the gold and partake in various athletic events including diving, sprinting, weightlifting, boxing, and swimming. Brief chapters, which feature a colorful double-page spread, provide facts about the animal contenders. Tanis’s humorous illustrations depict the athletes in the context of familiar human settings, such as a racetrack, a boxing ring, a gym, or a pool. Each animal is issued a one-line catchphrase. For example, the African bush elephant boasts, “I can easily lift more than either of you,” while his gorilla competitor calls attention to his muscles. The rhinoceros beetle warns, “Don’t underestimate me—I’m small but super strong.” The abundance of remarkable feats makes the actions of the winner even more impressive. Victories are relative to an animal’s size, which makes it possible for a mantis shrimp to be a champion boxer or a flea to be crowned the best long jumper. A further reading list allows readers to learn more about animal abilities, sports, and the history of the Olympics.