Jack White’s Children’s Book Is Out Today

About the author: it’s Jack White. And it’s reasonable to assume that The White Stripes have been and will be defunct, but are still celebrating 20 years as a band with a hell of a children’s book—literally, as the colors of We’re Going to Be Friends are red, black and white in a classic Stripes conception. If you had a chance to check out our sneak preview of the book and accompanying video that slowly and eerily scrolls through its text, you already know that the publisher is Third Man Books, a division of White’s Third Man Records, and that Suzy Lee comes to life as a character thanks to illustrator Elinor Blake. Suzy Lee climbs the fence, books and pens, and most importantly, finds friends.

Though it’s Blake’s first children’s book, she’s worked with and animated for the likes of Ralph Bakshi, Quentin Tarantino, John Kricfalusi, Coke and Crest Toothpaste. She was first hired at age 18 for Disney’s Pee-wee’s Playhouse—oh, and her alter ego is singer-songwriter April March. Every copy of We’re Going to Be Friends also includes a download of April March’s cover of the song as well as the original, and one by The Woodstation Elementary School Singers.

If it’s hard for you to picture Jack White and his charmingly spooky smile in an elementary school—watch the video below. It’s a White Stripes performance at Freeman’s Bay Primary School in 2003. You can order your copy of White’s book here.