Olympic swimmer Elizabeth Beisel, 15, of North Kingstown, takes a break from practice at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif., earlier this month. Beisel’s mother and brother are planning to fly to China to watch her compete in the summer games.

AP / Tony Avelar

NORTH KINGSTOWN — Danny Beisel’s unofficial summer reading list includes a history of China.

It would almost have to, since he’ll be traveling there to witness his big sister Elizabeth compete as a 2008 Olympic swimmer.

“It’s an opportunity for him to be part of the Olympics and to be supportive of Elizabeth,” said Joan Beisel, mother of the 15-year-old North Kingstown High School junior who earned spots in the 200-meter backstroke and the 400-meter individual medley during this month’s Olympic trials. “He’s very excited to go. We’ve got a couple of books on Chinese history,” she said, guessing that it’s not on his school’s required summer reading list.

As she and Danny,14, plan their trip, she explained yesterday that though the family has been in communication with Elizabeth as she trains and prepares for the Olympics, they don’t expect to see her at all while overseas.

“Nope,” she said. “We’re not able to mingle with the athletes.

“This is not a social event. It’s big business.”

While several days will pass between swimming events, Beisel said she and her son will tour the area and perhaps attend other Olympic competitions. She’s hoping they’ll be seated with other swimming families at the swimming races, she said, but she won’t know until she gets there.

“I hope I can at least sit with Danny,” she said with a laugh.

Beisel said she doesn’t expect her daughter to be in further communication with the media during this training period. Elizabeth did talk to projo.com assistant sports editor Mike McDermott last week, telling him that during a normal summer, she might be taking a bit of a break from swimming.

But this summer is anything but normal. So, she told him, it’s “train, train, train, harder than ever.”

Meanwhile, back home in North Kingstown, despite all the excitement, Danny has been able to keep up with his golfing; Joan just returned from Florida, where she worked as a swim-meet referee for U.S. Swimming; and dad Ted is working and will continue to do so while watching the Olympics — which start Aug. 8 — from home.

“I’ve been very busy,” said Beisel, not only working, but arranging the Beijing trip, and filtering through e-mails and telephone calls from well-wishers and the media.

While Beisel said the family is very appreciative of the good-luck wishes posted around town, they have attempted to make it clear, she said, that they are adamant about not wanting any type of fundraising done on their part.

“That’s not what we’re all about. We don’t want attention brought to it in that way. People have hearts of gold, but we’re not looking for anything.”

For Elizabeth, she said, these summer days have to remain “all business, she has to focus,” and Beisel said she felt secure in knowing that her daughter has had a great deal of independent travel experience to get her through these intense weeks away from home.

“It has never been an issue for her. Her first travel trip alone, she was 8 years old, and it was for a week in Texas. She’s been swimming since she was 4.

“It’s what she does.”

afleming@projo.com