BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — National Read Across America Week is a week dedicated to celebrating reading and encouraging children and teens to read. To honor the week, we're introducing you to Antonietta Quinn, a newly established author who recently released her first children's book called Andrew Conquers the Court.
The book is inspired by her son, Andrew Quinn, and his story as a young athlete looking to achieve his goal of making his basketball team. He did not make the team at first, but that did not stop him from giving up on his goal of playing basketball. Late nights, early mornings and many reps, Andrew was determined to make the team the following season. After a year of improving his game, he made the team.
"As a mom it was really inspirational for me to watch because I saw a really focused kid that was really trying to make something that he’s always wanted to happen, happen," Quinn said. "I wanted Andrew’s story to be one that other kids would see in themselves".
As a former fifth and sixth grade teacher, those educator instincts kicked into gear Antonietta when the idea for the book came to be.
"I just thought this could be a children’s book that could teach kids about perseverance and resilience and hard work," Quinn said.
Quinn graduated from St. Bonaventure with a master's degree in Educational Leadership. While she already had a background as an educator during her time at Bonaventure, she says the time there allowed her even more opportunity to grow.
"Bonaventure was a great experience for me. In my time there, it was really about learning how to connect with kids," Quinn said. "All of that was very motivating for me to find ways to teach kids in a way that they can connect with and be motivated by".
Antonietta's son, Andrew, is currently a Division 3 basketball player at Marywood University. Andrew remembers the moment clearly when his mom told him her book was inspired by his story as an athlete.
"I knew at some point she was going to do it. She doesn't talk about things and then not do them. She hustles," Andrew said. "Actually hearing that she was going to do it, that was kind of surreal having a story written about you. It made it even better that I could help her accomplish something that she’s always wanted to do, which is be an author of a book".
One of the other main characters of the book is Andrew's friend, Jackson Kulik. In the book, Jackson is portrayed as one of Andrew's motivators, but in real life, it was a duo that made each other better.
"That was probably my favorite, my most favorite time playing basketball out of all the times we had playing basketball," Kulik said. "It was fun, it was just grinding, it was just the times that no one was watching so you got to get better".
As Andrew's inspiring story is told in the book, Andrew wants to leave a message to kids that he follows everyday.
"My belief is stronger than your doubt. That’s something that i want everyone to take away from [the book]," Andrew said. "It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks if you really want to do something, you go do it".
You can purchase Andrew Conquers the Court here.
