Actor and singer Phillipa Soo will make her literary debut with a new picture book.
Random House Studio will publish Piper Chen Sings, written by Soo and Maris Pasquale Doran and illustrated by Qin Leng, next year, the press announced in a news release. It describes the children’s book as “a cheerful intergenerational and stunning story that inspires confidence in the face of nervousness.”
Soo became a star in the theater world after starring as Eliza Hamilton in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s blockbuster Broadway musical Hamilton; she was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance. She has since starred in the title role of the musical Amélie and as Cinderella in Into the Woods.
Her book follows a young girl with a love for singing who is asked to perform at her school’s concert. She’s afflicted with a bout of nervousness before the show, and asks her grandmother for help easing her jitters.
“This book comes straight from the heart and is inspired by my own life and experiences—a little girl who loves to sing, but is overwhelmed with nervousness about singing in front of others,” Soo said in a statement. “Piper Chen Sings is our first book, and Maris and I are so proud to share this heartwarming story with the world. I hope Piper gives comfort to readers who may be navigating their own complicated feelings and inspires them to pursue the things in life that give them joy.”
Piper Chen Sings is slated for publication on April 2, 2024.
Michael Schaub, a journalist and regular contributor to NPR, lives near Austin, Texas.
