Tomie dePaola, who has written and/or illustrated more than 200 children's books is one of my heroes. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to meet him today at Watermark Books in Wichita, Kansas. To learn more about Tomie dePaola and his books (and to see a photo of Tomie and me at the book signing!), see my article about him.

Tomie dePaola is a delightful man. He told all of us who packed the bookstore that the inspiration for his new book "Guess Who's Coming to Santa's for Dinner?" came from a Christmas card he received featuring Olga Claus, who was referred to as one of Santa's least favorite relatives. Tomie began to think about what it would be like if Santa invited everyone in his family, including the difficult relatives, to dinner and from that came the new picture book.

To learn more about Tomie dePaola's books, see my reviews of "Oliver Button is a Sissy" and "Patrick, Patron Saint of Ireland." You will also find some of his books on various Top Picks lists.