A new children’s book from former NFL player Malcolm Mitchell is coming later this year, People magazine reports.
Orchard will publish Mitchell’s My Super Duper Me, illustrated by Deise Lino, in the summer. A page for the book on Bookshop.org describes it as “an unforgettable story that celebrates the power and joy of words.”
Mitchell played wide receiver for the University of Georgia Bulldogs before moving on to the same position with the New England Patriots in 2016. He played two seasons for the team before retiring due to a knee injury.
He self-published his first children’s book, The Magician’s Hat, illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff, in 2016; it was republished by Scholastic two years later. His other books include My Very Favorite Book in the Whole Wide World, illustrated by Michael Robertson, and Hey, Georgia, illustrated by Chandler Fowler.
My Super Duper Me will follow Rhodes, a new student in school who lacks athletic prowess and reads slowly. He is mentored by the school librarian, Mr. Burton, who introduces Rhodes to his “Super-Duper Bookshelf.”
Mitchell, the founder of the literacy initiative Read With Malcolm, told People, “As a literacy champion and author, I’m deeply committed to helping kids find joy and power through books. It’s a thrill to continue my fruitful publishing partnership with Scholastic, and to celebrate our shared literacy mission. My Super Duper Me lets every kid discover that your own story starts with YOU!”
My Super Duper Me is slated for publication on Aug. 18.
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
