An uplifting and engaging celebration of Paralympic champions and the sports they dominate

Discover the world of Para sport and meet some of its greatest athletes in this fascinating look at the third-largest sporting event in the world, the Paralympic Games.

This nonfiction book introduces readers to Canadian Paralympians and the sports they play, from PEI-born Para ice hockey pro Billy Bridges, to Goalball player and Iranian refugee Ahmad Zeividavi. Each section details a competitor’s journey to professional sports, their greatest triumphs, and what inspires them most. Along the way, readers will deepen their knowledge of Para sports like Wheelchair curling, Para swimming, and more.

Drawing on interviews with competitors and comprehensive research, Amazing Athletes examines how disability and sport intersect, and encourages readers to persevere as they pursue their passions, athletic or otherwise. Dynamic, full-color photos bring the athletes to life, while a glossary invites curiosity and further research.

Marie-Claude Ouellet has worked in the field of scientific journalism for more than 25 years and writes frequently for the magazines Les Explorateurs and Les Débrouillards. She lives in Montreal, Quebec.

Marie-Claude Ouellet's profile page

Phyllis Aronoff, a Montrealer born and bred, translates from French to English, solo or with co-translator Howard Scott. She has translated fiction, poetry, memoirs, and works in the humanities by authors from Québec and France. Among her recent translations are Message Sticks / Tshissinuatshitakana, poems by Innu writer Joséphine Bacon, and novels (co-translated with Howard Scott) by Rima Elkouri and Edem Awumey. Her translations have won several prizes, including the Jewish Book Award for Fiction and, with Howard Scott, the Quebec Writers’ Federation Translation Prize and the Governor General’s Literary Award for Translation. Phyllis is a past president of the Literary Translators’ Association of Canada and has represented translators on the Public Lending Right Commission of Canada.

Phyllis Aronoff's profile page

Howard Scott is a Montreal literary translator who works with fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. His translations include works by Madeleine Gagnon, science-fiction writer Élisabeth Vonarburg, and Canada’s Poet Laureate, Michel Pleau. Scott received the Governor General’s Literary Award for his translation of Louky Bersianik’s The Euguelion. The Great Peace of Montreal of 1701, by Gilles Havard, which he co-translated with Phyllis Aronoff, won the Quebec Writers’ Federation Translation Award. A Slight Case of Fatigue, by Stéphane Bourguignon, another co-translation with Phyllis Aronoff, was a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award. Howard Scott is a past president of the Literary Translators’ Association of Canada.

Howard Scott's profile page

• Runner-up, Yellow Cedar Award
• Short-listed, Red Cedar Book Awards
• Short-listed, Rocky Mountain Book Award
• Winner, Ontario Library Association Top Ten Best Bets List

"Every school or library needs at least one copy of Amazing Athletes ... Well-written, full of facts and colourful and inspiring photos of athletic stars."

Canadian Review of Materials