Beyond the Game is a nonfiction chapter book series about athletes who have stepped up beyond sports to make a difference in the world, from acclaimed author Andrew Maraniss and illustrator DeAndra Hodge. This is the story of NFL star Pat Tillman, who gave up his NFL career to enlist in the army.

In this chapter book biography by acclaimed author Andrew Maraniss, readers learn more about the life and work of Pat Tillman—an NFL player who left his career with the Arizona Cardinals to enlist in the army after 9/11, and ultimately was killed by friendly fire.

After 9/11, Pat Tillman felt it was his duty as an American to stand up for the country, even though he was a pro football player in the prime of his career. He was someone who matched his toughness on the field with a soft heart, someone who always stood up for the underdog, and someone who felt an obligation to do the right thing—not depend on other people to do it. And for all his actions, Tillman often questioned his role in the military and the war—revealing the depths of his integrity and the ethical way he lived his life.

Through his actions and his legacy, Pat Tillman has changed the world beyond sports.

Complete with black-and-white illustrations throughout, statistics, resources, and ways for kids to make a difference on their own—Beyond the Game is a giftable and inspirational series for every reader.

Chapter One
From the day Pat Tillman was born, he moved like he had things to do, places to be, and people to see.
There was a world out there waiting, and he wasn’t going to miss a thing.
Even before he could walk, Pat explored. His mom carried him on her back for hikes in the woods near their house in Northern California, pointing out the soaring hawks, slithering snakes, and furry creatures. As they walked, Pat marveled at the freedom of the birds and envied the squirrels that jumped from tree to tree.
Soon, Pat’s baby brother Kevin was joining them on their hikes. They were only fourteen months apart—but from the moment Kevin was born, Pat had a best friend and partner in adventure.
Splash!
There went Pat and Kevin, squirting each other with water.
Vroom!
There went Pat and Kevin, playing with their toy cars.
Whoosh!
There went the Tillman boys, scampering through the woods, leaping from rock to rock.
Dressed only in their superhero underwear, the brothers swung from a rope on their porch, defeating imaginary bad guys.
Pat was a curious, brave, and strong boy. He never stopped talking and asking questions. He loved to learn, and he was ready for school early, starting kindergarten when he was only four years old.
His mom always remembered how preparedand confident Pat was on his first day of kindergarten,even before he left the house. He wolfed down Frenchtoast, his favorite breakfast. He put on his new clothes and strapped on his backpack. After his dad snapped a picture by the front door, they drove off to school. Pat was ready for a new world.
The question was whether the world was ready for Pat Tillman.
Long before he became a star football player, and long before he made a courageous choice to enlist in the army at the height of his NFL career, Pat did things his own way. Some people had a hard time figuring him out. But there were two things anyone who ever knew Pat Tillman could agree on: he was a great athlete, and he was a special person well beyond the game.

New York Times bestselling author Andrew Maraniss writes sports-and history-related nonfiction, telling stories with a larger social message. His first book, Strong Inside, received the Lillian Smith Book Award for civil rights and the RFK Book Awards' Special Recognition Prize for social justice, becoming the first sports-related book ever to win either award. His young readers adaptation of Strong Inside was named one of the Top Biographies for Youth by the American Library Association and was named a Notable Social Studies Book by the Children's Book Council. His acclaimed second book for kids Games of Deception was a Sydney Taylor Book Award Middle Grade Honor Recipient, a Junior Library Guild selection, and was praised by authors Steve Sheinkin and Susan Campbell Bartoletti. Andrew is a contributor to ESPN's sports and race website, TheUndefeated.com, and is a visiting author at the Vanderbilt University Athletic Department. View titles by Andrew Maraniss