On the last Saturday before the first day of school in New York City, a children's bookstore on 18th Street called Books of Wonder had the expectant stillness of a classroom before the bell rings. Looking out from the brightly-colored covers that lined the shelves were cats, ducks, an elephant named Babar, and—tucked into the corner of a section marked "Modern Picture Books"—the name Molly Shannon.
Shannon's picture book, Tilly the Trickster was released this month, marking the former SNL cast member's entry into an ever-expanding group of celebrities who write children's books. This fall, supermodel Tyra Banks and The Decemberists' lead singer Colin Meloy also have books for young readers coming out.
The celebrities-who-write-children's-books boom began about three decades ago, according to Wendy Lukehart, Youth Collections Coordinator at the D.C. Public Library system. Prince Charles of Wales came out with The Old Man of Lochnagar in 1980, and Jimmy Buffet and his daughter wrote The Jolly Mon in 1993. But the trend stretches back even further. In 1955, an entertainer who was a vocal coach and friend of Judy Garland published a book about Eloise, a little girl who lives at the Plaza Hotel (as the author did, apparently rent-free). For years before Eloise was published, Kay Thompson's voice had been heard on the radio, and later she had a featured role in Funny Face. Eloise has become a classic, of course, so much so that its fame has surpassed that of its celebrity creator.
It's not hard to guess why the genre has taken off.
"I mean, obviously the publishers are out to make a little money," says Marilyn Courtot, a trained librarian and founder of Children's Literature, a service that provides book reviews librarians and teachers consult when they're stocking their shelves. Celebrities snag coveted interviews on major networks, and of course, they can always count on their fan-base for support. Jamie Lee Curtis, John Lithgow, and Whoopi Goldberg have all made it onto the New York Times bestseller list for their children's books. As Nicole Deming of the Children's Book Council, a nonprofit trade association for children's publishers, put it, "They're natural publicity machines."
Several famous people have children's books coming out this fall. Supermodel Tyra Banks will release Modelland this week.
Comedian Molly Shannon released Tilly the Trickster earlier this month.
Colin Meloy, lead singer of The Decemberists, came out with Wildwood last month.
Wendy Lukehart, Youth Collections Coordinator at the D.C. Public Library system, traces the trend back about 30 years. Prince Charles of England published The Old Man of Lochnagar in 1980.
And singer Jimmy Buffett wrote The Jolly Mon with his daughter Savannah Jane in 1993.
But the history of the celebrity children's book goes back even further: Eloise, the iconic picture book about a girl who lives in New York's Plaza Hotel, was written Kay Thompson, an actress who appeared in Funny Face and who did voice work for the radio.
Several other famous people have written kids' books over the years, including Barack Obama, who wrote Of Thee I Sing.
Rock Steady: A Story of Noah's Ark by Sting
The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck
Freckleface Strawberry and the Dodgeball Bully by Julianne Moore
The English Roses by Madonna
I Got Two Dogs by John Lithgow
Queen of the Scene by Queen Latifah
Little Red's Autumn Adventure by Sarah Ferguson
It's the Best Day Ever, Dad! by Brooke Shields
How to Train with a T. Rex and Win 8 Gold Medals by Michael Phelps
Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born by Jamie Lee Curtis
Little T Learns To Share by Terrell Owens
Sugar Plum Ballerinas: Toeshoe Trouble by Whoopi Goldberg
I Am a Rainbow by Dolly Parton