15 Athletes Who Have Written a Children's Book for Some Reason

We always found ourselves reading a ton of books about athletes like Michael Jordan and Ken Griffey Jr. growing up.

But those were biographies, not children's books that were meant for inspiration or to teach us a lesson about teamwork.

Though it's weird enough for an athlete to want to invest in a children's book in the first place, seeing some of the names of those athletes who have done it might leave a person wondering what in the hell they were ever thinking, because there are some really random ones out there.

Mia Hamm

Mia Hamm remains one of the greatest women's athletes to ever toss on any type of uniform, but her decision to write a children's book might not be her best move.

Hamm's first book, Go for the Goal, did well, but the second one, entitled Winners Never Quit probably is a little less motivating—especially when seeing that the description includes a lesson in teamwork for Soccer Moms.

Kerry Wood

There was a time when Kerry Wood had one of the brightest futures in the Majors, but that was way back when he won the '98 NL Rookie of the Year Award and had one of the most dominating pitching performances in recent memory.

So when he decided to release a children's book last year, it was a little baffling considering the kids reading the darn thing probably weren't even born during his heydays in Chicago.

Shaun Alexander

Former running back Shaun Alexander used to be one of the best running backs in the NFL, proven by his nearly 9,500 yards in his eight-plus seasons, which earned him numerous Pro Bowl appearances.

Like the other athletes in this list, Alexander believed he could help inspire kids through some cartoon drawings and motivating words, as he released his book, Alexander the Great.

Cal Ripken Jr.

Who wouldn't want to read about a guy who started a record 2,632 straight games that spanned 17 years?

Cal Ripken Jr. is a Hall of Famer and arguably the greatest Baltimore Oriole ever.

So baseball's Ironman thought writing about his experiences with a couple books would be the best idea.

Carmelo Anthony

Not many people think of Carmelo Anthony when it comes to getting words of advice, but with the release of his children's book a few years back, he tries his hand at lending a hand to kids.

Who knows if it's any good, but we must say that hunting down an opponent after a game probably isn't the best PR move to give kids an idea of good sportsmanship.

Chris Paul

If you're wondering who the best point guard in the NBA currently is, you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who earns the title more than the Clips' Chris Paul does.

Though lacking a ring, he's proven to have a second—and sometimes third—gear to help his teams win.

Naturally, that leadership led him to stamping his name on a children's book, though not everyone thought it was such a great idea.

George Foreman

Though he was a great fighter, George Foreman is almost more famous these days thanks to his "Lean Mean Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine."

With 12 kids though—and his five sons baring his same name—Foreman wasn't someone who just liked to wear a chef's hat and stay in the kitchen, as he apparently wanted to teach other youngsters a thing or two.

Writing his children's book, Foreman creeps the hell out of us by telling us he wants to do it, though we're sure there are some good lessons in there.

Amar'e Stoudemire

Who better than the oft-injured, overpaid, fire extinguisher-punching Amar'e Stoudemire to teach kids about hard work and teamwork, right?

Was that a bit harsh?

Probably.

As much as we really like Stoudemire, he isn't the player he once was, so we hope he puts as much focus on making himself an All-Star-caliber player as he does on writing a solid children's story.

Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan just so happens to be one of the sexiest athletes in the world, while also slowly becoming the face of the U.S. women's soccer team thanks to her skills, too.

But we just have to wonder why she dipped into the children's book market?

We secretly hope there are plenty of ways to inspire through her sexy SI swimsuit photos, though we doubt it.

Tiki Barber

We're not saying former Giants running back Tiki Barber wasn't a good player or isn't a good person, but considering he married his mistress just eight days following his divorce, it sort of makes you wonder.

Regardless of our opinion of the guy, Tiki has released a couple books for kids to follow in his and twin brother Ronde's footsteps.

Secretly, we hope the story is more from Ronde's point of view, but that's just us.

R.A. Dickey

Blue Jays pitcher R.A. Dickey has found out exactly what winning a Cy Young award does for a guy's career.

Besides earning him a fat contract extension, the reigning NL award winner signed a deal to write some children's books, too.

Hopefully the kids connect more with the 2012 version of Dickey, and not the underachieving one so far in 2013.

Alex Rodriguez

Is this weird to anyone else?

Alex Rodriguez writing a children's book is about as great of a match as Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries was—and we all know how that ended.

Shockingly though, one of the most arrogant, self-entitled athletes ever shares his experiences and "resolve" with kids through his children's book.

Not sure a guy who got handed a $275 million contract extension knows much about resolve, but OK?

Dennis Rodman

As unlikely as A-Rod writing a book for kids is, NBA Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman giving his two cents to young ones is even more mind-blowing.

One of the most outlandish athletes of all-time, Rodman has had his fair share of weird, PG-13-rated moments that most parents probably wouldn't want their kids to duplicate.

Regardless, we can try and get to know the real Dennis with his book—at your own risk of course.

Terrell Owens

There might not be a more unlikely athlete than Terrell Owens as far as giving kids advice about teamwork—considering he is often thought of as a locker room cancer—but he tries his damndest with his book titled Little T Learns to Share.

Seems like an unlikely title, given Owens' penchant for often arguing with teammates and coaches about not getting the ball enough.

Wonder why he never actually learned the lesson of his own book?

Metta World Peace

Well, of course Metta World Peace has decided to publish a children's book.

Who wouldn't want to learn a couple of lessons from the same guy who says some of the weirdest things to reporters, elbows opposing players and received the longest non-drug-related suspension for a player in NBA history?

He may have won the NBA's Citizenship Award once, but that doesn't necessarily mean he should be giving anyone's kids advice.