This week, Chris Van Allsburg and Peter H. Reynolds exchange Christmas gifts; Joel ben Izzy tips his hat to fans; Caren Stelson enjoys a musical book signing; and Matthew J. Kirby goes to Paris.

A Seasonal Surprise

Shoppers at the Blue Bunny in Dedham, Mass., were in for a surprise on December 5, when Chris Van Allsburg (l.) visited the bookstore to sign copies of The Polar Express. He and fellow author Peter H. Reynolds, who owns the Blue Bunny, also exchanged copies of their respective books. Reynolds gave Van Allsburg a small version of his The Smallest Gift of Christmas, which fit right into Van Allsburg’s pocket.

Tip of the Hat

Author Joel ben Izzy toured the San Francisco Bay Area for his loosely autobiographical novel, Dreidels on the Brain, about a 12-year-old boy in 1971 Los Angeles during Hanukkah. Here, Izzy greets fans while sporting a hat like his main character’s, who has a fondness for performing magic shows.

In the Name of Peace

Author Caren Stelson was joined by the Saturn Returns Singers at Boneshaker Books in Minneapolis on November 3. Stelson (in front) signed copies of her book, Sachiko: A Nagasaki Bomb Survivor’s Story, while the singers performed peace songs for guests.

An American in Paris

Matthew J. Kirby’s tour for Last Descendants: An Assassin’s Creed Novel series recently took him overseas to France. He was invited by French publisher Bayard to participate in the 2016 Montreuil Book Fair outside of Paris. Kirby spoke on two panels about creating the series, which is based on a video game franchise. From left: Neal Hoskins, co-curator of the Digital Media Hall at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair; Térence Mosca, director, TM Consulting; Clémence Deleuze, publishing manager at Ubisoft France; and Kirby.