If you love Dolly Parton, dogs, and your kids (in that order) then we have good news for you. The country icon is releasing a children’s book and it’s all about her god dog and social media influencer Billy the Kid, also known as @btkthefrenchie.
Aimed at readers ages four to seven, the picture book follows the story of Billy the Kid, a dog who loves to bark to the beat of country music and wants to make it big in Nashville as a country star (gets you that familiar?). Dolly Parton’s Billy the Kid Makes it Big ($20), illustrated by MacKenzie Haley, follows the singer’s two other children’s books, Coat of Many Colors (1994) and I Am A Rainbow (2009).
“I’m so proud to bring this book and the message it conveys to life,” Parton said in a statement Persons. In the book, when Billy the Kid encounters bullies in the “Battle of the Bowwows,” he must call upon his favorite songs and the help of new friends to regain his confidence and become the star he always knew he was could . “Years ago I wrote a song ‘Makin’ Fun Ain’t Funny’ for my kids’ album I believe in you,” Parton continued. “I wanted kids to understand how damaging bullying can be to someone.”
In real life, the French bulldog is owned by Parton’s manager Danny Nozell, who says the two (Parton and Billy) are inseparable. In 2020, Nozell told People that when Parton and Billy first met, they formed a “bond that can’t be broken.”
A lifelong pet lover, Parton made his debut Puppy Parton last summer a range of dog clothing, accessories and toys. Billy the Kid is of course the face of the collection.
“When I launched the Doggy Parton line of pet products earlier this year, my god dog Billy became the star of the show. Now that he’s a huge star, I knew a story with him at the center could help convey important messages in a unique way,” she adds. “I hope this is the first of many books starring Billy.”
The book will be published on April 25, 2023 at penguin workshop.
Image Sources: Courtesy of PENGUIN YOUNG READERS and Getty Images/NBC