As thousands of teens gathered outside the Barnes & Noble at Westfield Old Orchard in Skokie on Monday afternoon, it looked more like the line for a Justin Bieber concert than a book signing.
But the teens were indeed there to get a signed copy of a book that was just released by popular YouTube star Shane Dawson, who visited the store this week to launch his new book, “I Hate My Selfie.”
Like his hundreds of wildly popular YouTube videos that capture the often-awkward struggles of growing up during the teen years, “I Hate My Selfie” is a collection of 18 personal essays that tell the daily adventures of an introverted and eccentric teen as he tries to make his way through high school.
The 26-year-old southern California native has attracted more than 12 million subscribers to his YouTube channel since he launched his first video in 2008, and today has the 56th most subscribed channel on YouTube.
Much of his appeal seems to come from his openness to talk about his private real-life struggles with weight loss, bullying, and growing up in a low-income family.
Many of the teenage admirers who waited anxiously in a three-hour line that wrapped all the way around the building Monday said Dawson was an inspiration because of his ability to relate to high school students.
Friends Melissa Valle, 14, of Lindenhurst and Angel Rivas, also 14, of Round Lake Beach, showed up early and got signed copies of the books well before most of the other people standing in line.
“He relates to us in a special way,” Valle said. “He’s open about his struggles with depression, and I feel connected to him because I’ve struggled with depression.”
The Hollywood-based Dawson—who recently added a music career to his resume by launching six singles—is best known for his comedic take on serious high school situations and his popular spoofs of music videos and celebrities.
Katherine Donovan, 14, of Chicago, shook with excitement as she waited in line to meet Dawson, who she described as the inspiration for her own pursuit of a career as a performer.
“I started making my own YouTube films because he inspired me,” Donovan said. “He was bullied as a kid, and I think he’s just an inspirational guy.”
Most adults have never heard of the young internet sensation, agreed Hannah Spinner and Annabelle Wolf, both freshmen at New Trier High School.
“Adults don’t really know much about him, but we think he’s funny and inspirational, and he’s not afraid to be himself,” Wolf said. “I’ve been watching his videos for a long time, and I’m so excited to finally meet him.”
Barnes & Noble wouldn’t allow the press to speak to Dawson during the event. Paperback copies of “I Hate My Selfie” were sold for $20 each.
A call placed to Barnes & Noble’s marketing department to find out how many books were sold during the event was not immediately returned.
