A long, long time ago lived a lonely newspaper boy. To commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of one of the top songs of the twentieth century, Don McLean has written a children's book with Judith A. Proffer that weaves themes from the iconic song with experiences from his early life and, in true "American Pie" form, offers meaningful elements open to interpretation. American Pie is the story of a newspaper delivery boy in the late '50s who discovers the joy of friendship and music, eventually learning that when you recognize what truly makes you happy, you're never really alone. Released in 1971, "American Pie" was named one of the top five songs of the century by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Recording Industry Association of America.