The Manchester United soccer player, Marcus Rashford, is a popular campaigner for children’s rights in the U.K. His fight for free meals for schoolchildren during the COVID-19 pandemic forced a government u-turn. In 2021, Rashford teamed with Carl Anka to write an inspirational children’s book. “You are a Champion” quickly became the top-selling non-fiction children’s book in the U.K., with over 200,000 copies sold. The follow-up has recently been announced and will be called, “You Can Do It: How to Find Your Team and Make a Difference.”
The book will be released in July by McMillan Children’s Books. Marcus Rashford has become as popular with children for his work off the soccer field as he is for his role at Manchester United. During the pandemic, Rashford was dismayed to learn of plans to cut free school meals to needy children in the U.K. The striker successfully campaigned to have the plan to scrap free school meals scrapped by the U.K. government.
The first book released by Rashford and Anka was designed to be an inspirational read for ages 10-14. The latest book has been researched through interviews with children by the writers. Rashford and Anka wanted to discuss the differences between children and how we should address the role positive change can bring about. Discrimination in its many forms is to be addressed in the pages of “You Can Make a Difference.”
The importance of understanding each other was one of the main concerns of children taking part in insight sessions with Rashford and Anka. Marcus Rashford explained the thoughts of readers were explored through insight sessions. Rashford stated the book aimed to build on the toolkit of ideas and positive influences of the first book. Understanding the children they are writing for was one of the most important parts of planning “You Can Make a Difference.”
The release of the non-fiction book will come one month after the release of Rashford’s first young adult novel. Some commentators have criticized the soccer player for taking his focus off the game into working with children’s groups. Others have backed the England international for his role in bringing awareness to the problem of child poverty and food inequality.