Children's Books by Famous People Quiz

Answer: Bette Midler

Starting in 2018, a mandarin duck was seen in a pond in Central Park in New York. This created quite a stir in the media as the duck is native to East Asia. In 2021, Bette Midler, an accomplished singer and actress, wrote a book about it.

In "The Tale of the Mandarin Duck", Midler tells the tale of the bird that enchanted a city and made people stop and look at nature and themselves again. Beautiful photos of the actual location and bird accompany the prose. Midler, in an interview with NPR, said that the moral of the story is that we are ALL rare and beautiful birds and are worthy of a spotlight.

Answer: LeBron James

LeBron James, a professional American basketball player, opened an I Promise school in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. The school, started in 2018, is for at-risk children who were labeled "worst performers in the Akron school system".

James continues this message of helping others with his book, also named "I Promise". The beautifully illustrated book (drawings by Nina Mata) covers different promises children can make and how it is important to follow through. For example, "I promise to be strong and humble with both wins and defeats" reminds children not to gloat or bully when winning a competition. James, in an interview with NPR, looks back at his own childhood and says that writing the book is to show children they can do anything if they promise others, and themselves, to do hard work and follow through with commitments.

Answer: Julie Andrews Edwards

Julie Andrews Edwards is a star of both music and film ("Sound of Music" and "Mary Poppins" for example). She has also written several books including "The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles".

The book focuses on three children who befriend an eccentric professor. He shows them the power of imagination and concentration. Through these skills, they are able to enter a magic land called Whangdoodleland where creatures live who were once considered imaginary in the "real" world. The siblings meet different characters and must use their minds to get to the ultimate prize, the last Whangdoodle.

The theme of the book is to show children that it is important to use imagination, perseverance, and attentiveness. These are skills that should not be lost as one grows into adulthood.

Answer: Barack Obama

Barack Obama, former President of the United States, has written several books, including this lovely letter to his two daughters.

Obama chooses thirteen Americans and how they have shaped history with their skills. Artist Loren Long added illustrations for each example. The book is framed as a letter with each double-page spread asking a question such as "Have I told you that you are creative?". Then an historical person is introduced. In the case of creativity, it is Georgia O'Keefe. Other people highlighted include George Washington, Helen Keller, and Sitting Bull.

The book not only highlights how each person in a family is special in their own way, but serves as a painless history lesson with an addendum that tells a little more of each famous person.

Answer: Kristi Yamaguchi

Kristi Yamaguchi, Olympic figure skater champion, wrote this children's book in 2011 to teach children and parents to never give up on dreams.

In the book, Poppy is a "pot-bellied" pig who dreams of being things like a ballerina, a singer, or a supermodel. For each venture, her parents encourage her to "follow her dream". She is sometimes told she is not good enough by others or she fails at auditions. But she does not let failure get her down. Finally, when she tries ice skating she realizes her goal. Her happiness shines through and the crowds love this "imperfect" star.

Answer: Jamie Lee Curtis

Jamie Lee Curtis, accomplished actor and producer, wrote a book in 2000 about a little girl asking her parents to re-tell the story of the night she was born.

Many children love to hear the tale of when they were born and how people reacted. In this case, Curtis showcases a young girl who was adopted. The girl in the story has heard the recitation many times, but still asks "Tell me again how the phone rang in the night and you knew I was born and how happy you screamed!". The book speaks to the excitement of a new family member, the love of a cherished family, and the power of the adoption process.

Answer: Julianne Moore

Julianne Moore, Academy award winning actress, had the nickname of "Freckleface Strawberry" growing up, due to her coloring. She turned this into a children's book with the accompanying title.

The little girl in the book is horrified that she has red hair and is covered with freckles. She tries to scrub them away, cover them up, and wish them away. Finally, she learns to live with them. This is because she realizes the thing that makes people different is what makes them a unique individual. Moore's delightful character shows people that everyone is a little different and the popular tale has been turned into a series of children's books.

Answer: Spike Lee

Spike Lee, famous director and producer, joined up with his wife to create a book about the joys and challenges of bringing up a baby.

Lee and his wife Tonya (who is also a producer) have two children. This book, as many parents will recognize, is the story of exhausted pleading with a baby. The tired parents' refrain is heard from "Please, baby, please...go to sleep" to meals and to bath time. Cute illustrations throughout sometimes show the view from the baby's eye level. At the end, as the family embraces and feels the love, the message shines through that, tiring as it all is, the journey is well worth the lost sleep.

Answer: Kelly Clarkson

Kelly Clarkson, singer and television personality, has a little girl named River Rose and has written several books featuring a character based on her daughter.

"River Rose and the Magical Lullaby" is about a little girl who is excited about going to the zoo the next day. To calm her down at night, her mother sings her a lullaby. After River Rose drifts off, she "dreams" of a magical balloon that takes her to the zoo. There she meets and plays with a variety of fun animals. The charming rhymes and pretty pictures add to the story. At the end, the little girl realizes that, although adventures are fun, home is still the best place.

Clarkson also includes a link in the book where a reader can listen to the lullaby sung by Kelly herself.

Answer: Channing Tatum

Channing Tatum, actor and dancer, is also a father of a little girl. In 2021, he wrote a book about the love between a father and daughter and the power of being true to one's self.

In the book, a little girl named Ella loves sparkles. She puts shiny sparkles on everything, including edible sprinkles on her sandwiches. She is very excited about her first day at a new school. However, the other children are not as fond of her sparkly backpack and "disco ball shoes". In sharing the disappointment with her father, she is told by him to always cherish what is deep inside and that being herself is the best course of action.