Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark officially expanded her career beyond the basketball court on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, with the release of her debut 32-page children’s book, “EXTRAordinary! A Little EXTRA to Reach BIG Dreams.” Published by Random House Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House, the rhyming picture book targets readers ages 4 to 8 and retails for $19.99, alongside an audiobook release. Illustrated by London-based artist Adriana Predoi—who grew up in Romania and studied mural art before earning her fine arts degree—the project translates Clark’s competitive journey into lessons on love, joy, and appreciation for young supporters.
During promotional media appearances on Tuesday, including a segment on NBC’s TODAY, Clark shared detailed personal background regarding the project, specifically addressing four jersey numbers embedded on the book’s cover artwork. The cover depicts children wearing jerseys numbered 22, 6, 11, and 17. While number 22 immediately connects to Clark’s historic collegiate career at Iowa and her professional tenure with the Indiana Fever, the remaining three digits draw directly from family history and earlier athletic chapters.
Decoding the Cover Numbers and Family History
Clark explained that the number 6 honors her father, Brent Clark, who wore it during his four-year letterwinning college athletic career in basketball and baseball at Simpson College in Iowa from 1985 to 1988, as well as serving as her foundational youth basketball coach. The selection of number 11 addresses a lesser-known chapter of her athletic development. While public perception links her exclusively to 22, Clark noted that she wore number 11 during her high school career at Dowling Catholic in West Des Moines, where her grandfather Bob Nizzi coached football. Finally, the number 17 marks a recent competitive milestone, representing her tryout number during her March appearance with the United States national team at the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament, where she averaged 11.6 points and 6.4 assists across 5 games.
The foundational inspiration for the book originates inside Clark’s childhood bedroom in West Des Moines, where a hand-painted mirror commissioned by her parents before she was born still hangs today. The mirror bears the inscription: “The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is the little EXTRA.” Clark described the keepsake as a central blueprint for her mindset both in sports and everyday life, noting her desire to eventually pass the historic mirror down to her own children.
Holiday Traditions and Personal Notes
Expanding on the book’s intimate family connections, Sports Illustrated reported that Clark intends to replicate a holiday tradition established by her mother, Anne Clark. Growing up, Anne and her brothers received a new book every Christmas Eve, inside of which their mother—who studied English in college—would write personal handwritten notes. Clark noted that she continues to revisit those inscriptions to reflect on her journey, and she plans to pen similar personalized messages inside copies of “EXTRAordinary!” when gifting the publication to friends this holiday season.
The publication arrives following a demanding WNBA campaign. Selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft, Clark earned her third consecutive All-Star starter nod in 2026, helping guide the Fever to a 28-16 regular-season record before a first-round playoff exit against the Las Vegas Aces. Alongside her athletic and literary endeavors, Clark manages the Caitlin Clark Foundation, an organization focused on youth education, nutrition, and sports access. Through these combined projects, the WNBA star aims to translate her platform into durable mentorship resources for young readers.