I Am Kylian: Kylian Mbappé’s Graphic Memoir Traces His Rise in Football

Kylian Mbappé’s path to professional football is the subject of I Am Kylian, a 218-page graphic memoir illustrated by Faro and published by Rodale Kids (Random House) in 2026. Its central appeal is the chance to see a celebrated player as a developing athlete: the book presents Mbappé as someone who wasn’t always great, but was consistently motivated. That focus on the work behind success gives the story room to reach beyond soccer fans.

The book follows Mbappé’s rise to professional football, called soccer in the United States. Rather than presenting his achievement as effortless, the account emphasizes the challenges involved in making progress. For young readers curious about what it takes to pursue a demanding sporting goal, that combination of ambition and difficulty offers a useful point of connection. The story keeps its attention on a person’s journey, with moments that can be funny as well as serious.

A memoir in panels

Faro’s colorful illustrations make the memoir accessible to readers who enjoy stories told through images as much as words. The graphic format can bring energy to an athlete’s experiences and give the story a lively pace. Readers who already follow football may find the subject especially absorbing; the review also suggests that the anecdotes and art can interest people who don’t follow the sport.

There is a practical caveat for readers: some panels are small, and the text can be tricky to read. That may slow down a reader who prefers larger lettering or more open page layouts. It’s a useful consideration for parents, teachers and librarians choosing a book for a young reader, especially if they’re deciding between a graphic memoir and a prose biography. The compact frames also mean that readers may want to take their time with the pages rather than expect every passage to be easy to scan.

Even with that readability concern, the reviewer describes the story as well told and points to its balance of light and serious moments. That balance matters for a memoir about reaching a high level in sport: humor can make a subject feel approachable, while the harder parts keep the account grounded in the effort required to advance. The book’s appeal, then, isn’t limited to learning about a famous footballer. It also offers a portrait of motivation and the obstacles that accompany a long pursuit.

Who may enjoy it

Soccer fans are the clearest audience, and the review expects them to move quickly through the book. But readers who are new to the sport may still find plenty to follow in the personal anecdotes and vivid artwork. Adults choosing books for elementary and middle school readers may also appreciate that the subject is presented in a graphic memoir format, which can invite readers into biography through both image and text.

The review classifies the book as advisable for elementary and middle school readers. Its content notes list language at PG, with three swears and no f-word, and mature content and violence at G. Those details give families and educators concrete guidance when considering whether it suits a particular reader. The book is described as a biography and graphic novel, a combination that signals its focus on a real person and its visual storytelling approach.

Mbappé is identified in the review as a Black Frenchman, adding a clear part of his identity to the portrait. The memoir’s focus on his rise can therefore offer young readers a glimpse of a French athlete’s experience alongside its account of sporting ambition. The source doesn’t provide further detail about particular episodes, so the strongest case for the book rests on the broad elements it does describe: persistence, colorful art, engaging anecdotes and a mix of humor and seriousness.

A lively entry point to a sporting life

I Am Kylian looks suited to readers who want a personal account of a footballer’s development, especially those drawn to illustrated nonfiction. Its reported weakness is also specific: small frames sometimes make the text difficult to read. For readers willing to pause over those pages, the memoir offers an accessible way into Mbappé’s story and the determination behind his rise. Published by Rodale Kids (Random House), it is listed at $15; its strongest draw is a lively, personal account that can hold the attention of sports fans and curious newcomers alike.