Written and illustrated by multitalented father and Super Bowl champion Martellus Bennett, Dear Black Boy is a letter of encouragement to all boys of colour who feel like sport is their only choice.

Dear Black Boy,Today is the day that we lace up our shoes to do more than run another sprint, dunk another ball, catch another pass or swing at another pitch.

Run, Black Boy, run! Run in the direction of your dreams. With dreamlike illustrations that invite children to place themselves in the pages’ scenes, this uplifting picture book reminds kids that the biggest game they’ll ever play is the game of life. Off the courts and pitches, people are rooting for them not as athletes, but as future leaders of the world.

In the book’s rhythmic, reassuring words of wisdom, kids discover that the qualities that make them great athletes – mental toughness, dedication, passion, determination and effort – are the same ones that will drive them forward in life. A different kind of coach for black and brown boys, and essential reading for children of every colour, Dear Black Boy empowers kids to see new possibilities and follow their passions. Whenever self-doubt creeps in, they will find strength in its pages.

The world’s more beautiful when the Black Boy dreams.

Author: Martellus Bennett

Interest age: from c 3 years

Published on 16 January 2025 by Quarto Publishing PLC (Frances Lincoln Children's Books) in the United Kingdom.

Paperback / softback | 56 pages
222 x 267 x 6 | 280g