The Little Linebacker ─ A Story of Determination

Stephen is a little kid with big dreams of playing football. The odds are against him when he is teased and faced with failure. This is a story of a boy who worked hard to defy the odds and become a leader.

Maria Dismondy is an award-winning author, specializing in books about challenges children face. A topic close to her heart, Maria’s own childhood experience inspired her first book, Spaghetti in a Hotdog Bun. Maria’s commitment to empowering children with courage and confidence has reached new heights, touching the hearts and hands of children the world over. As a sought-after speaker, Maria spreads her message by presenting at schools and conferences across the country. She holds degrees in education and child development. Maria lives in southeastern Michigan with her husband, Dave, and their three book-loving children. Heather Heyworth lives and works in a sleepy Suffolk market town in the UK. After graduating from Goldsmiths College, London University, with a higher diploma in art and design she went on to become creative manager within a busy design studio and then art editor at a large greeting card publisher. Whilst her two children were small she designed greeting cards, giftwrap, calendars, plush toys and packaging on a freelance basis. Her introduction into the world of children’s books started with illustrating, designing and co-publishing her own licensed character activity books. She wrote and illustrated her first picture book in 2009. To date she has illustrated many books including picture, board and educational books. From an early age she has had a passion for illustration and can’t imagine doing anything else Stephen Tulloch is the starting Middle Linebacker for the Detroit Lions. Tulloch has played in the NFL for 10 years out of North Carolina State University. He launched the Stephen Tulloch Foundation in 2009 and has helped thousands of people through his community outreach and generous giving. Tulloch was named as one of the top 100 players in the NFL in 2012 & 2013, has been selected as a team captain of the Detroit lions by his teammates and has been awarded multiple awards nationally and locally for his efforts off the field including the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, The Robert Porche Man of the Year Award, the Grid Iron Great Award along with the NFLPA PULSE award and being a finalist for the Byron Whizzer” White Award which recognizes the top foundations in the NFL. Stephen was born and raised in Miami where he still resides in the off season with his dogs, Nash & Mia.