Today Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education and media company, announced that they will publish an illustrated poetry book for children by celebrity entertainer Nick in March 2015.
“Neon Aliens Ate My Homework and Other Poems” will cover a diverse range of kid-friendly topics including funny, silly, gross, heartwarming, as well as serious poems, and will also include a number of illustrations created by Cannon himself. Additionally, the book for kids ages 7 and up will feature black-and-white illustrations by acclaimed street artists whose works have been shown around the world including Art Mobb (aka Michael Farhat), Califawnia (aka Fawn Arthur), Captain Kris (aka Kristian Douglas), Morf (aka Jack Fish), Queen Andrea (aka Andrea von Bujdoss), MAST, and Mike P.
The publishing deal was developed by D. Christopher Jennings and Robert Caruso, founders of Impact Republic, Nick Cannon’s Ncredible Entertainment, and Debra Dorfman, Vice President and Publisher, Scholastic.
The inspiration for the book came from Cannon’s desire to combine the worlds of poetry and hip-hop—two major influences that have shaped him into the prolific artist he is today. Cannon explains, “Writing is at the center of everything I do as an artist. Doing creative writing—especially writing poetry—is when I felt the calmest and freest. As a kid, it was my escape from the inner-city pitfalls. The first important writer in my life was Shel Silverstein—he made me fall in love with writing and seeing his whimsical sketches got me interested in art. When I was eight years old, I got a spiral notebook and wrote my first poem/rap. I filled that notebook with poems, rhymes, jokes, and witty stories. I still keep one to this day. I hope that the poems in Neon Aliens will help inspire kids to want to get out a pen and paper to write or draw their own thoughts, rhymes, and stories.”
This fall, Scholastic also will publish Cannon’s previously announced book, “Roc and Roe’s Twelve Days of Christmas,” a delightful and festive picture book featuring his twins Roc (Moroccan) and Roe (Monroe), illustrated by AG Ford to be released this November.
Source: PR Newswire
