Marcus Rashford to publish children’s novel The Breakfast Club Adventures

The footballer and campaigner is writing story with Alex Falase-Koya, drawing on his own memories of friendships made before starting the school day

Fresh from receiving an MBE for his campaigning to lift children out of poverty, Marcus Rashford is now warming up for a new challenge: the England footballer is writing a children’s novel.

Rashford has already launched a book club aimed at bringing books to children who need them most, and has topped the bestseller charts with his first book, the non-fiction You Are a Champion. Now he is teaming up with author Alex Falase-Koya to write The Breakfast Club Adventures.

The illustrated novel, aimed at eight to 11-year-olds, will follow the adventures of the 12-year-old Marcus and his “group of unlikely friends” from their school’s breakfast club, said publisher Macmillan Children’s Books. It will draw on Rashford’s own experiences at breakfast clubs; he has spoken of how his family relied on them and free school meals when he was growing up. Last year he backed a cross-party parliamentary bill to fund free breakfast provision in schools.

“I wanted to create something that really captured the true spirit of breakfast club. Outside of making sure we got the best start to our days with cereal, toast and juice, it was where my friendships were made. Where we could just lose ourselves. A safe haven,” said Rashford. “Breakfast club was where some of my greatest memories were formed, where we talked about our dreams and where adventures were planned, and it was important for me that we captured that in my first fiction book. Alex is a great writer who is able to capture that brilliantly and I’m thrilled that he’s on this journey with me.”

The novel will be published in May 2022, with an illustrator to be confirmed shortly. It will be the third title to be distributed by the Marcus Rashford Book Club, after A Dinosaur Ate My Sister by Pooja Puri, illustrated by Allen Fatimaharan, and Silas and the Marvellous Misfits by Tom Percival.

Falase-Koya, winner of Spread the Word’s 2019 London’s Writers Awards and author of the forthcoming superhero series Marv, said he was “very excited” to be working with Rashford. “Books changed my life when I was a kid, making me take a closer look at the things around me and taking me to worlds far from my own. I hope that this book gets the opportunity to do the same for other people,” he said.

Contributor

Alison Flood

The GuardianTramp

Related Content

Article image
Marcus Rashford to publish ‘inspirational guide’ You Can Do It
England footballer’s follow-up to bestselling debut You Are a Champion is aimed at children aged between 10 and 14

Alison Flood

01, Feb, 2022 @9:00 AM

Article image
Marcus Rashford scores in book charts with You Are a Champion
Public sympathy for the defeated England striker has sent sales rocketing for his inspirational life guide for kids

Alison Flood

14, Jul, 2021 @4:27 PM

Article image
Marcus Rashford Book Club to give away 50,000 books this summer
Initiative led by the footballer will distribute copies of his own children’s adventure book to young readers with little access to reading

Sarah Shaffi

05, Jul, 2022 @1:14 PM

Article image
‘What’s taking so long?’: children’s books still neglect BAME readers, finds study
Although picture has improved since 2017, research shows that last year only 4% of books for the youngest readers featured a minority ethnic hero

Alison Flood

19, Sep, 2019 @11:15 AM

Article image
Marcus Rashford: ‘My life was far from a fairytale’
The England footballer, author and poverty campaigner on instilling self-belief in pupils at his old school, his favourite titles of 2021, and his hopes for his book club

Imogen Carter

11, Dec, 2021 @6:00 PM

Article image
Children’s enjoyment of writing has fallen to ‘crisis point’, research finds
Only one in three UK children now enjoy writing in their free time – including text messages – with those on free school meals most likely to do so

Sarah Shaffi

05, Jun, 2023 @2:19 PM

Article image
Taking inspiration from Marcus Rashford | Letters
Letters: Readers respond to the government’s U-turn on free school meals, after a campaign supported by the Manchester United striker

Letters

17, Jun, 2020 @4:59 PM

Article image
Marcus Rashford: ‘Whenever I hear “no”, I ask myself: why not?’
Last year the football star twice fought Boris Johnson on food poverty – and won 2-0. Now he has a new goal: helping the 383,000 British kids who have never owned a book

Simon Hattenstone

22, May, 2021 @7:00 AM

Article image
Marcus Rashford vows to reach children who have never owned book
As he awaits publication of practical children’s guide in May, footballer and campaigner promotes reading

Alexandra Topping

24, Mar, 2021 @1:41 PM

Article image
Marcus Rashford backs MPs’ push for free school breakfasts
Footballer throws weight behind cross-party bill guaranteeing extra funding

Patrick Butler Social policy editor

12, Oct, 2020 @4:28 PM