You Are a Champion

The “extraordinary impact” of Marcus Rashford’s book, written with Carl Anka, astounded the judges. Inspired by Rashford’s campaign in May 2020 to get the government to reverse its decision on food vouchers for vulnerable children, the judges loved You Are a Champion’s “warm, inspirational” tone, combined with Rashford’s accessible definition of success.

Macmillan’s “superb publishing” was “one of the best campaigns I have ever seen”, commented one judge. It launched initiatives with W H Smith and the National Literacy Trust, including the “buy one, gift one” scheme. The genuine warmth behind the campaign highlighted how proud Macmillan was to champion this book, one judge thought. Its sales of nearly 240,000 through the TCM, the judges’ felt, was due to this “distinctive” book staying “true to the essence of Marcus”.