The Best Children’s Books written By Celebrities

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When I sat down to write this list I already had several great books in mind. However, I did do some research to round out the article and wow, are there a lot of celebrity children’s book authors out there! From actors to athletes, musicians and reality show stars, I was very surprised to see some names pop up.

Did you know that the singer Pharrell wrote a kids book based on his best-selling song, “Happy?” Who knew that Jamie Lee Curtis has written twelve children’s books? HGTV star Joanna Gaines, actress Isla Fisher, musician Weird Al, and basketball star LeBron James have all written children’s books. Even best-selling author Marie Kondo (author of The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, also a great Netflix show!) wrote a children’s book based on her book.

And while all the above are wonderful reads, I’ve narrowed this list down to my very, very favorite books. Read on for the best children’s books written by celebrities!

Children’s Books Written by Celebrities

sulwe by lupita nyong'o children's books written by celebrites

SULWE

Written by Lupita Nyong’o

Illustrated by Vashti Harrison

Author Lupita Nyong’o is a Kenyan/Mexican actress whose breakout role was in 12 Years a Slave (2013), for which she won the Academy Award for best supporting Actress. She also starred in the Marvel superhero movie Black Panther (2018), and most recently was the lead in Us (2019). (Which, totally unrelated to books for toddlers, is a very good scary movie that you should in no way watch with a toddler! If you like scary movies, I also recommend Get Out (2017), which is directed by the same guy as Us.)

Usually, I buy books online for convenience, but sometimes it’s a nice change to browse in a store. With kids’ books, I’ll flip through a couple of pages and maybe read the back cover to see if it’s something I’m interested in. Very rarely will I read the entire book. With Sulwe, I found myself turning the last page, not even aware I had read the whole book and reached the end! It was that good of a story.

Sulwe was a New York Times bestseller in 2019. The story is about a little girl with skin as dark as midnight; darker than any of her family and friends. She tries so hard to lighten her skin because she believes she will only be beautiful with a lighter complexion. But then she embarks on a magical journey that shows her and readers their own unique beauty. Lupita Nyong’o has said that this book was inspired by her own childhood where she was teased for her dark skin. I like this book due to the great message it sends children that everyone is beautiful in their own way. What really makes this book shine is the well-written story, you really want to read on to find out what happens next! Sulwe is recommended for children ages 4-8 years old.

the further tale of peter rabbit by emma thompson children's books written by celebrities

The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit

Written by Emma Thompson

Illustrated by Eleanor Taylor

Emma Thompson is a British staple. She is best known for her roles in Sense and Sensibility (1995), and Much Ado About Nothing (1993). She played Professor Trelawney in the Harry Potter series, and was also in Love Actually (2003), my very favorite movie of all time. Emma played the titular role in Nanny McPhee (2005), a movie based on the popular children’s books series, and more recently co-starred with Tom Hanks in Saving Mr. Banks (2013) as PL Travers (the author of Mary Poppins).

Emma Thompson, inspired by a personal request from Peter Rabbit, wrote The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit in 2012. It’s a brand-new story based on the characters of the popular children’s books series by Beatrix Potter. After Peter’s adventure in Mr. McGregor’s garden, he travels to Scotland to make more trouble. The book reads like a familiar Beatrix Potter story, yet the author’s own charm shines through throughout the book. It’s a refreshing change from silly and mindless kids’ books. (Nothing wrong with silly and mindless, but sometimes you need a change!)

The illustrations by Eleanor Taylor honor Ms. Potter’s original work with a similar watercolor style but you can tell they are new and different. I especially like the idea of this story reviving and honoring a classic book. Best of all, this book comes with a CD of Emma Thompson narrating the story. Her perfectly British voice is perfect for this British tale!

Emma Thompson has written two more books, The Christmas Tale of Peter Rabbit, and The Spectacular Tale of Peter Rabbit, which I also highly recommend. All her books are recommended for children ages 3-7, although no matter what age if you have a lover of Peter Rabbit they’ll be sure to love these books too.

And if you’re a fan of Peter Rabbit, check out A Grandmother’s Library Shelf review, Timeless Children’s Books by Beatrix Potter.

river rose and the magical lullaby by kelly clarkson children's book written by celebritiesRIVER ROSE AND THE MAGICAL LULLABY

Written by Kelly Clarkson

Illustrated by Laura Hughes

Kelly Clarkson was the winner of season 1 of American Idol back in 2002. She is now an incredibly successful singer. She has won three Grammy Awards and been nominated 15 times. She’s currently a coach on The Voice and has really become a music legend, even marrying into a music family! (Her husband is country singer Reba McIntire’s son.)

Kelly Clarkson wrote River Rose and the Magical Lullaby for her daughter, River Rose. The book is about the adventures of River Rose, a little girl who loves to sing. The night before a big trip to the zoo River Rose is so excited she can hardly wait! Then a bunch of balloons appears at her window to whisk her away on a magical adventure. This book is recommended for children ages 4-8 and is an engaging bedtime story. The book comes with a lullaby song by Kelly Clarkson as well, which is a nice touch.

today I feel silly by jamie lee curtisTODAY I FEEL SILLY & OTHER MOODS THAT MAKE MY DAY

Written by Jamie Lee Curtis

Illustrated by Laura Cornell

Jamie Lee Curtis is one of the authors I was truly surprised to find. In addition to being one of the most creative, she is the most prolific at twelve children’s books! Jamie Lee Curtis got her start in acting as the star of the original Halloween (1978). My favorite role of hers is True Lies (1994), where she plays the wife of Arnold Schwarzenegger who finds out that he is a secret spy. It’s a great 90’s era action/comedy.

Today I Feel Silly is about exploring kids every changing moods. Jamie Lee Curtis has a talent for writing that speaks to both children and adults. My favorite book of hers is When I Was Little: A Four-Year-Old’s Memoir of Her Youth. An old and wise four and a half-year-old looks back on her childhood. I think the title and premise of the book are hilarious.

Some other favorites include It’s Hard to Be Five: Learning How to Work My Control Panel, and Where Do Balloons Go? An Uplifting Mystery. I don’t know where the author gets her ideas from, but they are genius at capturing a child’s attention! Her books are typically recommended for children ages 4-8.

This post has turned into a celebrity gossip session and rambles about my favorite movies (did you know Jamie Lee Curtis is the daughter of Psycho actress Janet Leigh? And her dad is actor Tony Curtis; he was in Spartacus and Some Like It Hot with Marilyn Monroe!) So, I’ll wrap it up with one of my daughter’s favorite books, I’ve Loved You Since Forever, by Hoda Kotb.

i've loved you since foreverI’VE LOVEd YOU SINCE FOREVER

Written by Hoda Kotb

Illustrated by Suzie Mason

I remember when this book was published in early 2018. I had just had my baby and was still off on maternity leave. My morning routine consisted of sitting on the couch watching my daytime TV in between naps and feedings and such. I became a big fan of The Today Show with Kathie Lee and Hoda. Pre-baby, I just knew them as the ladies who drank wine in the morning, haha.

Hoda was promoting her new book, and I was immediately interested because the cover features a beautiful illustration of a mother fox and her baby gazing at the sky. I had decided before Ava was born that her favorite animal would be a fox, so I was interested in all things fox for her nursery. I thought this book would look great on her bookshelf with the beautiful fox cover!

I ended up getting the book, and when I finally read it I realized that in addition to a great cover, it had a beautiful story as well. The story was inspired by Hoda’s adoption of her baby girl in 2017. This is a great book for snuggling and bedtime. It is officially recommended for children ages 4-8, but my toddler has loved this book since she was a baby.

Celebrities and children’s books are a great combination. The celebrity’s main talent usually shines bright in creating a story for young readers. There are a bunch of other books written by celebrities I didn’t get a chance to read. If you enjoyed the above books , check out some other children’s books written by celebrities, there are many great ones out there!

For more great children’s book recommendations, check The Best Children’s Books by Comedians, which features another great combination: children and comedians!

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