You Can Do It!

by Tony Dungy, Amy June Bates (Illustrator)

Overview

Tony Dungy's little brother, Linden, is a third grader who is having a bad day at school. Linden is the youngest of the Dungy family and the least motivated because he hasn't found "it." In a family where everyone seems to have found their special talent, all Linden knows is that he wants to make people happy.

With encouragement from his parents, a helping hand from his older brother Tony, and inspiration from God, Linden learns that if he dreams big and has faith, he can do anything!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781442422841
Publisher:	Little Simon Inspirations
Publication date:	11/16/2010
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
Lexile:	AD650L (what's this?)
File size:	102 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Tony Dungy and his wife Lauren Dungy are active members of a number of family, faith, and community-based organizations, including All Pro Dad, iMom, Fellowship of Chrstian Athletes, Mentors for Life, Family First, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, and the Boys and Girls Club of America. Tony is a former NFL player and retired head coach of the 2006 Superbowl Champions, the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League.

Amy June Bates has illustrated books including the Sam the Man series; Sweet Dreams and That’s What I’d Do, both by singer-songwriter Jewel; and Waiting for the Magic by Patricia MacLachlan. She is the author-illustrator of The Big Umbrella, about which Booklist raved, “A boundlessly inclusive spirit...This open-ended picture book creates a natural springboard for discussion.” She lives in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, with her husband and three children.

Editorial Reviews

K-Gr 2

This is a sweet and earnest story about the author's younger brother, who struggles to name his "it" and begin the road to fulfillment in life. The Dungy family puts its faith in God and encourages the boys to do so too. When a toothache brings Linden to the dentist's office, he finds the excitement he's been looking for and ends up becoming a dentist himself. Dungy is a natural storyteller, and readers will buy into this warm family despite some disconnected narrative elements and a tired plot. Bates is skilled at creating charming characters, and her watercolor paintings evoke a vibrant family life. Dungy's name will be familiar to Pro Football fans.-Lisa Egly Lehmuller, St. Patrick's Catholic School, Charlotte, NC

School Library Journal

This earnest effort from the well-known NFL coach is based on Dungy's childhood experiences in his own tightly knit Christian family. He focuses on the concept that each person has a special talent-an "it"-that can be discovered if you "[t]rust God and dream big!" Little brother Linden feels left out because his brother, Tony, and sisters have special talents and interests that seem to lead straight to their future careers. After having a cavity filled by an understanding dentist, Linden finds a sudden and intense interest in teeth and the dental profession, which he shares with his class during show-and-tell. A concluding note, in the author's own voice, connects the story to his own life and Christian faith and confirms Linden's success as a dentist. The large format highlights Bates's attractive full-color illustrations, which depict the close-knit, loving African-American family with warmth. The stilted text, however, indicates that Dungy's it lies in coaching, not in writing, all good intentions aside. (Picture book/religion. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews