Atria Books to Publish Russell Brand's New Children's Book

Posted on April 2, 2014

Russell Brand announced that he has written a collection of fairy stories and folk tales called Russell Brand's Trickster Tales. The first book is called The Pied Piper of Hamlet and will be published by Simon and Schuster imprint Atria in the fall of 2014. The book is illustrated by award-willing illustrator Chris Riddell. Russell talks about the project in this Youtube video and reads from the book:

"Once upon a time, long ago, in a time that seemed to those present exactly like now, except their teeth weren't so clean, and more things were wooden, there was a town called Hamelin," writes Brand as the story opens. Then, later: "The clock made its sixth chime. 'Now it's six,' said the glint-eyed piper. A rat that was eating his discarded ham sandwich looked up, fearfully. All the rats paused. The piper silently drew in a long breath through his long nose. The glint-eyed piper knew that each breath we take is borrowed. The glint-eyed piper knew that all things are connected, the clouds, the people, the rats, the pipe, the music. All things are connected by invisible threads. The people of the town didn't know that, for they only cared about things they could see and eat and get prizes for."

He explains that he wants to take the classic stories and give them a bit of an update. Russell says that you can change the way children think and that's what he aims to do. Chris Riddell said in a statement, "Russell's voice is unique -- funny, wise and engaging ... And there will be rats, lots and lots of rats!"

This looks really entertaining and we love Chris Riddell. Take a look: