NEW YORK, NY, March 16, 2026—Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers announced today that it will publish multiple Grammy & Emmy Award–winning artist and international sensation Lizzo’s debut book, Lil Lizzo Meets Sasha B. Flootin’, on September 8, 2026. Kendra Levin, VP and editorial director of Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, who will edit the picture book illustrated by Mark Pett, acquired North American rights from Gwen Beal and Albert Lee at United Talent Agency.

When a bubbly little girl who just wants to belong meets a smart and brassy flute who can’t find her tune, they wind up on a wild adventure to places filled with incredible sounds—a jungle, the ocean, and even outer space—in this heartfelt, toe-tapping anthem to friendship, music, and finding your voice. But Lil Lizzo and Sasha B. Flootin’—based on Lizzo’s real-life Instagram-famous flute Sasha Flute—will discover that making a true friend can fill your life with magic and help you discover who you are, and that the very best song you can sing is your own.

Copies of Lizzo Meets Sasha B. Flootin’ will include a QR code that will take readers to an original song created by Lizzo exclusively for the book!

“When I was young, I struggled to fit in but playing the flute helped me find my voice,” Lizzo said. “I want this book to teach every young person out there that your passion can give you purpose, belonging, and lead you on a journey to fulfill your wildest dreams. This book means so much to me and I can’t wait for everyone to enter the world of Lil Lizzo and Sasha B. Flootin’.”

“Lizzo is one of the most popular and widely recognized artists in the world today,” said Levin, “but most important, she continues to be a norm-shattering, boundary-pushing icon of positivity and joy. Her debut picture book is a perfect embodiment of the message that all her work has been about and that has inspired so many people—that you have a voice, you have worth, and you can change the world by radically loving and accepting yourself. I can’t wait for young readers to be empowered by Lizzo and Sasha Flute’s story to discover and celebrate the music within themselves.”

Lizzo is a four-time GRAMMY® Award–winning, Emmy Award–winning superstar singer, songwriter, rapper, and actress, who has left an indelible and incomparable mark on popular culture. She has garnered numerous accolades, notched two Hot 100 #1 smashes, earned dozens of gold, platinum, and multi-platinum certifications, packed arenas worldwide, and shined in blockbuster films. Lizzo notably made history in 2023 when she emerged as “the first black woman to receive Record of the Year at the GRAMMY® Awards since 1994” for the 2x-platinum “About Damn Time.” Prior, she shook the charts with the Diamond record “Truth Hurts.” It enshrined her as both “the third female rapper to top the Hot 100 without a featured artist” and “the first black solo female R&B singer to claim the top spot since 2012.” It dominated the Hot 100 for seven weeks, becoming “the longest running #1 by a solo female rap artist ever.” Rolling Stone hailed it as one of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. She has appeared on a myriad of television shows, including Saturday Night Live, TODAY, Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, CBS Sunday Morning, and more. She also headlined her own Emmy nominated HBO special Lizzo: Live In Concert, capturing her sold-out show at Kia Forum in Los Angeles. Along the way, her presence could be felt at the box office and on streaming networks, spanning roles in The Simpsons and Hustlers in addition to producing and starring in the #1 multi-Emmy Award–Winning, Prime reality TV show: Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls. She started her own shapewear line, Yitty, designed for every type of body.

Mark Pett is the award-winning author and illustrator of numerous picture books, including I Eat Poop: A Dung Beetle Story, The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes, Lizard from the Park, and The Girl and the Bicycle. Before books, he was a political cartoonist and created the syndicated comic strips Mr. Lowe and Lucky Cow. A former sixth-grade teacher, he lives with his family in the Mountain West.

Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, one of the leading children’s book publishers in the world, comprises the following imprints: Aladdin, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Beach Lane Books, Boynton Bookworks, Denene Millner Books, Libros para niños, Little Simon®, Margaret K. McElderry Books, Salaam Reads, Sarah Barley Books, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, and Simon Spotlight®. While maintaining an extensive award-winning backlist, the division continues to publish acclaimed and bestselling books for children of all ages. Simon & Schuster publishes numerous Caldecott, Newbery, and National Book Award winners. For more information about Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, visit our website at www.simonandschuster.com.

Simon & Schuster, a global leader in general interest publishing, is dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for readers of all ages, and in all printed, digital and audio formats. Its distinguished roster of authors includes many of the world’s most popular and widely recognized writers, and winners of the most prestigious literary honors and awards. It is home to numerous well-known imprints and divisions such as Simon & Schuster, Scribner, Atria Books, Gallery Books, Adams Media, Avid Reader Press, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing and Simon & Schuster Audio and international companies in Australia, Canada, India, the United Kingdom, and VBK in the Netherlands and Belgium. It proudly brings the works of its authors to readers in more than 200 countries and territories. For more information visit our website at www.simonandschuster.com.