Many famous people write books for kids. Here are three from last year that were written by an actress, a talk show host, and a pair of political figures.

The World Need More Purple People by Kristen Bell

Actress Kristen Bell’s book is about a girl named Penny who encourages the idea of not being one thing, and trying new things, by being a purple person. Being purple means you are curious or laugh a lot. Purple people are positive while learning. They bring their family, friends, and communities together, and they speak up for what’s right. They are kind and hardworking. Kids can refer back to the book if they have forgotten something, which helps to take a little pressure off kids who feel like they need to know it all once they have read the book.

Grandma’s Gardens by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Chelsea Clinton

Hillary Clinton was a former Senator, Secretary of State, and First Lady. The story is based on Hillary Clinton’s mother and Chelsea Clinton’s grandmother, Dorothy, and her garden. We learn about the garden and how as a child Chelsea learns about food by working in the garden and eating what is grown. The Clintons hope to pass this story down in their family. It’s neat that both women shared the reading of their family history. The story has nothing to do with being in a famous family, just a simple story about the generational connections.

The Serious Goose by Jimmy Kimmel

This book written and illustrated by talk show host Jimmy Kimmel was checked out, so I found a video where Kimmel reads his book to his own children, filmed on a hidden camera and played on his TV show. He is fairly serious in the video although the story is pretty silly. It is about a goose that tries to stay serious but eventually gets a silly smile on his own face. Kimmel’s daughter asks what the word “zilch” means. She teaches him the proper way to say “ha!” I wonder if he was expecting these reactions from his own children.