Interesting. Would be great for a middle grade classroom. I could see my 4th graders loving this. Funny, informative.

I enjoy goofy historical stories, I like the ones that make history accessible to kids. But this one was more goofs and jokes than history, and it just didn't stand out.

This is a simple read in a diary format. The story is based on Alexander's adventure going to the Olympic Games. A fun story with lots to learn along the way!
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

I was immediately drawn to this book by the adorable cover. This book was a fun read and the style of writing would easily draw its audience in to learn about the Olympic games.

This was an adorable diary-style historical fiction book all about Alexander's adventure to the Olympics. I thoroughly enjoyed the little tidbits of factual information between the diary entries to provide more context to what was happening in the story. It was an informative, quick read and I'd imagine my students would love this book.

A great, entertaining source for learning about the early Olympics. We enjoyed the diary format, that was jammed packed with information about life durning those times. As a mom, I liked the timeline, glossary and the Hall if Fame in the back. My daughter and I had some great discussions because of the story. I hope this will be a series that will feature different time periods and events.

2.5 stars- mostly solid to solid
This is the first book in this series that I have read. It is an illustrated diary format story, which in this case I think cuts into some of the action of the story. Alexander retells what happens after the fact. While the advantages of the diary format - getting his insights and thoughts and reactions - are greater than the losses, it does make the first 2/3 of the book on the slow side. From the final event through the end, I enjoyed the story. Some of the conflicts are predictable, but there were a couple surprises.

Readers who love the Olympics may enjoy the extensive notes both in the text as well as in the end notes. The format of the in-story notes is great - they are placed at the end of an entry where there is a natural break rather than inserted mid-entry. In other books I have read, this has been an issue, so I greatly appreciated how they were handled here. (Illustrations include bare backsides due to the early Olympians competing nude.)

This was a fun read, and you learn a lot about the Olympic games. The diary-style format was also really fun to read. I would recommend

Want to experience the original Olympic games? Want to learn about the journey of a hero? This diary would probably give you what you need!

A short story that would transport you to the ancient times were things were hard and athletes were seen as city champions (heroes, some may say). Though the eyes of a young Athenian boy will attend one of the first Olympic games and understand the path, challenges and rewards this required.

As a teacher this will be and amazing tool to get my students to dive in ancient Greece, not only by the brilliant illustration (both drawn and described) of everyday life, but also by the various references to political, social, economic and cultural particularities of the time.

And incredible addition to any home library for those young readers, as well as a refreshing and fun review of ancient times for the older ones.

A copy of the book was provided free by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This diary-style historical fiction book would make a great compliment to any curriculum that covers ancient Greece. I know I'll be sharing it with the social studies department. It does a great job of contextualizing the facts and details into a relatable, if predictable, storyline. I especially appreciate the vocabulary and illustrations throughout, as well as the brief history and index at the end. Kids will enjoy the humor and intrigue while they learn about ancient Greek culture and the Olympics.

Informative & fast paced story set in Ancient Greece (4 stars)

The Long-Lost-Secret-Diary of World's Worst Olympic Athlete, is a recommended book for Ancient Greek History lessons in KS2 classrooms. Set in 380 BC, this is a story of Alexander- a boy who longs to become a true hero. Alexander travels to Olympia to work as a special assistant to Dracon, an elite Olympic athlete from Athens. The big muscular athletes at Olympia, hold Alexander in their awe and make him wonder how his prophesied moment of greatness would ever arrive? Will the 'world's worst athlete' rise up to become a hero?

The story is speckled with technical vocabulary from ancient Greek history & the Olympics. The technical terms & the traditions of the ancient Olympics, are explained at the end of every chapter in the 'Get Real' section as well as in the glossary at the end of the book. Teachers will likely enjoy exploring topics of body confidence, playing fair & comparing and contrasting ancient and modern Olympics.

The Long-Lost-Secret-Diary of World's-Worst Olympic Athlete does a great job of creating an engaging story for a topic that may usually be written about in the non-fiction genre. Isobel Lundie's illustrations help readers visualize the characters better. They also bring to life how some modern day events (like the long jump, were different at the time. The book will make a great read in KS2 classrooms (age 8 to 11) although readers might find a few scenes a bit violent. Violence is not graphic but features bloody fights.

The reason the book does not get five stars from me:

1, Given the setting, I felt, there were opportunities for better use of imagery and descriptive language to make readers' hearts race. In my opinion, this would have vastly improved the emotional connect to the story and the characters.
2. The author mentions slaves, slavery & animal sacrifice for pleasing the gods in many places in the text. A 'Get Real' section to put these topics in context should have been there.
3. At the start of the book, the narrator addresses his parents as mom and dad while trying to paint a setting in the 380 BC, this seems misplaced. Using actual terms from this period would have helped me get into the period setting more readily

Alexander lives in Athens. He is destined for great things. I liked the pictures. Alexander is going off on a adventure with Dracon. I didn't think it was too cutesy .

"The Long-Lost Secret Diary of the World's Worst Olympic Athlete" is a wonderful book for the lower range of middle grades. It provides information about Ancient Greece and the Olympics through the eyes of a young boy, Alexander. Since it is through his eyes, the book takes fun and quirky turns as Alexander discovers his destiny set forth by the Oracle.

I really enjoyed the focus on the history of the Olympics, and I was excited to learn new information myself! The appendix at the end was informational, as well as the "Get Real" sections within the story.

There were three issues I had with this book:
1. Several glitches in my digital copy. I'm sure that will be resolved by publication time.
2. The section on the 2020 Olympics needs to be updated.
3. There needs to be a "Get Real" section about the casual mention of slaves during this time period.

"The Long-Lost Secret Diary of the World's Worst Olympic Athlete" is a cute little book for younger children.

I liked that the author added some historical notes and the appendix with short biographies of real competitors was a nice touch.

A Low-Key but Remarkably Engaging Tale

These "Long-Lost Secret Diary..." books are very ambitious, and very successful, in melding engaging stories with interesting historical and scientific facts about slightly off-beat topics, (pirates, tomb hunters, Shakespearean actors, dinosaur hunters, movie directors). This time around we learn about Ancient Greece and the Olympics in the company of a boy, Alexander, who attends the games as a page for one of the Athenian competitors.

The story is not told in a non-fictional style, but rather in a funny kid adventure way. So, our hero is a bit of a klutz and is inclined to have odd and amusing adventures. Along the way we get to travel to Olympus, practice for the Games, participate in the Games, and even solve a mystery and right an injustice. And it's all done with good humor and a light touch. We even get a nice balance of slap stick and gripping action, with a strong narrative beat and a fast pace.

So, this would be fine just as a humorous historical adventure tale. But, as they say in the commercials, there's even more! Alexander, who narrates the story with an appropriately cheerful and energetic voice, gives us a lot of running commentary and explanation about what's going on around him, so the reader also gets a subtle and engaging lecture of sorts. Plus, at the end of each chapter there's a sort of sidebar called "Get Real", which steps outside of the story and directly addresses the facts behind something that happened in the chapter. On top of that, in the back matter there are a few mini-essays, and an especially interesting summary of the feats of some of the most famous Olympians, starting from the very beginning and coming up to people like Muhammad Ali.

So, this is an entertainment, and a fine introduction to popular history, and a sports story, and a fun adventure tale, and a mystery book. With an engaging and good humored young narrator. A nice find.

(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

This is a cute historical fiction that teaches the history of the Olympics in a fun and engaging way. Obviously this has been put together pre-COVID, as it still mentions the canceled 2020 Olympic games.

I do wish there was a page providing historical context on slavery in ancient Greece, particularly as they have pages describing other things. I do understand that they were a part of society and slavery was a bit different than what we had in the US, and I think that any children's book that shows slaves as part of a household should provide more information to the young reader.

A great story about a boy with an honest view on the Olympic games and his abilities. I found myself laughing quite a lot at his antics and would definitely love to read more about him. I enjoyed reading the "Get Real" segments where the author shared historic facts about the Olympic Games.

Unfortunately my copy had some glitches so that did take my enjoyment down a notch.

A sweet story from a sweet boy, with a larger than life view of his world. That's what this story is.

I would say this book is geared toward the younger range of the Middle Grade genre/age group.

An oracle prophesied that a hero would be born. Enter Alexander. He's a clumsy kid who can't quite live up to the shoes he's supposed to fill, no matter how hard he tries. His parents send him to Olympia, in ancient Greece, with the task of aiding an Olympic athlete as he competes for the "gold" in the pentathlon. From then on out, sweet, innocent shenanigans ensue.

It's perfect for all those kids who just can't wait to grow up.

Thank you to Netgalley and North Star Editions for allowing me to early review this book!

2.6🌟

This was a fun and light story! I definitely enjoyed Alexander’s adventures in going to the Olympic Games. Seeing Athletes train and get ready, seeing the crowds and other entertainments, and of course the competition itself. It was so easy to finish and I would highly recommend it to young beginning readers!

This is an honest review in exchange for the e-ARC from Netgalley. Thankyou to the publishers.

Another work in the delightful "Long Lost Secret Diary" series, this one takes us back 2000 years through the journey of Alexander of Athens in becoming the world's worst Olympic athlete. The book uses simple, humorous language and has fun "Get Real" facts that make the reading experience both entertaining and informative. A thorough glossary and timeline about The Olympics, its history, and famous athletes in the end make the book a great read for young readers wanting to delve into a bit of a history lesson. The illustrations are funny and well-timed and add to the reading experience.

Reviews for the book will also be posted on my book blog (instagram.com/boookishfeelings) and personal blog (instagram.com/purabi.ch) on Instagram. The review will be up on these pages on 16th May, 2020.