ROCK ’N’ ROLL LEGEND AND BESTSELLING AUTHOR KEITH RICHARDS TO PUBLISH PICTURE BOOK FOR CHILDREN IN COLLABORATION WITH ARTIST DAUGHTER THEODORA RICHARDS

Gus & Me: The Story of My Granddad and My First Guitar

Publication Date for Print and Digital is September 9, 2014

New York, NY [March 11, 2014] — Megan Tingley, Executive Vice President and Publisher, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, announced today the upcoming picture book publication of Gus & Me: The Story of My Granddad and My First Guitar from world-renowned Rolling Stones rock star Keith Richards, with illustrations by his artist daughter, Theodora Richards. Inspired by a childhood experience shared in Richards’s New York Times bestselling memoir, Life, the story was written with Barnaby Harris and Bill Shapiro and will simultaneously release in hardcover and ebook on September 9, 2014, with the hardcover edition including an exclusive audio CD featuring bonus book content. The author and artist were represented in the deal by Richards’s manager, Jane Rose, and Ed Victor Ltd.

Long before there was a band, there was a boy: a young Keith Richards, who was introduced to the joy of music through his beloved granddad, Theodore Augustus Dupree, affectionately known as “Gus,” who was in a jazz big band and is the namesake of Keith’s daughter, Theodora Dupree Richards. Gus & Me offers a rare and intimate look into the childhood of the legendary Keith Richards through this poignant and inspiring story that is lovingly illustrated with Theodora Richards’s exquisite pen-and-ink collages. This unique autobiographical picture book honors the special bond between a grandfather and grandson and celebrates the artistic talents of the Richards family through the generations. It will also include selected photographs from the Richards family collection.

“I have just become a grandfather for the fifth time, so I know what I’m talking about,” says Keith Richards. “The bond, the special bond, between kids and grandparents is unique and should be treasured. This is a story of one of those magical moments. May I be as great a grandfather as Gus was to me.”

“When I found out they wanted me to be a part of this project, my immediate instinct was to say yes, and I am so happy I did,” comments Theodora. “To be able to explore my father’s relationship with his grandfather was a gift in itself. The things that I’ve learnt during this whole process have just been life affirming.”

Megan Tingley remarks, “Who wouldn’t welcome the opportunity to meet Keith Richards as a young boy? Gus & Me invites readers to be in the room at the electrifying moment that Keith holds a guitar in his hands for the first time. We are excited to be bringing this vivid and moving story to children and families and proud to be publishing the debut of talented artist Theodora Richards.”

The world English rights acquisition was made by Megan Tingley, who will also edit the book. It will also be published simultaneously in the UK by Orion Children’s Books, an imprint of The Orion Publishing Group, a division of Hachette UK. Fiona Kennedy, Managing Director and Publisher, Orion Children’s Books, adds, “I can only echo Megan’s words and say how much we are looking forward to publishing Gus & Me, an amazing father-daughter collaboration that has produced an utterly charming and beguiling book, which will become a family favourite.”

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-09-03 22:17 by bv.

Never judge a book by the cover?

well this oughta be good..

gotta love Gus Dupree. I want to see more pics of him..

Here´s the cover of the book:

How lovely!! Such honesty and vulnerability pouring out of his heart as he sits with a host of grand children, by a fireplace with a guitar in hand and narrates tales of yore.....I am all verklempt

This is great. I love it. Thanks for posting

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Keep On Rolling

Dear Keith

This might be a bad idea. Do not publish a children's book at this time.

Your friend
Munichhilton

he's flubbing that chord though.

Hopefully he won't be advising the kiddies on how to show the blade and shoot out the lights in buildings.

Very cool!!!

I like the cover..

How sweet! Love that he is doing this with his Grandfather's namesake. Keith seems to really cherish his children and grandchildren.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-03-11 18:45 by latebloomer.

Theodora was not allowed by Keith to draw the big ears of her father !

I loved to hear more about Keith and Gus, so cute.


Unfortunately that drawing is pretty bad. It looks like something a 7th grader would do. She's got shadow at the top and bottom of the guitar and his right arm is out of proportion.

Nice that she wanted to be involved, but I think they should have gotten someone who can draw a lot better than this. I like the frame though. She did a good job on that.

Wasn't looking too good, but I was feeling real well.

Quote
CindyC
I loved to hear more about Keith and Gus, so cute.


Unfortunately that drawing is pretty bad. It looks like something a 7th grader would do. She's got shadow at the top and bottom of the guitar and his right arm is out of proportion.

Nice that she wanted to be involved, but I think they should have gotten someone who can draw a lot better than this. I like the frame though. She did a good job on that.

Isn't that Keith as a boy?? Is the picture not demonic enough?? It's a kids book. I can't wait to add this and hopefully use it when I have grandkids!!

Fantastic! I'll pick that one up as soon as it is available at my public library

Please do NOT make silly or stupid comments here. It takes time for me to delete them, and I will. Thank you.

PS. It will delay other tasks I must do now...

Bjornulf

Can't wait to buy it. Good on ya Keith for encouraging reading! I love the fact that it's a children's book.

Quote
Maindefender
Isn't that Keith as a boy?? Is the picture not demonic enough?? It's a kids book. I can't wait to add this and hopefully use it when I have grandkids!!

Yes - it is supposed to be Keith as a boy. It's just not done very well. I wasn't suggesting that they should use an adult photo of Keith.

I think it's more important that the artist is a family member (and Gus's namesake), really, and I think she's captured his face quite well. Anyway, I think this book is a lovely idea.

Yahwah. Keef just moved me again

You rule baby

\m/

Beautiful cover....

I'll buy this...

In Dutch for my friends...you probably will find a article in your own language........

Gepubliceerd:
Laatste update: 11 maart 2014 16:58
11 maart 2014 17:40
Keith Richards schrijft kinderboek met dochter

The Rolling Stones-gitarist Keith Richards brengt een kinderboek uit. De tekeningen in Gus & Me: The Story of My Granddad and My First Guitar zijn van de hand van zijn dochter Theodora.

Foto: AFP



Het boek gaat over de speciale band die Richards met zijn opa Gus Dupree had. Het was Dupree, een bekwame jazzgitarist, die Richards als kleine jongen kennis liet maken met de gitaar.
"Ik ben net zelf voor de vijfde keer opa geworden, dus ik weet waar ik het over heb", zegt de 70-jarige Richards in een persbericht. "Die speciale band tussen grootouder en kleinkind is uniek en moet worden gekoesterd. Dit verhaal gaat over een van die magische momenten. Moge ik net zo'n goede opa worden als Gus voor mij was."
Voor de 28-jarige Theodora was het ook een unieke ervaring. "Het was een cadeau op zich dat ik de relatie tussen Keith en zijn opa kon ontdekken."
Het boek komt op 9 september uit.

__________________________

I just pre-ordered on Amazon.

The Rolling Stones twitter page has the link. Hardback is only like $14.xx.

Cool

Who cares

Quote
champ72
Who cares

I love Keith's new jovial family-life image (after his affair with his father's ashes)

Did Mick Jagger ever met Gus? I am trying to imagine the 2 4year old GlimmerTwins playing in the sandbox, looking up at a jovial old Gus.
Rock and roll,
Mops

I really do think it's a great idea for a book. Guitar is very popular with youngsters now and their parents and Grandparents will love buying something for them that was part of their cultural zeitgeist. If Madonna can write a kids book, then Keith certainly can and his will be a lot more fun.

Some of the comments here are funny...

[artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com]

Exile on Sesame Street

Street fightin Grandpa!