Macmillan Children’s Books to publish sporting legends Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield

A beautiful gift book for all ages, With You Every Step: A Celebration of Friendship features heartfelt words from Rob and Kevin brought to life with black line art from leading UK illustrators to create an inspiring and hopeful celebration of friendship. The book will explore universal truths and celebrate kindness, empathy, resilience and love.

Children’s picture book, Try, comes out in the first half of 2024. Illustrated with full-colour artwork, Try is a story celebrating affectionate male friendship – showing young readers, but especially young boys, that friendships can be based on love and vulnerability, and that there are many ways to be strong. Try will show that, even when life deals its toughest blows, a friend is someone who sticks by you, cares deeply and will help in whatever way they can. This book will be about giving every child who reads it a chance to think I could do that and I can make a difference.

Rob and Kevin won eight Super League titles in fourteen years with Rugby League’s Leeds Rhinos. However, it is the story of their enduring friendship that has captured the heart of the nation. In 2019 Rob received a devastating diagnosis of Motor Neurone Disease and, since then, his inspiring determination to shine a spotlight on the illness and Kevin’s tireless fundraising for the MND community, has given hope to others who are suffering.

‘Whether it’s Pooh and Piglet or Sherlock and Watson, great friendships abound in literature. True friends like Kevin are always with their friends even when times are tough. I used to love reading bedtime stories to my three children, usually multiple times because they would try and delay their bedtime! I’m delighted we’ll be working with Macmillan Children’s Books to bring the message of friendship to many.’

Rob Burrow

‘I believe the connections and interactions we have with people, especially friends and family, are the most valuable things in life. To create a book based around friendship, we hope it will help many parents, not just fathers, connect with their children and provide an insight into what true friendship is. I’m thrilled to be working with Macmillan Children’s Books on this, and I hope children across the world get to experience the friendship that Rob and I share.’

Kevin Sinfield

‘Rob and Kevin are extraordinary men, and the strength of their devotion to one another is inspirational. Their personal story of friendship and courage, love and determination has touched millions. I am incredibly proud that we will be publishing this pair of very special books. It is a privilege to be welcoming Rob and Kevin to Macmillan Children’s Books, and helping to spread such an important and enduring message.’

Hannah Ray, Publishing Director

‘We feel privileged to be bringing the story of Rob's and Kevin's unique and heart-warming friendship to Macmillan Children's Books. We have an ongoing commitment to publish important and inspiring books for children and readers of all ages, and this acquisition builds on our reputation for best-selling, important children’s books by some of the most influential names in the world.’

Belinda Ioni Rasmussen, MD of Macmillan Children’s Books

_{Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield image credit: SWPix}