Unlikely Children’s book authors

Long before there was a band, there was a boy: a young Keith Richards, who was introduced to the joy of music through his beloved granddad, Theodore Augustus Dupree, affectionately known as “Gus,” who was in a jazz big band.  This unique autobiographical picture book honors the special bond between a grandfather and grandson.

The story about a wave named Roland who’s afraid that, one day, when he hits the beach, his life will be over. But when he gets deep, he’s struck by the notion that he’s not just a wave – he’s the whole big, wide ocean! The story shows humanity’s interconnectedness through the metaphor of a wave in the ocean. Jim Carrey’s irreverent humor shines through and is wonderfully complemented by Rob Nason’s delightful and engaging illustrations.

It’s show-and-tell time in Mrs Krupp’s class, and Billy just can’t wait for his turn! Today the class is discussing what they want to be when they grow up… “‘Cause maybe I’ll be a gorilla masseuse. Or an artist who sculpts out of chocolate mousse. Or a rodeo clown or a movie director. Or maybe a professional pickle inspector…”

Billy’s classmates may have never considered careers in snail training or sumo wrestling before, but by the time this exuberant eight-year-old is done listing his dream jobs, they just might share his belief in unlimited potential! Virtuoso wordplay, irresistible rhythm, and laugh-out-loud humor abound in the first picture book by the one and only “Weird Al” Yankovic.

This funny, smart and engaging read from rapper 50 Cent (Fiddy) takes readers on a journey through the moments that made thirteen-year-old Butterball into a playground bully. Loosely inspired by 50 Cent’s own adolescence and written with his teenage son in mind, Playground has received wide critical praise and is a perfect tale of redemption for older teens.

In this engaging picture book, we meet Wendy, a girl who lives in an odd town where everyone has to wear a box. These boxes are labeled with what each person does. The teacher wears a TEACHER box. The baker wears a BAKER box. Even the doctor wears a DOCTOR box. These boxes are worn for life and Wendy has to choose hers soon. How will she ever decide on just one box? When she’s interested in so many things! Wendy’s solution forces her to break out of her box… And she sets the whole town on end when she does!

This sophisticated story is part of Lithgow’s commencement speech to Harvard’s class of 2005. Rhyming verses introduce Mahalia, a mouse who leaves her impoverished family behind to search for food. She finds herself interested in a science course after accidentally ending up in a Harvard classroom in a student’s backpack. Her diligence and intelligence win the professor’s support, and she goes on to complete four years of study. She graduates, thus ending this story of stout self-reliance: An epic account on a miniature scale/Of a mouse who set forth on life’s bumpy trail/And succeeded by simply refusing to fail. Put simply, uplifting and delightful.

Getting to school has never been quite this difficult – or hilarious. Celebrated writer and performer Steve Martin and dynamic artist C. F. Payne (illustrator of John Lithgow’s children’s books) have teamed up to tell a story of the adventure, danger, and laughs of the journey to school. Enclosed with the book is a CD of Martin on banjo and vocals, singing the book’s story with a bluegrass twist. Brilliant!

In a track on his 1979 album Slow Train Coming, Dylan speculates about Mankind’s naming of beasts: “[Man] saw an animal leavin’ a muddy trail. Real dirty face and a curly tail. He wasn’t too small and he wasn’t too big. ‘Ah, think I’ll call it a pig.‘” Illustrator  Jim Arnosky smoothly adapts this lark of a musical moment to the page by making it a guessing game. The revered musical legend rarely allows his songs to be illustrated, and Arnosky has done the song proud with a parade of spectacular creatures ready to receive their names – until the surprise ending, when children get to name an animal themselves!

Comedian, actor, and director Billy Crystal’s ode to his first grandchild will strike a chord with every expectant grandparent (and parent, too). Readers will feel the sweet anticipation building as Grandpa Crystal dreams about the baby’s upcoming birth. While the writing can be at times awkward, the sentiment behind the text is genuine and universal. The narrator envisions peekaboo, horsey, and visits to the beach with a red-haired tot – as his love virtually bubbles over.

The second children’s book on this list by Weird Al Yankovic, Billy is a small boy with a big imagination. Mr. Booth is a serious teacher with a strict lesson plan. When the irresistible force of Billy’s unrestrained creativity meets the immovable object of Mr. Booth’s fixed worldview, one thing is obvious: someone is going to learn a lot this school year! Dazzling wordplay and sparkling rhyme combine in a unique appreciation of the rewards of unabashed originality and the special joy of viewing the world gently askew.

A collection of drawings made by the late musician to express the love and great joy he had for his young son, Sean. One of the ways John expressed his love for Sean was by drawings animals, flowers, and people, and then captioning these sketches with endearing and amusing phrases that he and Sean would come up with as they looked over Daddy’s art.

A testament to the deep bond felt between parent and child, Real Love is also a record of one of a generation’s most gifted creative minds at work.