Terry Crews went to college on an art scholarship, played six seasons in the NFL, built an acting career across film and television, and has hosted “America’s Got Talent” since 2019. On Thursday he will sit down at Vroman’s Bookstore and sign copies of a picture book that tells kids they can do the same thing — be more than one thing.
“Terry’s Many Hats,” Crews’s debut picture book, follows a kid named Terry who wears a football helmet, a beret, a chef’s hat, and a sparkly top hat and refuses to choose just one, according to the publisher’s description. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers published the 40-page hardcover on April 7. It is priced at $18.99.
Crews, a Pasadena resident who purchased a home in the city in 2022, according to published reports, has lived in and around the area since moving to Los Angeles after his NFL career. The Los Angeles Rams drafted him in 1991. He went on to play for the San Diego Chargers and the Washington Redskins before retiring in 1997.
He played Julius Rock on “Everybody Hates Chris” from 2005 to 2009 and Terry Jeffords on “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” from 2013 to 2021. He will return as host of “America’s Got Talent” for the show’s 21st season this summer, according to NBC. During his football years, he supplemented his income by painting portraits of fellow players and producing NFL-licensed lithographs.
“I am SO excited to let you guys know that my first ever picture book, Terry’s Many Hats, is coming your way April 7th!” Crews said on X in March. “It’s about a kid who has always been told he can only be one thing, and do one thing. Terry’s just the kid to prove that his dreams, and his hats, are limitless!”
The book is illustrated by New York-based artist Tanisha Cherislin. Publisher’s Weekly called it an “optimistic reminder that identity and interest needn’t be singular,” according to the publisher’s listing.
Vroman’s, at 695 E. Colorado Blvd., was founded in 1894 and has hosted authors from Ray Bradbury to Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, according to the bookstore. The store hosts more than 400 community events a year.
The signing begins at noon. The event is a signing only with a photo opportunity; there will be no conversation portion, according to the Vroman’s event listing. Tickets are available through Eventbrite in three tiers: single admission, parent-and-child admission, and family admission for up to two parents and three children. Each ticket includes a copy of the book, handed out at check-in. Additional copies purchased at Vroman’s will also be eligible for signing. Attendees will be asked to queue inside and outside the store. Those needing accommodations can email promo@vromansbookstore.com. The Vroman’s phone number is (626) 449-5320.
“My mother always told me, before she passed, she said, ‘Terry, never forget you’re an artist. Number one. Before everything, you’re an artist,'” Crews told NPR in 2024. “And that has colored everything that I’ve ever done.”
TERRY CREWS SIGNS “TERRY’S MANY HATS” — VROMAN’S BOOKSTORE Date & Time: Thursday, April 9, 2026, 12:00 pm. Venue/Sponsor Address: 695 E. Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91101-2116 Vroman’s Bookstore. Venue/Sponsor Phone Number: (626) 449-5320 Yelp. Venue/Sponsor Website: https://vromansbookstore.com/event/2026-04-09/terry-crews
