December children’s book events in the greater Boston area

Some upcoming events of interest to children’s book people in Boston and beyond:

Author/illustrator Peter H. Reynolds (Ish, The Dot, and Sky Color, among many others) will be signing his books and prints of his illustrations at The Blue Bunny bookstore in Dedham Square for the next three Saturdays. Stop in between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. on December 8, 15, or 22 to have items signed.

On Sunday, December 9, at 3:00 p.m., illustrator Barbara McClintock will be signing at Concord Bookshop. Ms. McClintock’s most recent books are Leave Your Sleep compiled by Natalie Merchant and Twelve Kinds of Ice by Ellen Bryan Obed. See the bookstore’s website for more details on this free event.

Eve LaPlante will be speaking about and signing her biographies of Little Women author Louisa May Alcott and her mother Abigail May Alcott several times in the upcoming weeks. Tomorrow, December 5, at 5:30 p.m., Ms. LaPlante will sign Marmee & Louisa and My Heart Is Boundless at the Alcott Orchard House Christmas open house. She is also offering a free lecture followed by a book signing at the New England Historic Genealogic Society in Boston on Wednesday, December 12, at 6:00 p.m.

At 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 15, Jef Czekaj (Hip and Hop, Don’t Stop!, Yes, Yes, Yaul, and more) will talk — and rap? — about his new book Oink-a-Doodle-Moo, sign books, and lead a kids’ art activity at the Somerville Public Library. More details about this free event available at the library’s website.

The Concord Museum hosts its 17th annual “Family Trees” exhibit until January 1. The exhibit features 38 decorated trees inspired by new and classic children’s books. As the exhibit is a fundraiser for the museum’s education programs, admission is $15 for adults, $10 for seniors, $6 for children (4-18) and free for children under 4 and members. For more details, see the museum’s website. A full list of the featured books (selected by 2012 honorary chairs Jane Yolen and Heidi E. Y. Stemple) is available here.

Do you have the inside scoop on more upcoming Boston area children’s book–related events? Let us know!