Why Not You?
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Written by Ciara and Russell Wilson with JaNay Brown-Wood
Illustrated by Jessica Gibson
Random House Books for Young Readers
ISBN-10 : 0593374401
ISBN-13 : 9780593374405
From Grammy-winning pop star Ciara and Super Bowl champion quarterback Russell Wilson comes a picture book to inspire young readers to see the value in themselves, be brave, and go after their biggest dreams!
We all have big dreams! Sometimes it’s hard to imagine our big dreams coming true. But what if someone saw all the amazing and spectacular parts of us—our winning smiles, our fancy feet, our warm hearts—and asked, “Why not you?”
Awards & Honors
- NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
- Iowa Goldfinch Award, 2025-2026, Grades K-3
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Praise for Why Not You?
“Along with Brown-Wood, celebrity couple Ciara and Russell Wilson advocate for self-acceptance and empowerment in this peppy rhyming volume, which shares a name with their foundation. Emphatically hopeful lines discuss following one’s dreams despite obstacles: “Why not you? Why not you?/ You are great! You have the stuff!/ You can drop your doubts and worries./ You’re perfection. You’re enough.” Providing an idealized complement, Gibson’s lively digital illustrations portray children of varying abilities and skin tones cheering each other as they attempt skills such as confronting a climbing wall, swinging across the monkey bars, venturing down a twisty slide, and soaring beneath a rainbow. An authors’ note concludes”
—Publishers Weekly
“PreS-Gr 2–This book resets readers’ visions of their future selves, whether that future is imminent or off in the distance. A simple construct helps children draw a line between their big dreams and where they are now. The authors’ advice starts with, “Why not you?” and offer career suggestions that include “athlete, author, singer, or the captain of a crew.” The text tells children they are gifted and strong and that they need to persevere through any obstacles. This brightly colored, digitally illustrated picture book is a valuable reminder that all children are special and have what it takes to achieve their dreams. The spreads feature lively scenes with characters of varied skin tones and facial features. The two main characters visible on the cover and throughout the book both have brown skin. The rhyme scheme of the lines makes this a great read-aloud or group read sure to engage all listeners.
VERDICT A beautifully illustrated reminder about one’s own strengths that’s a perfect purchase for libraries.”
—School Library Journal
“An invitation to children to take on challenges and celebrate themselves as they follow their dreams.
Vivid and colorful digital illustrations introduce readers to two brown-skinned children shown in different everyday scenarios: They move from the classroom to the playground and ultimately soar into a setting sun. The text encourages young readers to ponder the titular question but acknowledges that “life is filled with many lessons. Obstacles may block your view. Disappointing situations may make triumph hard for you.” Still, the narrative insists that anything is possible for children determined to persevere against all odds. Youngsters with various skin tones, hair textures, physical builds, and disabilities make up the community surrounding the main characters. These secondary characters share their gifts on one set of facing pages devoted to spotlighting them individually. A striking double-page spread toward the end of the book presents an aerial view of the children, all wearing capes and using colored chalk to cover a driveway with words describing their inner magic. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An enthusiastic and inspiring clarion call to young dreamers.”
—Kirkus Reviews