LA Times Festival of Books and Bill Peet, Jr.

Jesse and I stopped by the LA Times Festival of Books last Saturday. There are panels and author signings all day, but since we only had an hour, we just got a taste of the huge festival by walking by the exhibitor booths. It was a little like walking through a gigantic outdoors bookstore. I loved the Kinokuniya stand, which mostly had Japanese-related books and products, and several of the travel book stands.

But I got really excited when I saw a whole booth devoted to Bill Peet, one of my long-time favorite children's book author-illustrators. I got even more excited when I saw an old guy who looked like how I imagined Bill Peet looking, signing people's books. I was so star-struck, I didn't even stop to consider that this guy was not old enough to be the Bill Peet, who would have been 95 this year. I excitedly and nervously bought two books, got my camera out for a shot, and prepared to ask for his autograph (which generally takes a lot of courage for me). Just to be sure, I first asked the girl who sold me the books if the guy signing books was Bill Peet . . . next thing you know, I was sheepishly walking away with my unsigned books and Jesse was having a good laugh. Apparently Bill Peet, Jr., still signs books on behalf of his dad. Personally, I think that's a little odd. But I won't hold it against him. :)

This is a photo overlooking part of the festival on the UCLA campus.