Rhys Darby cracks dad jokes with John Campbell, introduces new children's book

November 4, 2020

The actor turned author was on TVNZ1's Breakfast to introduce the third instalment of his children's book series.

Internationally renowned comedian turned actor turned author Rhys Darby shared dad jokes with Breakfast host John Campbell this morning to introduce the third installment of his children's book.

Darby, who arrived back on home soil earlier this year after being based in LA, was on the programme after releasing the grand finale in his series The Top Secret Intergalactic Notes of Buttons Mcginty.

He said he was a "bit naughty" in school - distracted easily by drawing cartoons in class.

Now he wants other young, active minds to have a book, or books, they can enjoy.

The books follow quirky stories about a 12-year-old boy who goes on a big adventure when his parents are "presumed missing".

Buttons McGinty is back for 3rd time, but while he found his Dad in the last book, he's now on hunt for Mumzy, who's being held by evil Queen Kankerflorna.

The series includes words and drawings by Darby, who said he wanted the books to be interactive with jokes, maps and diagrams.

"When I was a kid I was a reluctant reader so I looked at a book full of words and I thought, 'How am I going to get those words into my head? And even if I did where's the joy going to come? I'd rather go skateboarding,'" he said.

"There's a lot of, especially boys, [who find it] difficult to read and so I was one of these kids. So what interested me was more like drawings, jokes, maps, diagrams.

"I'm more of a sort of tactile reader so when I wrote this, this is the sort of thing I would love to read as a kid because there's Morse code in there that you've got to work out," Darby said.

The Top Secret Intergalactic Notes of Buttons Mcginty Book #3 is now on shelves in New Zealand and Australia.

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