Last month, Australian author Markus Zusak set out on a U.S. tour in celebration of the release of his new YA novel Bridge of Clay (Knopf), the highly anticipated follow-up to his 2006 novel, The Book Thief. Over the course of the tour, more than 3,000 fans joined Zusak for readings, Q&As, signings, and more. The tour kicked off on October 9 at Barnes & Noble in Eastchester, N.Y., and wrapped up on October 27 at Barnes & Noble The Grove in Los Angeles. We’ve gathered a selection of highlights from the events.

Zusak (front row, standing) was greeted by more than 150 fans at Parnassus Books in Nashville.

A reader presenting flowers to the author at Parnassus.

The author joined Blue Willow’s book club in Houston.

(From l.): Erin Clarke, editor of Bridge of Clay; Noreen Herits, executive director of publicity; and Zusak enjoyed some Butterbeer while visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, Fla.

A fan showed Zusak his I Am the Messenger tattoo at a Books-A-Million event in Kissimmee, Fla.

(From l.): Journalist, TV personality, and host of PBS’s The Great American Read Meredith Vieira with Zusak in New York City, during the show’s grand finale on October 21. The Book Thief was voted America’s #14 best-loved novel.

Kelly Sutton (far l.) and Carole Sullivan (far r.) of Today in Nashville interviewing Zusak.

MJ Franklin (l.) of the New York Times moderated Zusak’s event at Symphony Space in New York City, where Brian Wiles from the TV show Billions (r.) read an excerpt from Bridge of Clay.