BOOK MARKED
Exercise the Mind
with Books
12 Titles to Get Kids Moving,
Exploring and Reading
BY DC PUBLIC LIBRARY STAFF
Spring, sun and sports go hand in hand.

These books are sure to inspire kids to make
the most of their time outdoors while keeping
them reading. All titles are available at the
DC Public Library.

PICTURE BOOKS
“Everyone Can Learn to Ride
a Bicycle”
written and illustrated by
Chris Raschka
A father teaches his daughter all about
bicycle riding, from selecting the right bike
to trying again after a fall.

“Yoga Bunny”
by Brian Russo
Bunny is practicing his poses and wishes
his friends would do yoga with him. Yoga
Bunny helps readers relax and unwind
as they learn beginning yoga poses, from
downward dog to the tree pose.

“Barnyard Dance!”
by Sandra Boynton
Move along to the rhythm with a
bespectacled fiddle-playing cow, a twirling
pig and a strutting duck as they dance
around the barnyard.

EASY READERS
“Sisters & Champions: The
True Story of Venus and Serena
Williams” by Howard Bryant, illustrated by
Floyd Cooper
This picture book biography of the famous
tennis playing siblings Venus and Serena
Williams is accompanied by beautiful
36 Washington FAMILY APRIL 2022
illustrations from the renowned children’s
book illustrator Floyd Cooper.

“Swim, Mo, Swim!”
by David A. Adler, illustrated by
Sam Ricks
On Field Day, Mo swims a lot faster
than he knew he could, not because his
team might win but because a fish keeps
nibbling his toe.

“Olivia Plays Soccer”
adapted by Tina Gallo, illustrated by
Jared Osterhold
When Olivia joins the soccer team, she
wants to wear a red jersey, but the only
team member that wears red is the goalie—
and the goalie on her team is Francine.

What will Olivia do?
MIDDLE-GRADE READERS
“We Are the Ship: The Story of
Negro League Baseball”
words and paintings by
Kadir Nelson, forward by
Hank Aaron
Pick up this award-winning story of the
history of Negro League baseball from its
beginnings in the 1920s to the beginning
of integrated leagues. Nelson’s portrait-
style illustrations make this sports history
special for readers who want to learn more
about this era.




“The
Crossover” by Kwame
Alexander Fourteen-year-old
twin basketball stars
Josh and Jordan wrestle
with highs and lows on
and off the court as their
father ignores his declining
health. This book is a
Newbery Medal winner.

“Jayla Jumps In”
by Joy Jones
After learning that her mother was a
Double Dutch champion, 11-year-old
Jayla forms a team, hoping to stand out
in her big, quirky family, and finds her
life changed in ways she never imagined.

DCPL Librarian Associate Joy Jones is
the author of this tale.

BACKGROUND: OLENA CHURILOVA/ISTOCK /GETTY IMAGES PLUS; BOOK COVERS COURTESY OF PUBLISHERS
YOUNG ADULTS
“Starfish” by Lisa Fipps
Ella, a teen who struggles with her
weight, discovers through swimming
and the support of her family and
friends that her body image is
only a part of what defines her.

This title was awarded a Michael L.

Printz honor book by the Young Adult
Library Services committee of the
American Library Association.

“Furia” by Yamile Saied Méndez
Seventeen-year-old Camila Hassan, a
rising soccer star in Rosario, Argentina,
dreams of playing professionally,
in defiance of her father’s wishes
and at the risk of her budding
romance with Diego.

“Check, Please!” Book 1,
#Hockey by Ngozi Ukazu
The first book of a two-volume coming-
of-age humorous graphic novel talks
about hockey and trying to find yourself
during your college years. P
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