New York Knicks player, Amar’e Stoudemire is using his celebrity to encourage reading. Stoudemire is scheduled to release a new series of children’s books called, STAT: Standing Tall and Talented. The books are published by Scholastic publishing company and the first will be titled Home Court. Here is a description of the book below.

Eleven-year-old Amar’e Stoudemire has a lot going on. He loves to go skateboarding in the park. He takes his school work very seriously. He helps out with his dad’s landscaping company. And he likes to play basketball with his best friends””but just for fun. When a group of older kids start disrespecting his boys on their neighborhood basketball court, there is only one solution. Amar’e must step in and use his athletic ability and intelligence to save the day. This experience leads Amar’e to realize that basketball is his true passion.

STAT is based on the life of All-Star NBA sensation Amar’e Stoudemire, who overcame many obstacles to become one of the most popular figures in sports today. – thegrio.com

As a 6’11 middle schooler, Stoudemire experienced a lot of challenges on his path to success. STAT is an extension of his work with   The Amar’e Stoudemire Foundation. “It gives a lot of messages about the responsibility of working and doing homework and learning to be leaders with my friends and be a positive influence,” said Stoudemire.

 

BMWK –  Now that school is about to start, how do you plan to encourage reading? Even if the school does not require nightly reading, do you require your kids to read each day?