Its Time for Some Awesome Craft Time: Featuring “Let’s Build a Town” by Chris Van Dusen
It’s Craft Time at the Reading Bug! Let’s Build a Town!
Mark your calendars now! On Sunday, September 14 at 11:00 am and again on Sunday, September 28 at 11:00 am, we’re hosting special creative sessions in honor of the San Carlos Centennial—and celebrating the upcoming visit of beloved children’s author-illustrator Chris Van Dusen, who will be joining us with his brand new book If I Built a Town.
Chris Van Dusen, from his official website
What We’re Doing
We’re inviting children, families, school groups, and all imaginative souls to help us build our own town: one that comes straight from your dreams, from your imaginations, from the weirdest, wackiest, most wonderful ideas you can muster. We’ll provide lots of different art supplies, materials, and tools, but if you’ve got things at home you think would add flavor, a bit of sparkle, texture, color, unusual shapes, please bring them! Glue, cardboard, recycled items, fabric bits, buttons, sticks, whatever inspires you.
During these two sessions (Sept 14 & Sept 28), we’ll spend time designing, constructing, painting, assembling. We’ll build houses, parks, roads, fountains, weird towers, whimsy corners—whatever your minds say should belong in your perfect town.
Why These Dates & What Follows
These two Sunday gatherings are your chance to plan, create, experiment. Then, on October 8, Chris Van Dusen will visit the bookstore in person. At that time, we will present our community-made town to Chris. It’s going to be a grand moment—where your art meets the artist. And yes, tickets for that visit are free. (You can get yours here: [GET THOSE FREE TICKETS HERE].)
Who Is Chris Van Dusen: More About the Author & Illustrator
To give you some background so you come in knowing a little about him:
- Chris Van Dusen was born in Portland, Maine, on St. Patrick’s Day, 1960. (chrisvandusen.com)
- From childhood he was already drawing: aliens, robots, monsters among his favorite subjects, while his brothers drew animals and war scenes. He credits Dr. Seuss and Robert McCloskey as early heroes: Seuss for his rhythm and playful language, McCloskey for his detailed, realistic illustrations. (chrisvandusen.com)
- He studied fine art at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, graduating in 1982 with a BFA. (chrisvandusen.com)
- After college, he did a variety of work—freelance illustration, editorial work, cartoons—and his illustrations appeared in magazines like Nickelodeon, Family Fun, Disney Adventures. (chrisvandusen.com)
- His first self-illustrated book was Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee (2000), inspired in part by one of his whimsical ideas—a boat stuck up in a tree—and in part by rhyming phrases he liked, like “Mr. Magee and his little dog, Dee / hopped in the car and drove down to the sea.” From then on he’s been actively writing and illustrating children’s picture books. (chrisvandusen.com)
- He lives in Camden, Maine, with his wife, Lori, and their yellow Labrador named Opal. They have two sons: Ethan (who lives in California) and Tucker (in Maine). (chrisvandusen.com)
- Style & technique: Chris Van Dusen works in gouache, a paint medium that gives him strong control over colors, layers, textures. He cares a lot about details—the consistency of color, the richness of environment, the interplay of light and nature. You’ll see whimsical, colorful, often retro-inspired but freshly lively scenes. Nature, scenery, elements of his coastal Maine surroundings tend to leak into his work (whether explicitly or implicitly). (mainehomedesign.com)
- Aside from writing and drawing his own books, he also illustrates for other authors—among them Kate DiCamillo’s Mercy Watson series. He has earned recognition for his craftsmanship, storytelling, and illustration work. (Encyclopedia.com)
What to Expect When Chris Visits (October 8)
- You’ll meet Chris in person. You’ll get a chance to hear him speak about If I Built a Town—what inspired the story, how he developed the ideas, what his process looks like.
- He may share sketches, perhaps works-in-progress, and maybe even reveal some behind the scenes of how his illustrations are made (color mixing, layout, etc.).
- We’ll present our town, the one we all built together, to him. He might give thoughts, maybe even sign books, perhaps take photos.
Why It’s Special
This isn’t just a regular author event. It’s a chance to create together, to let the whole community participate in imaginative vision. Building a town out of all kinds of material is fun and messy in the best possible way—it encourages creativity, collaboration, unexpected discoveries. And meeting someone like Chris Van Dusen—who has dedicated his life to storytelling, to art, to children’s wonder—gives a chance for inspiration: for young artists, writers, and curious kids to see possibility.
We hope you’ll join us Sunday, September 14 at 11:00 am and/or Sunday, September 28 at 11:00 am, roll up your sleeves, and help build something wonderful. Then, bring your hearts and imaginations to October 8, to meet Chris, to share our creation, and to celebrate art, community, creativity, and a centennial full of dreams.
See you then—can’t wait to build with you!
For more events at the Reading Bug, please check their calendar.
See other interesting events in San Carlos. You may also check the main calendar for the dates of these, or to save them on your personal calendar.
About San Carlos
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About San Carlos Life
Mark Martinho and Vivienne Kelvin are the hosts of San Carlos Life and have been residents of San Carlos for years. While running San Carlos Life together with an awesome team, Mark and Viv are also in the business of real estate. They are the co-owners of Vabrato, a real estate brokerage with over 30 years of combined experience, serving the City of Good Living and the whole of San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.
With expert negotiation skills, in-depth local market knowledge, precise pricing strategies, and the latest technology paired with innovative marketing tactics, they consistently deliver exceptional results. Their proven track record includes helping sellers obtain offers above the asking price and guiding buyers to successfully secure their dream home.
Vabrato offers home sellers a comprehensive, one-stop solution that sets them apart from most traditional agents. Through their Design-to-Sell Service Package, they provide strategic property upgrades, cover upfront improvement costs, and manage the entire process from start to finish to maximize the net proceeds for the seller.
Mark is a Real Estate Broker and General Contractor, with degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Law. He is also a long-time resident of Redwood City and San Carlos. Viv is also a Broker, respected Interior Designer, seasoned Marketing Expert, and trusted San Carlos business community leader, as well as a long-time San Carlos resident.
Need help in buying or selling a home in San Carlos?
If you’re curious what your current home might sell for, we’ll provide a free, detailed market valuation and show you how our Design-to-Sell Service Package can help maximize its value. And if you’re looking to buy, we’ll guide you with the right strategy to find and secure the home you’ve been searching for. With our unique blend of real estate, design, and construction expertise, we go beyond the average Realtor to help every client achieve and exceed their goals.
Contact Mark and Viv of Vabrato Real Estate
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