Author-illustrator Matt Tavares recently toured the East Coast in celebration of his new holiday picture book, Dasher and the Polar Bear, the third installment in his bestselling Dasher series. Taveres made appearances at 20 bookstore events throughout November and December. “It is a fun time of year to spend lots of time in bookstores, and I’m very thankful to all the booksellers who have organized these events, and all the people who took time out of their busy weekends to come hear me read my story and get their books signed and add more Dasher stories to their collections,” Tavares said. Here are some highlights from his travels.
Tavares kicked off his tour on November 15 in Alexandria, Va., with an event at Old Town Books, where he gave a reading and helped celebrate the shop’s seventh anniversary.
Tavares’s event at Wonderland Books in Bethesda, Md., drew plenty of support from family and friends. Here Tavares and his wife Sarah (back row, r.) joined by members of her family.
Just ahead of Thanksgiving, Tavares made an appearance at Bookshop of Beverly Farms in Beverly, Mass., for a sold-out event. Here, Tavares signs books after his presentation.
On November 29, Tavares dropped by his hometown toy and children’s bookstore Village Toy Funatic, in Ogunquit, Maine. Here, Tavares with bookstore owner Lisa Countryman, outside the decorated storefront.
Tidal Pages in Ipswich, Mass., welcomed Tavares on November 30 for an event. Here, Tavares gives a drawing demonstration, illustrating George the Polar Bear for the audience.
Tavares kicked off the December portion of the tour with a visit to Water Street Bookstore in Exeter, N.H. on December 4, which was also his 50th birthday. The store highlighted his appearance with a holiday window display.
The booksellers at Water Street had a special northern lights cake made for Tavares in honor of his birthday.
On December 6, Tavares visited the Silver Unicorn Bookstore in Acton, Mass., where family members of Katie Cunnigham, Tavares’s longtime editor who died earlier this year, came to show their support. Tavares spent time with Cunningham’s son Jack after his reading. “It meant a lot to be able to share the book with the people Katie loved most,” Tavares said.
Tavares made sure to drop by his hometown bookstore Book Ends in Winchester, Mass., on December 7, where he gave a reading and participated in a craft activity making reindeer critters.
On December 7, Tavares closed out his tour with an event at An Unlikely Story in Plainville, Mass.
