What started as a book pitch from Stephen Colbert to popular children’s author Maurice Sendak (Where the Wild Things Are) during an interview aired on his eponymous satirical series The Colbert Report, has ended with a publishing deal for the US TV personality.

The resulting kids book, I Am a Pole (And So Can You!),
will be published on May 8 by New York-based Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group.

The deal, in large part, came to fruition with the help of Colbert’s fans. It seems many wanted to actually see the entire story, which revolves around a flagpole’s search for its identity, that Colbert initally pitched to Sendak in the interview that went viral online.

Dan Strone of Trident Media Group and James Dixon of Dixon Talent negotiated the book deal on Colbert’s behalf. Jamie Raab, EVP and publisher of Grand Central Publishing, has acquired North American rights for the book.

Colbert is also the author of the New York Times bestseller I Am America (And So Can You!) .