True fact – The Goo Goo Dolls’ band named was derived from a True Detective ad for a toy called a Goo Goo Doll. If you weren’t familiar with the band, just the name, you might assume that they played music oriented towards children. We are all aware that that is not the case – the band, which heralds from Buffalo, is beloved by a wide range of ages. It’s almost absurd at this juncture, to think that the Goo Goo Dolls would be associated with children. Or is it?
Just in time for the band’s three sold out shows this weekend, local authors Brigette Atlas-Callahan and Kristin Madej-Warham will be rolling out a children’s book titled Buffalo From A to Z: Come Take a Tour With Me, and they’re doing it in conjunction with the rock concert.
The book not only guest stars the Buffalo rockers, it also showcases over 70 photographs of WNY landmarks taken by local photographers. The photos go hand-in-hand with a tour, led by the book’s mascot and tour guide Bob Uffalo. From the Albright Knox to Shea’s to the Buffalo Zoo, Bob Uffalo tells the tales of Buffalo via a photographic and illustrated journey, which will help to introduce children to the geographic elements that make this city so special.
Once you get your hands on the book, you can flip through the pages until you land on the letter “G”. That is where the Goo Goo Dolls make an appearance, along with Buffalo’s iconic grain elevators.
2018 marks the 20th year since the Goo Goo Dolls released their epic album Dizzy up the Girl. Now, a new generation of Buffalonians will be introduced to the locally revered rockers by leafing through a children’s book, guided by “a spunky little buffalo filled with hometown pride.”
We all know that Buffalo babies are special. Now they will be extra special, because instead of their first sounds being simply googoo, they will now be sounding out the band’s name, with a little help from Bob Uffalo and their parents of course. And instead of solely associating the alphabet’s letters with images of cute animals, they will also be equating the letters with Buffalo landmarks. Talk about a great way to groom youngsters to identify with this city right from the start!
Friday, October 19 at Shea’s Performing Arts Center, doors at 7:00 p.m. – Bob Uffalo and the authors will be in the Shea’s Mezzanine signing copies of Buffalo From A to Z, Come Take a Tour With Me. Bob’s hometown pride is matched only by that of Robby Takac and Johnny Rzeznik, so exclusive copies signed by them will also be available at a premium, with the proceeds to benefit Takac’s Music is Art.
About the authors: Kristin Madej-Warham and Brigette Atlas-Callahan are friends, mothers, and literacy specialists in the Niagara Wheatfield Central School District. They were born and raised in Buffalo, New York. Illustrator Bill Jankowski has worked in the children’s entertainment industry for many years and created the character Bob Uffalo based on the authors’ vision.