‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’: Guns N’ Roses to release new children’s picture book

Axl Rose, lead singer of band Guns N´ Roses, performs during the Vive Latino 2020 festival at the Foro Sol in Mexico City, on March 14, 2020. The festival was carried out with extreme health measures to avoid the spread of the coronavirus. Image: AFP/Alejandro Melendez via AFP Relaxnews

Guns N’ Roses have recently rescheduled their touring dates in Central and South America in reaction to the global COVID-19 pandemic. But while Axl Rose and his bandmates will not be performing on stage anytime soon, the band will release their first children’s book on Sept. 1 via Jimmy Patterson Books.

“Sweet Child O’Mine” is inspired by the adventures of Maya and Natalia Rose, daughter and niece of Guns N’ Roses longtime manager Fernando Lebeis, who both grew up touring with the band.

“My sister and I have been lucky to be able to watch our daughters, Maya and Natalia Rose, grow up while touring with the guys. We ourselves have been part of the ‘Guns family’ for over 30 years… being able to bring this into a children’s print book is truly special and a fun milestone in our lives,” Lebeis said in a statement.

The children’s book was penned with the help of American novelist James Patterson, who reimagined the band’s 1987 hit “Sweet Child O’Mine” for the narrative.

The 73-year-old author unveiled on Instagram the book’s cover by illustrator Jennifer Zivoin, who is best known for her work on the “Pirate School” series and the “Lily” series.

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“As a longtime fan of Guns N’ Roses, I’m thrilled to partner with the band in bringing their famed hit song to life on the page. ‘Sweet Child O’Mine’ is a story that I know kids will love reading and that parents will love singing along to,” Patterson shared in a press statement.

Bands releasing books

Gun N’ Roses are not the only musical act venturing into the book industry, as tours and concerts have been canceled or postponed in response to the global health crisis.

Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats announced in April that their latest EP, “Unlocked”, will be adapted into a comic book.

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The comic book, due on June 26, will feature original artwork from Sam Hochman, Joey Prosser, Forrest Whaley, Justin Johnson, Chaz Bottoms, Malik Bolton, Rachel Headlam, Borboev Shakhnazer and Asekov Tilek.

“I always wanted artwork to accompany the film and the album. It just made sense. On ‘Imperial,’ we put out a zine with unreleased photos from the album cover shoot and previous tour run. With ‘Unlocked’ I wanted to do another booklet, It just made sense to turn it into a comic,” Denzel said of the project in a statement. JB

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