Dolly Parton wanted to celebrate the “importance of family and friends” during the festive season with her new children’s book.
The country music icon has penned Billy the Kid Comes Home for Christmas, a standalone sequel to her bestselling picture book, Billy the Kid Makes It Big.
“I always love celebrating Christmas with my family and of course my god-dog @btkthefrenchie,” she wrote in an Instagram post announcing the new project. “Using my Comin’ Home for Christmas lyrics, I wanted to tell a story about the importance of family and friends, especially during the holidays.”
The heartwarming tale follows Billy the Kid, a French bulldog who gets the opportunity to perform at “Barkafeller Center” on Christmas Day. However, the pooch must choose between what matters most to him – fame or family.
“I hope this is a book families will be excited to read every year for Christmas,” the Jolene hitmaker added.
Billy the Kid Comes Home for Christmas, co-written by Erica S. Perl and illustrated by MacKenzie Haley, is now available for purchase.
And Francesco Sedita, president of Penguin Workshop, is excited for fans to read the story.
“Dolly is making sure that her beloved god-dog Billy will never have a Hard Candy Christmas. This book is pure holiday joy, and we hope that families will enjoy it for generations to come,” she smiled.
Dolly has written other children’s books, such as 1994’s Coat Of Many Colors and 2009’s I Am A Rainbow.
She has also donated over 254 million books to kids around the world via her Imagination Library organisation.
