Terry Crews, the actor, television host, and former NFL player who has lived in Pasadena for years, will sign copies of his debut picture book at Vroman’s Bookstore at noon Thursday, two days after its national release.
The book, “Terry’s Many Hats,” 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. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers published the 40-page hardcover on April 7, priced at $18.99, with illustrations by New York-based artist Tanisha Cherislin. Crews, who entered college on an art scholarship before playing six seasons in the NFL and then building careers in acting and television, has called the story autobiographical.
“It’s about a kid who has always been told he can only be one thing, and do one thing,” Crews said on X in March. “Terry’s just the kid to prove that his dreams, and his hats, are limitless!”
On the TODAY show Sunday, Crews said the book carries a message for young readers. “This is a message a lot of kids need to know,” he said. “You can do more than you ever thought you could. Go for things because you love them.”
Crews, 57, was born in Flint, Michigan, and attended Western Michigan University on an art scholarship before earning a full athletic scholarship to play football. The Los Angeles Rams drafted him in the 11th round in 1991, and he played for the Rams, San Diego Chargers, Washington Redskins, and Philadelphia Eagles over six seasons. After retiring in 1997, he moved to Los Angeles and built an acting career that included roles on “Everybody Hates Chris” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.” He has hosted “America’s Got Talent” since 2019. The show’s live episodes are filmed at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, and Crews will return as host for Season 21, which premieres June 2 on NBC.
His late mother shaped his sense of creative ambition, Crews has said. “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 said, according to a Los Angeles Today report. “And that has colored everything that I’ve ever done.”
“Terry’s Many Hats” is Crews’s debut picture book. His first children’s book was the graphic novel “Terry’s Crew,” also published by Little, Brown. Publisher’s Weekly called “Terry’s Many Hats” 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 is Southern California’s oldest and largest independent bookstore, according to the store. It hosts more than 400 community events a year.
The signing is a ticketed event. Tickets are available through Eventbrite and include a copy of the book. The event is a signing and photo opportunity only; there will be no conversation portion, according to the Vroman’s event listing. Memorabilia will not be signed. Attendees will be asked to queue inside and outside the store. For questions, email promo@vromansbookstore.com or call (626) 449-5320.
“This is a message a lot of kids need to know,” Crews said. “Go for things because you love them.”
