KID OLYMPIANS

Profiles of 16 Olympians and Paralympians who qualify as “Kid Legends.”

Though all, as Stevenson writes, were “little kids who liked to run, jump, and play,” the five men and eleven women introduced here each had a unique array of obstacles to overcome and sacrifices to make on their way to athletic glory—of which sexism and racism were, for most, only the beginning. Wilma Rudolph, for instance, came back from childhood polio, little person Ellie Simmonds won Paralympic gold twice in 2008, and Simone Biles triumphed over sexual abuse, mental health issues, and ADHD. The author highlights the important roles parents have played in many of these success stories: After she spent years scooting around on the floor of her Russian orphanage, racer Tatyana McFadden received a wheelchair from her adoptive moms; Venus and Serena Williams’ father had their tennis training mapped out on paper before they were born; and it was her mother who initially persuaded a reluctant Ibtihaj Muhammad to take up fencing, because the sport’s protective clothing allowed the hijabi Muslim girl to compete while remaining modestly covered. Steinfeld’s cartoon scenes, which are as upbeat as the narratives, place the budding international stars amid physically and racially diverse groups of family members and fellow competitors or in climactic victory poses.

More inspiring tales of young dreamers and achievers.