Pharell Williams ‘Happy!’ Book Release Date: Grammy-Winning Song Goes to Print
Pharell Williams is without a doubt, a good musician. But will his lyrics translate as well as a piece of literature? He seems to think so, and so does publishing company, Putnam Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Books.
According to Rolling Stone Magazine, the Grammy Award-winning performer will be releasing a series of children's books by September, the first of which will be based on his vastly popular song, "Happy." The song also became the most downloaded track ever in the United Kinddom.
The book will get 250,000 copies for its first run, and the first edition will be released by September 22nd and features photographs of children "celebrating what it means to be happy."
The singer-turned-author said about his book, "I'm humbled by the global success of 'Happy,' but especially in awe of the song's young fans. My collaboration with Penguin allows me to continue a dialogue with these children in a fresh, new way. We're both committed to feeding the curiosity of young minds with imagination."
Pharell, according to The Guardian, is a father of a six-year-old boy and already has 10 Grammy Awards in his name, including two for "Happy," which was featured in 2013's "Despicable Me 2".
The transition from being a singer-songwriter to a children's book author is not unheard of. In fact, Putnam already published several inspirational works from Grammy Award-winners, including Dolly Parton for "I Am A Rainbow," and "Dream More," the latter of which is written for adults, but both urging readers to "dream more, learn more, care more, and be more."
The Christian Science Monitor noted that Bob Dylan also went on the same track when his song, "Blowin' In The Wind" was adapted in 2011.
For Bob Marley's songs, it was his eldest daughter, Cedella, who adapted his songs into Children's books, some of which are "Every Little Thing" and "One Love."
Other big names in music who decided to go into literature include Madonna, Keith Richards, Paul McCartney, and Bruce Springsteen, some of them even making it to the New York Times Bestseller lists.
Not everybody is excited about the prospect of celebrities authoring children's books though. For instance, Rosalyn Schanzer, who is a full-time author and illustrator, feels that publishers should focus more on quality books instead of investing in "side projects." She told The Atlantic, "We understand that publishers want to make money. But we do strongly believe that the really good books deserve as much attention as possible."
Do you think Pharell's "Happy" will make a good book for children, or should he stick with songwriting instead?