Julio Torres just sees the world differently: Wells are portals for introspection, cacti have inner monologues, and the letter E deserves accessories. So it should come as no surprise that his first children’s book, I Want to Be a Vase, is about a plunger’s quest to break out of its societally prescribed role. Because of course! The upcoming book, according to The Hollywood Reporter, was inspired by Torres’s first stand-up special, My Favorite Shapes, in which he commented on objects as they passed by him on a conveyor belt. “Shapes. You’ve heard of them. You might have even interacted with a few. But do you really know them?†asks the description of I Want to Be a Vase, out from Simon & Schuster on June 7, 2022. Illustrated by Julian Glander, the book is touted as a “visually stunning journey through the lives and intimate dramas of often-overlooked household appliances.â€
In a statement to THR, Torres, who writes for Saturday Night Live and co-created and stars in Los Espookys, said the book was inspired by his own journey to become “an experimental comedian, prolific writer, and so-so actor in New York.†“I wanted to pursue things I wasn’t supposed to and had the courage to do it, thanks to my parents never saying, ‘That can’t be,’ but instead asking, ‘Well, why not?’†he continued. “So this book is about a plunger who wants to be a vase. Because, well, why not?â€