A lame boy dreams of glory. In ancient Olympia, his brother competes for it. Charmides cannot run, cannot wrestle, cannot win the honors he watches others claim. But when his father takes him to see the Olympic Games, he discovers something unexpected: the temples rise in marble splendor, athletes push their bodies toward legend, and the whole Greek world gathers to honor the gods and celebrate what the human form can achieve. As his brother Creon races toward victory, Charmides finds his own kind of triumph in witnessing greatness and understanding what it means to truly honor the divine in athletic pursuit. Written for young readers, this historical portrait of Olympia captures the roar of the crowd, the shine of olive oil on athletes' skin, and the sacred mystery of a civilization that built temples to capture beauty and competition.
