“It’s never too early for some holiday cheer!” Dolly Parton exclaimed as she announced details about her Christmas-themed children’s book on Wednesday (April 10).
Billy the Kid Comes Home for Christmas is set to release later this year The book serves as a standalone sequel to the country music legend’s previous book, Billy the Kid Makes It Big. The upcoming sequel will tell a “hilarious and heart-warming tale about the true meaning of Christmas,” featuring Parton’s god-dog. It’s all inspired by her holiday song, “Comin’ Home for Christmas,” per a press release issued Wednesday morning. The story follows French bulldog Billy the Kid, who is a performer based in Nashville and must choose between family and fame when he’s scheduled for a show at Barkafeller Center on Christmas Day.
“I always love celebrating Christmas with my family and of course my god-dog Billy,” Parton said in a statement in the press release. “Since he’s a big star now, he deserves his own holiday special! Using my ‘Comin’ Home for Christmas’ lyrics, I wanted to tell a story about the importance of family and friends, especially during the holidays. I hope this is a book families will be excited to read every year for Christmas.”
Billy the Kid Comes Home for Christmas will make its debut on October 1. See Parton’s announcement about the children's picture book, featuring illustrations by MacKenzie Haley, here: