North Melbourne Star Libby Birch Launches Groundbreaking Children’s Book

North Melbourne premiership player Libby Birch has officially launched “Libby’s Footy Adventures,” the first official AFLW children’s picture book, at Arden Street.

This initiative marks a strategic development for the AFLW as it enters it’s 10th season, aiming to diversify its content offering, cultivate a younger fanbase, and address a specific market gap in children’s sports literature.

The book, which centres on a young girl learning Australian Rules Football, promotes themes of courage, friendship, and the value of new experiences.

Birch identified a need for such a resource, noting a lack of children’s picture books that visually represented girls playing AFLW.

“The idea sparked when a friend couldn’t find a picture book for a footy-loving young girl that showed girls in the game,” Birch stated.

This direct response to a market need highlights a product development opportunity for sports leagues.

Articulating the book’s core message, Birch, added: “It’s not just about winning — it’s about learning, growing, discovering who you are, and building connections with others, you don’t have to be the fastest or the strongest to belong here.”

“This book shows you can be absolutely who you want to be, and you can be loved for that, particularly in the sport of AFLW,” Birch said. 

This emphasis on inclusivity and personal growth, rather than solely competitive outcomes, aligns with contemporary sports participation narratives and aims to inspire broader engagement among young audiences.

From a commercial standpoint, “Libby’s Footy Adventures” serves as a new licensed merchandise category for the AFLW and its clubs.

Its availability through major national bookstores such as Dymocks, Booktopia, and Robinsons, alongside the club’s Roo Shop, signals a mainstream commercial rollout.

“For the first time, young girls can walk into a bookstore and see themselves visually represented playing footy,” Birch concluded.

This project is part of a wider strategy to leverage the profile of AFLW players like Libby Birch to create branded content products.

The book aims to inspire future participation in AFLW, addressing broader goals of increasing female engagement in Australian sport and mitigating youth drop-out rates.

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