an illustration of Antonio Jackson in a red jacket.

It Was Sooo Easy

by Young Authors Program Editor and Antonio Jackson Author

Is being naturally talented at a sport enough to win? Antonio is a gifted athlete, and when he starts playing football, he discovers he’s very good at it without even trying. But when he doesn’t bother to learn the plays and practice, his teammates get upset. When the team starts losing, the coach talks to Antonio. “Football takes work on and off the field,” he says. Will Antonio put in the effort to practice hard and learn the plays, or will he rely on his natural talent carry him to a championship?

This picture book was actually written by an twelve-year-old boy named Antonio Jackson. And it was published by Young Authors Publishing—a nonprofit children's book publisher focused on producing diverse and culturally relevant children's books and to use book publishing as a vehicle to economic mobility for our young authors. Royalties from their book sales are deposited into a savings account for each young author to access at 18 to use toward their post-secondary plans.