Stockbridge, MA, November 29, 2018—New York Times bestselling author and Caldecott-winning illustrator Tony DiTerlizzi will return to the Norman Rockwell Museum on Sunday, December 9, starting at 2 p.m. for a special program to celebrate the launch of his new holiday book The Broken Ornament. The artist’s work was previously the subject of the Museum’s 2017/2018 exhibition, Never Abandon Imagination: The Fantastical Art of Tony DiTerlizzi.

In DiTerlizzi’s story, main character Jack wants this to be the best Christmas ever, but when a beloved ornament breaks, the young boy wonders whether the holiday can be saved. Through an illustrated talk, the Amherst, Massachusetts-based artist will discuss the origin and development of his new holiday tale, followed by a book signing, and special giveaways, while supplies last. Copies of The Broken Ornament, suitable for young readers, will be available for purchase in the Museum store. 

The family-friendly event, part of DiTerlizzi’s “Deck Your Shelves Book Tour,” is free for Museum members and children 18 and under, or with regular Museum admission.

Tony DiTerlizzi has been creating children’s books for nearly two decades. From fanciful picture books like The Spider & The Fly (a Caldecott Honor book), to chapter books like Kenny and The Dragon and the WondLa trilogy, DiTerlizzi imbues his stories with a rich imagination. With Holly Black, he created the middle-grade series, The Spiderwick Chronicles, which has sold over 20 million copies, been adapted into a feature film, and has been translated in over thirty countries. He teamed up with Lucasfilm to retell the original Star Wars trilogy as a picture book and his collaboration with celebrated author Mo Willems created the bestselling The Story of Diva & Flea. The Broken Ornament is DiTerlizzi’s first picture book in 12 years. Learn more about the artist at diterlizzi.com.