Boomer’s Olympic Debut
By Victoria Jamieson
Penguin Young Readers Group, $16.99, 32 pages
Boomer has dreams, BIG DREAMS! He has been training his whole life to win a gold medal at the Animal Olympic Games. Olympig, by Victoria Jamieson, tells the story of a persevering swine who never quits, even when things don’t go his way. Reporter Brent Hamstring is on the scene to cover every event of the competition. Boomer is the first pig to enter. In the marathon, he races against a cheetah, a hare and a greyhound. Boomer takes the loss pretty well. In his next few events, he competes in jumping contest against a kangaroo, high jumps a flying squirrel and wrestles a gorilla. No gold medals for Boomer! He is ready to go home. With some much needed encouragement from his loving mother and cheers from his family, he decides to give the Animal Olympics one more shot. Discover which event Boomer competes in last (and which costume he picks!).
Jamieson’s illustrations are top-notch and hilarious. Created with colorful acrylic paint, the pictures pop off the page. Kids will love reading this story, especially after having watched the London Olympics on TV. The book’s lesson about losing gracefully is one that all kids need to learn.
Reviewed by Kathryn Franklin
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