Emme Muñiz, the daughter of singers and actors Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, is publishing her first book—at 12 years old.
Random House Children’s Books will release Lord Help Me this fall. The picture book, illustrated by Brenda Figueroa, “walks readers through ordinary moments when Emme asks God for help—some small, like waking up for school or getting along with a sibling, and others big, like helping to save the planet and all its creatures,” the publisher said in a news release.
Emme was inspired to write the book because of her love of sloths. “In school I learned about sloths and how they’re facing extinction so I began to pray for them in my nightly prayers,” the tween said. “I wrote this book to help raise money to save sloths while also teaching other children how we can pray and ask for help, two things that bring me a lot of comfort.”
Emme’s folks could barely contain their joy at the news. On Twitter, Lopez said she was “so proud of my lil coconut,” while Anthony struck a similar chord, writing, “So proud of my beautiful Emme. You make daddy sooooooo proud.”
So proud of my lil coconut 🥥 Emme, as she shares her own daily prayers in her very first book LORD HELP ME! This book will offer families a way to embrace the peace power of everyday faith. It’s not out until 9/29, but you can pre order at https://t.co/beOmL6dk9M📖✨#ProudMama pic.twitter.com/A5JJCEgCwy
— jlo (@JLo) May 13, 2020
How do you go from this.... To this... To This!!!! So proud of my beautiful Emme. You make daddy sooooooo proud. I already ordered mine...
— Marc Anthony (@MarcAnthony) May 13, 2020
Check the link here 👉👉👉 https://t.co/RXzLaH0a1l pic.twitter.com/akWyzV8899
This isn’t Emme’s first time in the spotlight; she’s performed with her mother at the Super Bowl halftime show and in concert before. But she’s still, she’s still Emme from the block—Random House says that she “enjoys singing, cross-country running, and all forms of art,” and “loves to spend time with her friends and family, especially her dog Lady.”
Lord Help Me is scheduled for publication on Sept. 29.
Michael Schaub is a Texas-based journalist and regular contributor to NPR.