May 15, 2025
Meet Local Author Chasten Buttigieg as he sits down with a guest host to discuss the universal challenges of parenthood, the genesis of his new picture book, and life in the great Michigan north!
About Papa’s Coming Home
A charming picture book about unconditional love from New York Times bestselling author Chasten Buttigieg, perfect for families who love each other the whole year through.
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.
About Chasten Buttigieg
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 Times bestseller, in both the adult and young adult editions. You can visit Chasten at ChastenWrites.com or follow him on Instagram @Chasten.Buttigieg and on Facebook at Facebook.com/ChastenButtigieg.
About Dan Taylor
Dan Taylor is an internationally published children’s illustrator and art teacher who lives in the United Kingdom with his partner, Sam. Though he can often be found illustrating picture books using his trusty iPad, he also enjoys getting messy with paint and crayons, and finds inspiration in the design and illustration work of the 1950s and ’60s. You can visit Dan Taylor at TheBrightAgency.com/uk/childrens-illustration/artists/dan-taylor or follow him on Instagram @DanTaylorIllustrator.
About Pete Buttigieg
Pete Buttigieg served from 2021 to 2025 as U.S. Secretary of Transportation. During his tenure, he worked to launch over sixty thousand infrastructure projects across the country, improve transportation safety and technology, expand airline passenger protections, and resolve pandemic-related supply chain disruptions. Previously, Buttigieg served two terms as mayor of South Bend, Indiana, where he was elected at the age of 29 and led the city to its strongest period of economic and population growth in decades. He also served for seven years as an officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve, taking a leave of absence from his role as mayor in 2014 to deploy to Afghanistan. A candidate for the Democratic nomination for President in 2020, his historic campaign won the Iowa caucuses and finished second in the New Hampshire primary. He holds degrees in history and literature from Harvard and in philosophy, politics, and economics from Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. He lives in northern Michigan with his husband Chasten, their two children, Gus and Penelope, and their dog, Buddy.
Admission
Tier 1 + book $32; Tier 2 + book $22; Students $5 (no book); 2 ticket/1 book bundles available