How can a writer's success be defined? If a writer can get a child hooked on their book from an early age, then we can assume that the writer has been successful. And then there are celebrities who took to writing children's fiction, attempting to connect with them. We take a look at some of these famous personalities.
What does one do after winning a gold medal at Paralympic games? Well, if you were Ellie Robinson, you would write a children's book! It may not be the dream of many athletes to move away from the glam and glitter of the sports arena to that of the literary world. But that was just what Ellie Robinson did. And her debut novel "Gold Medal Mysteries: Thief on the Track" which was released recently has already received good reviews. The multi-medal-winning British swimmer retired from swimming after the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021. Now the athlete is dabbling in writing and her studies. She blends her love for history and sport in the book. According to the athlete, the book is all about personal development and life lessons, which the characters learn as the story progresses. Let's read up on other personalities who came up with children's books!
Paul McCartney
Most of us know Paul McCartney as the world famous rock superstar. But did you know that the former Beatle singer also wrote a book for children? Titled "Hey Grandude", the name Grandude being based on a nickname given to McCartney by one of his grandchildren, the book follows the adventures of a retired hippie who takes his grandkids on a wondrous journey. It is the relationship that McCartney shared with his grandkids that inspired him to create the book. While the title may make Beatle fans think of "Hey Jude", the book follows the fictional family as they take off on adventures, all thanks to the magic compass that the Grandude has which will let them travel anywhere! Another book he wrote for kids in Grandude's Green Submarine.
Whoopi Goldberg
Actress-comedian Whoopi Goldberg has carved herself a career in the entertainment industry. But children might know her best as the author of the "Sugar Plum Ballerinas" series. It is the first book of the Academy Award winner which revolves around a school of ballet. The setting is the "Nutcracker School of Ballet in Harlem where aspiring ballerinas learn to do the plié, and chassé turns. The protagonist is Alexandrea Petrakova Johnson, who is forced to join the school and leave her friends behind all because of her mother who wants her to be a ballerina. Soon she is chosen to be the Sugar Plum Fairy in the school recital and has a massive task at hand to tackle the challenges and perform. Apart from the books in the "Sugar Plum Ballerinas" series, "Alice" is another book written by the author for children.
Frank Lampard
How about reading a story that blends magic and football? When England footballer Frank Lampard turned to write fiction, he chose to bring in two of his favourite elements, the sport of football and history. And he chose to write for children. His first children's book "Frankie's Magic Football" followed the adventures of Frankie, a school boy and his friends who love football. The story delves not just into football but also offers nuggets of wisdom and life lessons. He touches upon themes such as fairplay, bravery, goals and so on in his book. The collection that follows Frankie's journey includes a plethora of books such as "Frankie vs The Pirate Pillagers", "Frankie vs The Rowdy Romans", "Frankie vs The Cowboy's Crew” and so on.
Serena Williams
Serena Williams revolutionised sports. Her style of play, talent and determination has turned her into a legend in women's tennis. But do you know what else makes her even more intriguing? The fact that she chose to write a book for children, a book centred around a little girl who starts to trust and believe in herself with the help of her doll "Qai Qai". William's first book "The Adventures of Qai Qai" was released in 2022. Qai Qai is inspired by William's daughter Olympia's doll. Williams had earlier mentioned how reading out a story was an important part of their (Williams and daughter) bedtime routine.
Tom Fletcher
Talk about musicians-turned-writers and you have many. While some have tried their hand at fiction, some have attempted to write children's books. Among them, musician Tom Fletcher has truly carved a niche for himself in the children's book category. Apart from being the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the English pop rock band "McFly". Fletcher is into penning books for children. With the book "Christmasaurus", he made a giant splash in the literary world and slowly became one of the UK's most popular children's authors. His book “The Creakers" turned out to be a number-one bestseller. He is also noted for his bestselling picture books such as "There's a Monster in Your Book". "There's an Elf in Your Book", and "There's a Dragon in Your Book". The book he wrote with his bandmate titled "The Dinosaur That Pooped" sold over a million copies. His books have been translated into more than 30 languages.
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