Theme: Black Voices

Dwayne Johnson

Born into a family of Samoan and Black wrestlers, little Dwayne travelled with his parents and watched his family fight in the ring, but he much preferred the football field to wrestling! He trained hard and worked to become a football player, signing with the Calgary Stampeders as a linebacker. But he was cut from the team after just two months.

A natural athlete, Dwayne decided to follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather and decided to pursue professional wrestling. Taking on the persona of ‘The Rock’ as a wrestler in the WWE, he won 16 championships and millions of fans. After a huge wrestling career, he tried his hand at acting… andtoday is one of the biggest film stars that Hollywood has ever seen! 

This inspiring book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the athlete and actor’s life.

Simone Biles

Learn about the inspiring life of Simone Biles, the mental-health advocate and record-breaking athlete.

Growing up in foster care, Simone’s gymnastics training was an anchor in her life. She first tried out the sport after visiting her local gym on a school trip. Coaches spotted her natural talent and, after years of hard work, she began winning world championships and Olympic gold medals. Widely cited as the greatest gymnast of all time, Simone is also an advocate for mental health awareness, having famously put her health before her sport by withdrawing from the 2020 Olympic finals. This picture book tells her heroic story in a way that inspires young children to follow their dreams while taking care of themselves.

This powerful book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the gymnast’s life.

Marcus Rashford

In this book from the highly acclaimed Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the incredible life of Marcus Rashford, the world-famous footballer and campaigner against child hunger.

When Marcus was a kid, he had a family that loved him and a talent for football. His mum, Melanie, worked long hours to provide for her family, but sometimes she would go without food herself to make sure that her children had enough to eat.

With his mum’s support, Marcus pursued his dreams and progressed through the youth academy at Manchester United Football Club. He worked hard and trained for years to reach the top of the game, making his debut in the Premier League in 2016.

But no matter how successful he became, he never forgot where he came from and his experience as a hungry child. When schools were closed during the Coronavirus pandemic of 2020, the situation left schoolchildren without free meals that they would have had. And so Marcus took it upon himself to lead a nation-wide campaign to ensure that no child would go without food.

Amanda Gorman

Discover the incredible life of Amanda Gorman, America’s astounding young poet and activist.

From an early age, Little Amanda read everything she could get her hands on, from books to cereal boxes. Growing up with an auditory processing disorder and a speech impediment, Amanda had to work hard, but ultimately she took great strength from her experiences.

After hearing her teacher read aloud to the class, she knew that she wanted to become a poet, and nothing would stand in her way. At the age of 19, she became America’s first-ever National Youth Poet Laureate. And, after performing her inspiring poem ‘The Hill We Climb’ at the Presidential Inauguration in January 2021, she became an icon across the world.

Michael Jordan

Meet Michael Jordan, one of the greatest all-time basketball players.

Little Michael wanted to be the first at everything – especially if that meant beating his older brother. One day, he came home crying… he’d been rejected from the basketball team at school. With his mom’s message of “go out and earn it” ringing in his ears, Michael practiced all summer. Soon he was the star of the team, going from school, to college, to the Olympics. After six titles, more than 1,000 games and exactly 32,292 points, MJ became a sporting legend, who encouraged kids to “make it happen!” This inspiring book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the baller’s life.