Springsteen pens children's book

Bruce Springsteen is to release a children's book inspired by one of his songs.

The Boss will release Outlaw Pete on November 4. It features illustrations by writer and cartoonist Frank Caruso.

It is described by publishers Simon and Schuster as a book “about a bank-robbing baby whose exploits become a meditation on sin, fate, and free will.” The story is based on the song of the same name from Springsteen’s album Working on a Dream.

Caruso says: “When Bruce wrote Outlaw Pete he didn’t just write a great song, he created a great character. The first time I heard the song this book played out in my head.

“Like Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn, Dorothy Gale and for me, even Popeye, Outlaw Pete cuts deep into the folklore of our country and weaves its way into the fabric of great American literary characters.”

Jonathan Karp, president of Simon and Schuster, adds: “This book will be treasured by anyone who appreciates Bruce Springsteen’s unique gifts as a storyteller. Frank Caruso’s illustrations vibrantly capture the spirit of Springsteen’s work.”

Stef wrote close to 5,000 stories during his time as assistant online news editor and later as online news editor between 2014-2016. An accomplished reporter and journalist, Stef has written extensively for a number of UK newspapers and also played bass with UK rock favourites Logan. His favourite bands are Pixies and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Stef left the world of rock'n'roll news behind when he moved to his beloved Canada in 2016, but he started on his next 5000 stories in 2022.