Gabba Gabba We Accept You The Wonderous Tale of Joey Ramone

Gabba Gabba We Accept You is a children’s picture book that tells the story of how a kid who was bullied and felt like a misfit grew up to become a hero to so many as lead singer of The Ramones. This story speaks to one of the greatest silent majorities in the world - all the kids who feel a little off.

It contains an essential message that the world of punk rock has always meant to communicate. All of us, regardless of our diverse and non-exclusive design, have something that we are meant to have and share, in a place that we can call our own. As children, these things may appear to many of us as problems and shortcomings. The challenging passages of life that brought Jeffrey Ross Hyman to the place where he became Joey Ramone provide a natural lesson to young folks navigating their way through the complexities of growing up.

Working in collaboration with visual artist Lucinda Schreiber, Jay Ruttenberg guides the story of Gabba Gabba We Accept You in unexpected directions, with Lucinda’s lyrical illustrations and colourful design opening the sense of possibility in what feels like the path less travelled on every page.