On November 2, my friend Katia Novet Saint Lot emailed me to say that she was beginning a virtual book tour with her first picture book, Amadi’s Snowman (Tilbury House) and asked if I would visit her blog from time to time and leave a note. Of course I would.

And then I began to think of way I could join her and Amadi on her tour…

Last night, the Austin Children’s Book Writing community gathered at Book People to celebrate their books with readings, panels and signings.

In the middle of it, we gathered around Amadi and Katia to say hello on her tour.

Me holding Amadi with gobs of Austin writers, illustrators and friends around us

A word about Amadi’s Snowman. It tells the story of a young Igbo (Nigerian) boy who resists reading until he sees a picture of a snowman in a book.

Cynthia Leitich Smith’s quote on the book jacket says it best:

“Amadi’s first-ever glimpse at a snowman–one depicted in the pages of a book–inspires him to transform from a resistant to an enthusiastic student of reading. Children will identify with Amadi’s initial reluctance, his mixed feelings about a new challenge, and his attempts to rationalize staying the  same. Yet they will also likely be inspired as Amadi is, by the possibilities of reading, the way it can fill one’s heart and shine a light on the unknown.”

You can find Amadi’s snowman at the Austin Public Library.

Frank Rich is usually the one that flips me into that altered state.