Tom Hanks Narrates Stephen Colbert's Kid's Book (Exclusive Audio)

Listen to an exclusive clip of the Academy Award winner reading "I Am A Pole (And So Can You)," which arrives in stores May 8.

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Stephen Colbert has snagged Tom Hanks to narrate his satirical children's book I Am A Pole (And So Can You) and The Hollywood Reporter has an exclusive audio clip of Hanks and Colbert together. 

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The print version and the audio download go on sale May 8, with the audio CD following on May 29.  The book will retail for $15.99. Hanks' eight-minute audio rendition will sell for just $1.49 as a download and $3.98 on CD.

Colbert first pitched the idea of a book about a flagpole's search for its identity during a two-part interview in January with Where the Wild Things Are author Maurice Sendak.  The interview became a viral sensation and Colbert's fans clamored for a real book.

In February, Colbert succumbed to the enthusiasm and announced he would produce a real version of the book. He even got Sendak to endorse it. The book is "terribly ordinary," Sendak said, but  “the sad thing is I like it.”

Now he has a two-time Oscar winner narrating the audio book. Listen to an exclusive clip above. 

On last night's edition of The Colbert Report, the host previewed the cover, announced Hanks' involvement and pledged to donate all their profits from the audio book to usvetsinc.org, which helps homeless veterans (see the video below).   

So Colbert fans: Print, audio, or both?