Established in 2011, The Small Sports™ is the creation of author Matthew Damman and illustrator Patty Eisenbraun. It all began as Matthew watched endless cartoons and read dozens of books to his then 13-month old son and three year old daughter. He saw talking trains, monsters, princesses and pirates, but where were the sports characters? Having grown up playing sports he knew the positive values
children could learn from sports, even at a young age. Working at the time for a Wall Street bank, Matthew decided to set out down an unfamiliar path to come up with a solution to his question. After two years of development at the kitchen table, twists, turns and a great partnership between longtime friends, Matt’s initial thought came to life... as The Small Sports. The Small Sports is a new brand for children, ages three to eight years old, and centers on the concepts of teamwork and good sportsmanship, conveyed through a wholesome cast of lovable characters. These five characters, along with their trusty puppy, Buddy, have unique and endearing personalities that many children can relate to. The Small Sports characters also have big imaginations that lead them on many exciting adventures. This happens mostly when they’re outside playing- where even an old, overgrown field can look like the Super Bowl through their eyes. The Small Sports constantly dream big and these dreams are brought to life in the new classically illustrated storybook, The Small Sports Take The Field! This first book of the series is available on www.thesmallsports.com, Amazon.com and various local retailers in Michigan. The second book of the Small Sports series is expected to be available Spring 2014. In an age of edgy-looking, over-sexed toys and an “everyone gets a trophy” society, the hope is to get parents to reach back to their own experiences as children and remember the lessons and values they learned from playing sports. The Small Sports provide an age-appropriate alternative to some of the books and toys available to young children today; and children will enjoy learning some real-life lessons through The Small Sports' eyes. Matt is hopeful that the message is enriching and entertaining for both parents and children. Earning rave reviews from moms, dads, kids, the media and even former NFL players; it looks like The Small Sports are on to something big. The Small Sports are Good Sports- and you can be one too! Are you ready to play?
