Beyond the Game: Pat Tillman

by Andrew Maraniss, DeAndra Hodge (Illustrator)

Overview

Beyond the Game is a nonfiction chapter book series about athletes who have stepped up beyond sports to make a difference in the world, from acclaimed author Andrew Maraniss and illustrator DeAndra Hodge. This is the story of NFL star Pat Tillman, who gave up his NFL career to enlist in the army.

In this chapter book biography by acclaimed author Andrew Maraniss, readers learn more about the life and work of Pat Tillman—an NFL player who left his career with the Arizona Cardinals to enlist in the army after 9/11, and ultimately was killed by friendly fire.

After 9/11, Pat Tillman felt it was his duty as an American to stand up for the country, even though he was a pro football player in the prime of his career. He was someone who matched his toughness on the field with a soft heart, someone who always stood up for the underdog, and someone who felt an obligation to do the right thing—not depend on other people to do it. And for all his actions, Tillman often questioned his role in the military and the war—revealing the depths of his integrity and the ethical way he lived his life.

Through his actions and his legacy, Pat Tillman has changed the world beyond sports.

Complete with black-and-white illustrations throughout, statistics, resources, and ways for kids to make a difference on their own—Beyond the Game is a giftable and inspirational series for every reader.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593526231
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	10/01/2024
Series:	Beyond the Game: Athletes Change the World
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	96
File size:	7 MB
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

New York Times bestselling author Andrew Maraniss writes sports- and social justice–related nonfiction for children, teens, and adults. His bestselling adult book, Strong Inside, received the Lillian Smith Book Award and the RFK Book Awards’ Special Recognition Prize. The middle grade adaptation was named a Book of the Year by the ALA. His next YA book, Games of Deception, received the Sydney Taylor Book Honor.

His YA biography, Singled Out, was named one of the 100 Best Baseball Books Ever Written by Esquire and was a Rainbow Book List selection. His latest YA book, Inaugural Ballers, was a School Library Journal Book of the Year.

You can visit Andrew Maraniss at AndrewMaraniss.com or follow him on Facebook @AndrewMaranissAuthor, on Twitter @TruBlu24, and on Instagram @AMaraniss.

DeAndra Hodge is an illustrator and a graphic designer originally from Huntsville, Alabama, currently based in Washington, DC. She graduated with a BA in fine art from the University of Montevallo. Her love of illustration began as a child, when she would make up her own stories and illustrations, often begging her teachers to share them with the class. She is most widely known as the illustrator of both the Kid Confident and the That Girl Lay Lay book series.

You can visit DeAndra Hodge at DeAndraHodgeArt.com or follow her on Instagram @DeAndraHodge_ and on Twitter @DeAndra_Hodge.
New York Times bestselling author Andrew Maraniss writes sports and history-related nonfiction, telling stories with a larger social message. Andrew is special projects director at the Vanderbilt University Athletic Department, where he manages the Sports & Society Initiative. You can visit Andrew Maraniss at AndrewMaraniss.com or follow him on Twitter @TruBlu24 and on Instagram @AMaraniss.

DeAndra Hodge is an illustrator and character designer based in Washington D.C. She graduated with a BA in Fine Art from the University of Montevallo.

She's also the illustrator of both the Kid Confident and the That Girl Lay Lay book series. She can be found online at DeAndraHodgeArt.com or follow her on Twitter @DeAndra_Hodge and Instagram @DeAndraHodge_.

Read an Excerpt

Chapter One
From the day Pat Tillman was born, he moved like he had things to do, places to be, and people to see.
There was a world out there waiting, and he wasn’t going to miss a thing.
Even before he could walk, Pat explored. His mom carried him on her back for hikes in the woods near their house in Northern California, pointing out the soaring hawks, slithering snakes, and furry creatures. As they walked, Pat marveled at the freedom of the birds and envied the squirrels that jumped from tree to tree.
Soon, Pat’s baby brother Kevin was joining them on their hikes. They were only fourteen months apart—but from the moment Kevin was born, Pat had a best friend and partner in adventure.
Splash!
There went Pat and Kevin, squirting each other with water.
Vroom!
There went Pat and Kevin, playing with their toy cars.
Whoosh!
There went the Tillman boys, scampering through the woods, leaping from rock to rock.
Dressed only in their superhero underwear, the brothers swung from a rope on their porch, defeating imaginary bad guys.
Pat was a curious, brave, and strong boy. He never stopped talking and asking questions. He loved to learn, and he was ready for school early, starting kindergarten when he was only four years old.
His mom always remembered how preparedand confident Pat was on his first day of kindergarten,even before he left the house. He wolfed down Frenchtoast, his favorite breakfast. He put on his new clothes and strapped on his backpack. After his dad snapped a picture by the front door, they drove off to school. Pat was ready for a new world.
The question was whether the world was ready for Pat Tillman.
Long before he became a star football player, and long before he made a courageous choice to enlist in the army at the height of his NFL career, Pat did things his own way. Some people had a hard time figuring him out. But there were two things anyone who ever knew Pat Tillman could agree on: he was a great athlete, and he was a special person well beyond the game.