Ben and Emma's Big Hit - Hardcover

by Gavin Newsom (Author), Ruby Shamir (Author), Alexandra Thompson (Illustrator)

From California Governor Gavin Newsom comes an empowering picture book about a young boy with dyslexia who discovers a new way to look at reading.

Ben loves baseball. He loves the lines of diamond-shaped field and the dome of the pitcher's mound. What Ben doesn't like is reading. Ben has dyslexia, which means letters and sounds get jumbled up in his brain, and then the words don't make sense. But when Ben starts looking at reading like he looks at baseball, he realizes that if he keeps trying, he can overcome any obstacle that comes his way.

In this empowering story by California Governor Gavin Newsom, inspired by his own childhood diagnosis of dyslexia, readers will learn that kids with the determination to try (and try again) can do big things.

*This book is set in a font specifically designed to be easier for people with dyslexia to read.

Author Biography

Gavin Newsom is the 40th Governor of California. He previously served as the 49th lieutenant governor of California and as the 42nd mayor of San Francisco. Newsom attended Santa Clara University, where he received a partial baseball scholarship and majored in political science. He lives in Sacramento, California, with his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, and their four children. Visit him online at GavinNewsom.com and follow him on Twitter @GavinNewsom.

Ruby Shamir is an author, researcher, and adapter, who has worked on numerous New York Times bestselling and award-winning books. She lives in the Bronx, NY with her husband and three children. You can visit Ruby Shamir online at rubyshamir.com

Alexandra Thompson is an illustrator, author, and surface designer living in the Oxford Hills of Maine. Her debut picture book, A Family for Louie, released June 9th, 2020. Visit her online at alexandraco.com and on Instagram @alexandraco_illustration.