'In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy best-selling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of Megan Rapinoe, the world record–breaking soccer player and activist.
'Growing up in Redding, California, Megan discovered her calling chasing a ball on the school playground. Even if she didn’t always fit in at school, she was a star on the field—and her teammates thought so too. Her passion, skill and leadership took Team USA to Olympic Gold and a World Cup victory, while she continues to champion women’s and LGBTQ+ rights and representation in sports, in the US and across the world. 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 US co-captain’s life.'
I don't get the chance to read a whole lot of kids books, chiefly due to the fact that I don't have any children of my own, so whenever I do read books designed for kids they tend to be middle grade at the youngest. There are occasionally books for younger readers that jump out at me, either due to really beautiful art, or the subject matter that they're tackling.
This book definitely falls into that latter category, and I was immediately grabbed by the fact that they were going to be teaching young children about Megan Rapinoe. A lot of children's books cover themes like family and love, about caring for others, and occasionally learning to love yourself if you're different (books like the ugly Duckling spring to my mind from my own childhood). Whilst it's brilliant to teach children about these things, and important to helping to create a kind and caring future generation I think doing so in regards to non-fictional people is so much better than anything you could make up.
Megan Rapinoe is a great real life person to do this with. The book explores Megan's childhood, and shows children that you can achieve great things by being true to yourself, whether that's by loving a 'boys' sport like football, wearing clothes and hairstyles that make you comfortable, or by having the bravery to admit you love someone people don't expect you to.
The book shows children that if they dedicate their time and effort to something that they love they can become good at it, and it can go on to have great meaning and purpose not just for them, but others too. But more importantly, it shows children that having the bravery to be yourself, to love yourself, and to share that same kindness to others is the best way of living your life.
I can't have children, but if I did have them I'd read them this book in a heartbeat, to show that that these ideas about being kind to yourself and others, and chasing your dreams aren't just empty words that parents tell their children, but real ways that people live their lives by, ones that can bring so much joy and happiness. In short, this is the kind of book that I wish I'd have had as a kid, because it would have helped me learn to love myself a whole lot quicker.
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