Weird Al Yankovic Hits NYT Children’s Picture Books Best Sellers List

By Maryann Yin 

Parody musician Weird Al Yankovic has written a New York Times bestseller. His debut children’s book, When I Grow Up, hit the number four spot last week on The New York Times Children’s Picture Books Best Sellers list. This week, it occupies the number nine spot.

The video embedded above features an excerpt read by Weird Al. The book (dedicated to his daughter Nina) stars Billy, an 8-year old boy who contemplates careers ranging from gourmet chef to gorilla masseuse. Wes Hargis illustrated the book.

Before the release, Weird Al talked about the book with CNN: “One of the reasons I was inspired to write this book was because my career path was sort of circuitous. I went to college and got a degree in architecture, because when I was 12 years old I had a guidance counselor talk me out of my dream of being a cartoonist for MAD Magazine.”