Terry's Crew by Terry Crews and Cory Thomas
What's It About?
Young Terry Crews has a Big Dream Plan: He wants to become a “multihyphenate.” That means he wants to be an artist. And a football player. And a musician. And maybe a NASA scientist, too.Terry Crews can be described in a lot of ways: author, action-movie hero, sitcom star, TV host, children’s book illustrator, advertising pitchman, playable video game character, high-end furniture designer and human rights activist. Now he digs into his childhood in Flint, MI, to tell a story of fitting in and finding your place in his debut middle-grade graphic novel, Terry’s Crew (Little, Brown), written along with Cory Thomas.
In the book, which is the start of a series, young Terry Crews has a Big Dream Plan: He wants to become a “multihyphenate.” That means he wants to be an artist. And a football player. And a musician. And maybe a NASA scientist, too.
Maybe it’s ambitious, but his parents worked hard so he could go to a new school — Rock City Academy, a prestigious institution (read: rich kids go there) where he’s sure he can make his mark at the talent show. He plans an elaborate performance with his new friends, Rani, a passionate engineer, and Xander, a shy kid with a head like an encyclopedia.
Along the way, Terry’s plan is threatened by his grades, which slip below Mom-and-Dad-approved levels, as well as the schemes of the school’s football star, Rick, who won’t stop until Terry quits the talent show altogether. No matter what challenges he faces, though, Terry knows that he always has his crew to back him up.
“Terry’s Crew is a true delight from beginning to end. It’s sure to provide a much-needed mirror and sliding glass door for countless kids,” says Angie Thomas, author of The Hate U Give.
Pablo Cartaya, author of The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora, calls the book “a must-read for all those kids who allow themselves to dream in a variety of big ways. Bravo!”
About Terry Crews:
Terry Crews can be described in a lot of ways: author, action-movie hero, sitcom star, TV host, children’s book illustrator, advertising pitchman, playable video game character, high-end furniture designer, and human rights activist. Crews is best known for his breakout roles on Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Everybody Hates Chris, hosting America’s Got Talent, and voicing animated films Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 and The Willoughby’s. Terry’s Crew is his debut middle-grade graphic novel. He invites you to visit him on Instagram and Twitter.
About Cory Thomas:
Cory Thomas is a Trinidad-born illustrator, writer, and interesting man. In 2005, he began the newspaper comic strip Watch Your Head, and in 2013 began his journey into children’s literature. Cory now lives in Atlanta, GA with his wife, Netflix and too many hats. He invites you to visit him at his website.
