This book may initially be a hard sell for young readers in the US. Canadian paralympians are, on the surface, a pretty niche topic. But when you get into the details this is a fascinating read. The focus is nearly as much on the sports as it is about the athletes. And Ouellet keeps the focus on athletics, not on handicaps. I personally loved learning about the differences in paralympic sports and how some of the modified rules make these sports more challenging. A cool addition to a sports collection.

This book was a fascinating look into the life and sports of some Paralympic Athletes. This is such a timely book, with the Olympics going on and the Paralympics coming up later in the month. This focuses on several of the athletes from Canada, so those from Canada could cheer on their countrymen and women in the games after getting to know them a little bit.

I also learned about different accommodations and sports that the athletes participate in. For example, I had no idea that there was sitting volleyball, or wheelchair curling! Those were both new to me, and I am glad I was able to read and learn about both of these intriguing sports.

This book would be especially good for middle grades children-- old enough to read independently and comprehend content-- but would also be appropriate for a younger child being read to by an adult. Both age groups could take away a lot of information from it, and this book would begin to introduce the differences that people can have.

Thank you to the Author, publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Amazing Athletes describes various Canadian Paralympic games and highlights athletes who have excelled in their sports. It was interesting to read their stories and to learn how they began playing the sport. The athletes’ awards, quotes and contributions are also present. It explains how some sports have been adapted for disabled athletes, while others have been entirely created. I would like to see this book in every classroom.


I received an ARC from Owlkids Books through NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book. I am voluntarily submitting this review and am under no obligation to do so.