Teacher, advocate and New York Times bestselling author, Chasten Buttigieg, joins us to share his charming picture book about unconditional love. Papa's Coming Home was inspired after Chasten and his husband welcomed newborn twins and began searching for books with families that looked like theirs but came up short.
Chasten Buttigieg, husband of former presidential candidate and US Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, says, “This story came from a desire to see a family that looks like our own on the pages of a picture book and follows a day full of excitement and hijinks that many families will relate to.”
Jojo and Rosie’s papa has been away on a trip, and they can’t wait to welcome him home! They make signs, they pick flowers, and with Daddy’s help, they bake a cake and pack the car with absolutely everything Papa might have missed while he was away.
When Papa’s plane arrives, they give him a huge hug—but when they bring him to the car, they realize there’s one small problem: Where will Papa sit?
Delightfully illustrated by Dan Taylor, this charming story filled with love celebrates dads and familial bonds. Chasten Buttigieg shines a beautiful light on the humorous musings of toddlers and a parent’s unconditional love for their child.
In a time of increasing book bans and anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, it's crucial for all types of families to feel supported and celebrated and for allies to have the tools like this story to raise the next generation of empathetic, inclusive citizens. We hope you will join us for a magnificent evening with Chasten Buttigeg.
Chasten Buttigieg will be in conversation with Dave Eggers.
About the Authors
Chasten Glezman Buttigieg grew up in Northern Michigan. He is a teacher, advocate, and husband of former presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg. Chasten currently lives with Pete; their two children, Gus and Penelope; and their rescue dog, Buddy, in Traverse City, Michigan. His memoir I Have Something to Tell You was a New York Timesbestseller, in both the adult and young adult editions.
Dave Eggers is the author of many books, among them The Eyes and the Impossible, The Circle, The Monk of Mokha, Heroes of the Frontier, A Hologram for the King, and What Is the What. He is the founder of McSweeney’s, an independent publishing company, and co-founder of 826 Valencia, a youth writing center that has inspired over 70 similar organizations worldwide. Eggers is winner of the American Book Award, the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award for Education, the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, the TED Prize, and has been a finalist for the National Book Award, the Pulitzer Prize, and the National Book Critics Circle Award. He is the 2024 John Newbery Medalist, for the most distinguished contribution to children's literature for The Eyes and the Impossible. Eggers is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
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