Have you ever wondered how athletes become Olympians? Canadian Olympic runner and author Madeleine Kelly explains the history of the Games, how athletes train for their event, and so much more! Each topic is explored through illustrations and informative and engaging text in this new addition to the How Do series.

About the How Do series: These fully-illustrated nonfiction picture books are a great introduction to various STEM topics. Each title includes facts and figures, simple diagrams and hilarious illustrations and is written in a question-and-answer format to encourage readers to ask questions and guess the answers before exploring the science behind the correct answers.

Meet Canadian national champion and Olympian, Madeleine Kelly. Madeleine started running track around the age of 12. She continued to run and train and eventually ran track in college at the University of Toronto. She earned a bronze medal at the Canadian Olympic Trials, giving her the chance to compete at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Madeleine is training for the upcoming Games and when she is not running, she writes for a magazine about running.

Srimalie Bassani lives and works in Mantova, Italy. Her mother has always encouraged her artistic expression, and she is the inspiration for her passion. Her work is full of surprises. She always tries to diversify her style based on every story she illustrates. It's almost impossible to remove her from her writing desk, where she keeps a stack of books and teacups of many colors.

Canadian runner Madeleine Kelly introduces the Olympics and its participants.

Less a how-to and more of an overview, this breezy, upbeat account provides both a compact history of the Olympics and an encouraging, egalitarian look at those who perform at the top of their chosen sports: “Before they were Olympians, they were kids playing music, playing tag, and playing dress up—just like you!” Crisply outlined and lively cartoon illustrations depict racially diverse people, from discreetly posed naked ancient Greek athletes to contemporary competitors representing a number of different sports (including skateboarding, martial arts, and rock climbing). “Fun fact” boxes shed light on sports that are new to the games as well as some that are no longer included, the Olympic motto, and the tradition of playing the anthem of the gold medalist’s country as they are honored. Kelly, who competed at Tokyo 2020 herself, describes the “spirit of the Olympics” and the sense of camaraderie displayed by many athletes, such as tennis player Naomi Osaka, who advocates for mental health support. The author offers suggestions for holding backyard Olympic games; activities such as hot-gluing medals and cutting javelins from pool noodles may require adult supervision. Children who love sports and competition will come away with a sense of possibility.

A lighthearted exploration of these international events. —Kirkus Reviews