From double Paralympic gold medallist, five time World Champion and award-winning children’s author Danielle Brown MBE comes a bighearted, empowering handbook about sport, confidence and self-belief.
Drawing on stories from inspiring athletes, as well as Danielle’s own gold-medal-winning experiences (including the hiccups along the way), Shoot for the Stars gives practical examples of how to overcome obstacles, find the courage to dig deep and discover sporting success on your terms – whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out!
Packed with awesome quizzes, team talks, advice from sporting champions, and all kinds of tips and tricks, this interactive handbook will have you covered for every sporting situation, offering reassurance and giving you the confidence to strike out and live your best your life!
Perfect for fans of Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World, HerStory and It’s a Brave Young World.
I really enjoyed reading this thoughtful guide. My daughter has already chosen her sport (a wonderful fluke) but I can see this being very useful to encourage girls to try new things and reflect. This was published a couple of weeks ago, so huge apologies for posting this lovely Q&A with Danielle Brown so late:
This book could start great conversations. Have you had a chance to share it with groups of girls and get feedback?
It’s early days, but the feedback I’ve had so far has been very encouraging. It was the conversations with girls about their experiences in sport that inspired me to write Shoot for the Stars in the first place. I kept hearing about the same challenges. Some told me that their parents wanted them to focus on their schoolwork rather than sport, others said they felt embarrassed wearing their PE kit, or thought certain sports weren’t for girls.
I’ve included some of their quotes in the book because I wanted it to reflect real challenges and I hope it sparks some honest conversations. When we talk about these issues openly, we change the culture around sport and break down barriers, helping more girls stay in sport and enjoy it more.
There are so many inspiring women quoted in the book. Were there any favourites you had to leave out?
Choosing who to include was one of the hardest parts. I came across so many brilliant stories of women doing incredible things in sport, each with their own unique journey and challenges. I tried to include a wide mix of voices, from different sports and backgrounds, but I could have easily filled several more chapters. Some athletes I really wish I could have squeezed in were Laurentia Tan, Jessica Fox and Chloe Kim.
Do you prefer writing biographies or advice?
This is a tough question. I love writing biographies because it is inspiring to research incredible sportswomen and learn about what makes them tick. However, I probably prefer writing advice because I hope it will help readers realise their own potential and start to feel more confident in themselves.
Shoot for the Stars is brilliantly presented; it’s full of information and questions but never feels overwhelming. How involved were you in the design and layout of the book?
The illustrators and designers have done an amazing job, and the book has come out better than I ever could have imagined when I started with an idea and blank page. I am very lucky to work with an amazing publishing team at Little Tiger, who collaborated with me closely and took my feedback on board to make sure Shoot for the Stars was engaging and accessible to the readers I had in mind.
Is there a sport you haven’t tried that you think looks particularly fun?
I love trying new activities, and adventure sports look like a lot of fun. There’s something exciting about being outdoors, and I enjoy being in environments where it’s just you, focusing on the challenge ahead. I want to give skiing, adaptive mountaineering and surfing a go. They look like great ways to build confidence, stay active, and feel proud of yourself for doing something out of your comfort zone.
What are you reading at the moment, and who would you recommend it to?
I’m reading Yusra Mardini’s Butterfly, which is a beautiful autobiography about her journey as a swimmer and a refugee, and how she found strength through sport. I’d definitely recommend it for people looking for an inspiring read about courage, resilience and hope.
Danielle Brown MBE is an award-winning children’s author, double Paralympic gold medallist in archery, and five-time World Champion. She was World number one for her entire career and made history when she became the first disabled athlete to represent England – and win gold – in an able-bodied category at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
