Martellus Bennett Releases Children’s Picture Book ‘Dear Black Boy’

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

NFL Super Bowl Champion Martellus Bennett Pens Picture Book with The Quarto Group for Black and Brown Children

NEW YORK, NY, December 4th, 2024—This January, Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, an imprint of The Quarto Group, is publishing Dear Black Boy, written and illustrated by Martellus Bennett, NFL Super Bowl Champion and maker. Aimed at kids ages 3-6, Dear Black Boy is Bennett’s letter of encouragement to all boys of color who feel like sports is their only choice.

Dear Black Boy reminds kids that the biggest game they’ll ever play is the game of life. Off the courts and fields, 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.

Dear Black Boy will be available for purchase wherever books are sold on January 14, 2025.

For further information on Dear Black Boy please visit quarto.com.

ABOUT THE QUARTO GROUP

The Quarto Group is the leading global publisher of illustrated books. It sells its products in over 93 countries and 40 languages and employs c.330 people in the US and the UK. The group was founded in London in 1976. It is domiciled in the USA. For more information, visit quarto.com.

ABOUT MARTELLUS BENNETT

Martellus Bennett is a maker and master world builder who has dedicated his life to the liberation of the Black imagination. The Super Bowl Champion’s creativity knows no boundaries. As a writer, animator, film director, educator, political cartoonist, game designer, and architect, and his dedication to his craftsmanship is a testimony to the magnificent possibilities of the Black imagination when it works outside of the constructs of societal beliefs.

Working under the moniker MR. TOMONOSHi! he continues to prove that the world is beautiful when the Black Boy dreams and that with the right preparation and empowered imagination every Black Boy can win.

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Advance praise for Dear Black Boy:

“The captivating images in this wonderful new edition of Martellus Bennett’s Dear Black Boy further highlight his inspirational message of individual and collective struggle – through sports disciplines and through social justice movements. Children, regardless of their gender, are sure to love and to learn from this beautiful book.”

—Angela Davis, Political Activist, Educator, Author

“A great book for boys to read for the first time with an amazing mission. Written with amazing intentions for a futuristic direction.”

—Chuck Inglish, Producer, designer, artist, actor, and chef

“In every Black boy’s heart, a world of untamed imagination awaits. Dear Black Boy is a celebration of that boundless creativity. Let this story remind you that within each of us lies the power to turn dreams into reality, transforming our most difficult days into unlimited possibilities and true freedom.”

—Carl Jones, Producer of The Boondocks/Black Dynamite, animation writer, director

“Dear Black Boy allows Black men to tap into their boyhood at its essence. It serves as a guide that allows us to explore every side that we’ve been told we don’t possess. Working in education, representation, and imagination means everything. I think there is something for everyone to experience in Dear Black Boy.”

—Jarren Small, Co-founder and CEO of Reading with a Rapper

“Dear Black Boy is a clarion call for resilience and imagination, urging Black boys everywhere to confront their challenges, embrace their identities, and envision a future where they define their own destinies.”

—Michael Bennett, Super Bowl Champion, pro bowler, and architect

“This powerful book encourages young Black boys to prepare their minds, bodies, and skills to achieve the unimaginable. It’s a heartfelt guide that champions passion and conviction, empowering them to lead with strength and purpose. Dear Black Boy is not just a book; it’s a movement for every Black boy to embrace their potential and rise to greatness.”

—Jason Mayden, Chief Design Officer, Jordan Brand

“I wish someone could have provided this information to me when I was young. For men like me reading this now, I suggest you take its message to heart.”

—Serigne Mbaye, James Beard Award Winner, chef, and owner of Dakar NOLA Restaurant

“Martellus Bennett pens a story for dreamers. He inspires Black boys to aspire to more, work harder, and manifest a life they were once told they couldn’t achieve. Dear Black Boy is a WIN for us all.”

—Ryan Clark, 44th Annual Sports Emmy Awards Winner, sports broadcaster, Super Bowl Champion, and pro bowler

“I believe every Black boy in America should have this book as part of their curriculum from K through 12. It’s monuMINTal.”

—Tobe Nwigwe, Rapper, singer, actor

“Dear Black Boy is a piece of ART needed more now than ever. We’re often confronted with finite ways we can dream and be successful. This book widens that view. These words breathe possibility, responsibility, and HOPE!”

—Frank E. Abney III, Writer, director. and animator