Author Nikki Shannon Smith and author-illustrator Don Tate, both members of the Brown Bookshelf team, created a new book! “Prince: A Little Golden Book Biography” (Random House Children’s Books) chronicles the life of the iconic musician Prince and highlights his boundary-breaking artistry, fearless self-expression, and enduring influence on music, fashion, and culture. It is part of the Little Golden Book Biographies series.
On January 6, 2026, Nikki and Don launched their book at The Avid Reader Bookstore in Davis, California, Smith’s hometown. And the “Purple Party” was a huge hit! Nikki and Don discussed the process for writing and illustrating the book, Prince’s work ethic, and extensive music catalogue.
“I hope young readers will take away that they should be their authentic selves, pursue their dreams through hard work and dedication, and speak up and advocate for themselves and others,” Nikki says.
“I certainly related to some of the challenges Prince faced as a child,” Don says. “My parents also split up when I was young. But, like Prince, I poured my anxieties into creating art.”
The reception to the book has been a wonderful success. “When we started promoting the book, Prince fans across the world got excited, and people shared memories about concerts they attended, favorite songs, and even butting heads with strict parents over Prince music! As the release date approached and arrived, there was wonderful social media buzz with people tagging us about their preorders and the arrival of their books. One person even created a Prince-themed baby gift for her friend’s baby, including the book. We heard from a teacher who had integrated a photo of Prince into her technology lesson and was adding the book to her classroom.”
In addition to the book, readers can download free coloring pages from Don’s website.
The Avid Reader Launch:
On January, 13th, Don celebrated the book with young readers—along with an audience of enthusiastic Prince fans—at Book People in Austin. It was Prince music, reading, and a lot of, um, dancing by Don.
Book People Launch:
In the news:
The Avid Reader Launch on TikTok.
Nikki and Don in conversation with Tom Nixon on “The Book Flood” Podcast.
Don Tate in conversation with John Masiulionis from the “PR From The Heart” podcast.
This looks like such a fun event! I love that so many people in the audience were wearing purple! Little Golden Books are such fun, and I’ve been intrigued by the pop culture biographies they’ve been publishing.