For You, I Will

Description

ESPN SportsCenter anchor Elle Duncan and Corretta Scott King Illustrator Honoree Laura Freeman team up in this moving ode to Duncan’s daughter that will resonate with mothers and daughters everywhere.

I will wrap my arms around you, so you will know comfort.
And when you’re ready to leave, I’ll be brave enough to let you go.
I will stand steady while you find your footing.
I’ll walk tall while you find your stride.
For you, I will.

Inspired by Elle Duncan’s contribution to The Undefeated’s “Love Letters to Black Women” segment, For You, I Will is an intimate yet universal celebration of growing up. The poetic text and heartwarming illustrations depict a mother teaching her daughter how to be confident, how to be a part of a community, and, ultimately, how to be unapologetically herself.

Perfect for Mother’s Day, birthdays, and baby showers, For You, I Will‘s tender message expresses all the feelings that come with parenthood and watching your little one grow up. Praise for For You, I Will:
“In an ode to mothers and daughters of all ages, Duncan creates a narrative spun with pure love….Freeman’s illustrations are feminine and whimsical, while showcasing the power of the female relationship. Shelve this with family collections, books about strong women, or for a unit on intergenerational bonds.”
—Brittany Morgan, School Library Journal

“[A] story of ardent love that’s situated in a greater foundational legacy.”
—Publishers WeeklyElle Duncan has been an anchor for ESPN’s SportsCenter since 2016. Previously, she was an anchor, a host, and a reporter for the New England Sports Network (NESN) in Boston, a sports anchor and reporter for WXIA-TV in Atlanta, and a sideline reporter for the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks. Elle lives in Connecticut with her family.

Laura Freeman is a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honoree. Her work has been recognized with an NAACP Image Award, reached the New York Times Best Seller List, and has been honored by the Society of Illustrators, the Georgia Center for the Book, and in the Annuals for Communication Arts and American Illustration. She has illustrated over thirty children’s books, and her editorial images are frequently seen in the New York Times and other periodicals. Originally from New York City, Laura now lives in Atlanta, Georgia. You can see and learn more about herwork at www.LFreemanArt.comUS

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