Zhu Ting joins LeBron James, Lionel Messi and Simone Biles in British children’s book
- Volleyball star joins Simone Biles, Lionel Messi and LeBron James in picture book aimed at inspiring the next generation
- Chinese social media users praise their Olympic champion captain who is compared to a ‘modern Mulan’
China’s volleyball superstar Zhu Ting has been featured in a UK children’s book aimed at inspiring the next generation of athletes, earning her praise on Chinese social media.
Zhu, who was named MVP at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games as China won gold, features along with seven other household names in When I Grow Up: Sports Heroes published by British publishing house Dorling Kindersley.
The book, which is aimed at pre-schoolers, features US gymnastics star Simone Biles, Jamaican sprint champion Usain Bolt and Argentine footballer Lionel Messi on the cover.
Inside, Zhu is joined by US basketball giant Le Bron James, German tennis player Angelique Kerber, Japanese figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu and British Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds.
The book tells the journey of each of the eight athletes from childhood to sporting success, illustrated by Lucy Semple, with Zhu’s story mapping her path from “a tiny village in China” where she grew up in a family of farmers to winning Olympic gold as China’s captain.