Do you know a young superstar who’s old
enough to begin learning their alphabet and
numbers? A budding basketball fan who’s ready to
take on the world of reading and hoops?
Well, Dickie V’s ABCs and 1-2-3s, the first
little book in the Dick Vitale Children’s Literacy
Initiative, is AWESOME, BABY!
It’s a children’s alphabet and counting book
from the legendary ESPN college basketball
analyst, Dick Vitale. Dick is a grandfather of five
and a passionate advocate for early childhood
development.
In the book, children learn their alphabet
through high-energy basketball words that
Dick uses in his national broadcasts. For example,
“D” is for “dunk” and “J” is for “jump.” In the
counting section of the book, Dick leads kids in
counting 1 to 10 using colorful basketballs.
The book has a special interactive feature the
child can press to hear a digital, voice-recorded
message from Dick Vitale.
Vitale’s roots are in teaching the game he’s loved
since he was a child. This new book launches
the Dick Vitale Children’s Literacy Initiative,
which has as its mission to advance the literacy
skills of children and to advocate literacy as a
critical element in the development of a globally
competitive society.
The book is richly illustrated with a colorful
menagerie of characters and typefaces that attract
the interest of young readers (and adult readers,
too!).
Endorsed by early childhood development
specialists, Dickie V’s ABCs and 1-2-3s is a wonderful
gift for a child’s birthday, for baby showers,
for Christmas, Hanukkah, or “just because.”
The book, published by Ascend Books, who
also published Dick Vitale’s Fabulous 50 Players
and Moments in College Basketball, is the first in a
series of books from Vitale for young readers.
Future titles feature subjects on virtues and values,
personal development and accountability, and the
importance of education as part of the Dick Vitale
Children’s Literacy Initiative.
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