'Weird Al' Yankovic tours Naperville promoting children's book

If “Weird Al” Yankovic can ditch his architecture degree and grow up to be, well, weird, he wants children to know they, too, can be whatever they dream to be.

The curley-haired accordion player who has made a living filling 12 and soon to be 13 albums with parodies of pop songs, made several stops in Naperville Friday to promote his first children's book.

Along with stops at Anderson's Bookshop and Meiley-Swallow Hall at North Central College, Yankovic stopped by Brookdale Elementary School to read “When I Grow Up,” which debuted at No. 4 on The New York Times best-seller list on Feb. 1.

In the picture book about career options, Yankovic weaves virtuoso wordplay and irresistible rhythm into what he calls a “really sweet story.”

“Usually my audience is a little more multigenerational but this is fun. I'm not used to speaking exclusively to elementary school students,” said the three-time Grammy winner and seller of more comedy recordings than anyone in history. “I remember what it's like going to assemblies when I was that age and I'm hoping my appearances are a little more exciting than I remember them being.”

Yankovic fielded questions from several students during which he revealed he admires the first “brave” person to ever drink milk. His favorite authors are Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein. He was once an accordion teacher and accordion repo man and he's happiest just being “Weird Al.”

“My father used to tell me that the true sign of success in life is being able to do for a living that which makes you happy,” he said. “Being ‘Weird Al' is kinda fun. I've enjoyed that quite a lot.”

He's taken to this new gig writing children's books, though, and he hopes “When I Grow Up” is the first of many.

“I think I've always reached kids my own way. My humor appeals to kids even though it's not specifically geared to them,” Yankovic said while noting early reviews have been “really positive.”

“I don't know if I qualify as a celebrity or if this is a celebrity book but I think most people expect celebrity picture books to be vanity projects and they don't expect too much from them,” he said. “So the fact that it's apparently, actually decent is somewhat of a surprise to people.”