Jonathan Spector may be busy on the training pitch with the United States ahead of their FIFA World Cup campaign but chances are a good book will not be too far away.
The American international is the club's new Reading Star, as designated by the Premier League's Places for Players scheme. To mark that honour, he took part in a special event at the Boleyn Ground to discuss the importance of enjoying books with youngsters. The aim was to show the benefit of a healthy mind and healthy body.
Spector, 24, discussed Huckleberry Finn by American author Mark Twain before enjoying sessions of tennis and basketball - a sport played professionally by his grandfather Art for the NBA's Boston Celtics - with the children.
Reading Stars is an educational project that harnesses the motivational power of football to encourage families to enjoy reading. It targets those hard to reach groups in society who may not have shown an interest in reading, but who do have a passion for football.
"Huckleberry Finn is basically a story about a young boy who isn't quite happy with his life at home so he decides to run away," said Spector who picked Homer's The Odyssey along with Huckleberry Finn as his two favourite books. The Twain classic was the one he read to the kids.
"I chose it because it is a book I used to enjoy in school. There are some great messages in it. It is an adventure story with some morals as well which is always important.
"It was good to come out and read to the kids. If we can get just a few of them to take up more books and reading it will be a job well done."
Mick King, the CEO of the West Ham United Community Sports Trust, was delighted with Spector's participation, saying: "This project uses Olympic sports as an incentive to engage young people with reading. It is important to educate young people holistically to enable them to grow.
"Books and sport both serve to inspire young people to develop their imagination, understanding and confidence. Jonathan epitomises the type of role model we want young people to aspire to emulate."