Dolly Parton's Billy the Kid Dances His Heart Out

Illustrated by MacKenzie Haley
Our favorite French bulldog, Billy the Kid, is back! Featuring an original song by Dolly Parton, the third book in her New York Times bestselling series follows Billy as he ruffs it out on the dance floor...and falls for his cute dance teacher.

Billy the Kid has done it all. He's moved to Nashville, he's formed a band, and he's rocked from coast to coast. But there's one thing Billy hasn't done...dance on stage. Dancing makes him nervous. And dancing in front of an audience? No way.

That all changes when Billy and his band nab an exciting gig as the opening act for Dolly Parton's Doggy Dance Pawty. Now, Billy is roping his friends into dance lessons. On the first day, he watches dogs whirl and twirl. But one dancer stands out: his dance teacher, Bella, who is as graceful as she is beautiful, with her auburn curls and a voice as sweet as pie. 

Soon, Billy is trying to win Bella's attention. But that's difficult when he's stumbling through dance moves and tripping over his paws. Can Billy nail the dance routine and catch Bella's eye, all before the big dance pawty?
Dolly Parton is the most honored and revered female singer-songwriter of all time. She has garnered eleven Grammy Awards and fifty-five nominations, including the Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1999, Parton was inducted into the coveted Country Music Hall of Fame, and in 2022, she was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. She is the author of multiple bestselling books, including Songteller; Run, Rose, Run (with James Patterson); Behind the Seams; and Good Lookin’ Cookin’. To date, Parton has donated over 270 million books to children around the world with her Imagination Library. View titles by Dolly Parton
© Evy Mages
Erica S. Perl is the author of more than forty books for young readers. Her middle grade novels include All Three Stooges (National Jewish Book Award, Sydney Taylor Honor Book), When Life Gives You O.J. (ALA Notable, Amazon Best Book), and White Bird: A Novel (with R.J. Palacio). Erica’s picture books include When Carrot Met Cookie and Billy the Kid Makes It Big (with Dolly Parton). She also writes early chapter books (the Arnold and Louise series) and early readers (the Truth or Lie series and the Lucky Dogs series). Erica is on the faculty of Vermont College of Fine Arts’ MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults program. She loves dogs, guinea pigs, stale red licorice, and visiting schools. Her website is ericaperl.com and her social media presence is @ericaperl. View titles by Erica S. Perl

About

Our favorite French bulldog, Billy the Kid, is back! Featuring an original song by Dolly Parton, the third book in her New York Times bestselling series follows Billy as he ruffs it out on the dance floor...and falls for his cute dance teacher.

Billy the Kid has done it all. He's moved to Nashville, he's formed a band, and he's rocked from coast to coast. But there's one thing Billy hasn't done...dance on stage. Dancing makes him nervous. And dancing in front of an audience? No way.

That all changes when Billy and his band nab an exciting gig as the opening act for Dolly Parton's Doggy Dance Pawty. Now, Billy is roping his friends into dance lessons. On the first day, he watches dogs whirl and twirl. But one dancer stands out: his dance teacher, Bella, who is as graceful as she is beautiful, with her auburn curls and a voice as sweet as pie. 

Soon, Billy is trying to win Bella's attention. But that's difficult when he's stumbling through dance moves and tripping over his paws. Can Billy nail the dance routine and catch Bella's eye, all before the big dance pawty?

Author

Dolly Parton is the most honored and revered female singer-songwriter of all time. She has garnered eleven Grammy Awards and fifty-five nominations, including the Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1999, Parton was inducted into the coveted Country Music Hall of Fame, and in 2022, she was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. She is the author of multiple bestselling books, including Songteller; Run, Rose, Run (with James Patterson); Behind the Seams; and Good Lookin’ Cookin’. To date, Parton has donated over 270 million books to children around the world with her Imagination Library. View titles by Dolly Parton
© Evy Mages
Erica S. Perl is the author of more than forty books for young readers. Her middle grade novels include All Three Stooges (National Jewish Book Award, Sydney Taylor Honor Book), When Life Gives You O.J. (ALA Notable, Amazon Best Book), and White Bird: A Novel (with R.J. Palacio). Erica’s picture books include When Carrot Met Cookie and Billy the Kid Makes It Big (with Dolly Parton). She also writes early chapter books (the Arnold and Louise series) and early readers (the Truth or Lie series and the Lucky Dogs series). Erica is on the faculty of Vermont College of Fine Arts’ MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults program. She loves dogs, guinea pigs, stale red licorice, and visiting schools. Her website is ericaperl.com and her social media presence is @ericaperl. View titles by Erica S. Perl

Books for National Depression Education and Awareness Month

For National Depression Education and Awareness Month in October, we are sharing a collection of titles that educates and informs on depression, including personal stories from those who have experienced depression and topics that range from causes and symptoms of depression to how to develop coping mechanisms to battle depression.

Read more

Horror Titles for the Halloween Season

In celebration of the Halloween season, we are sharing horror books that are aligned with the themes of the holiday: the sometimes unknown and scary creatures and witches. From classic ghost stories and popular novels that are celebrated today, in literature courses and beyond, to contemporary stories about the monsters that hide in the dark, our list

Read more

Books for LGBTQIA+ History Month

For LGBTQIA+ History Month in October, we’re celebrating the shared history of individuals within the community and the importance of the activists who have fought for their rights and the rights of others. We acknowledge the varying and diverse experiences within the LGBTQIA+ community that have shaped history and have led the way for those

Read more