Seated side by side and facing a long line of adults and children carrying stacks of books, former resident and renowned children’s book illustrator Steven Kellogg and award-winning author Patricia MacLachlan were in Newtown this past weekend to meet residents, readers of all ages, and sign copies of their recent work, Snowflakes Fall.

Mr Kellogg, a former Sandy Hook resident, and Ms MacLachlan worked together to create Snowflakes Fall in memory of those lost on 12/14. The friends and collaborators were in town for special book signings on Sunday afternoon at C.H. Booth Library, and then Monday at Big Y.

Nicole Banholzer from Random House book publisher helped keep the line moving as residents, many carrying multiple copies, reached the head of the line for Sunday’s event. Welcoming guests as they entered the lower meeting room was Friends of the Library volunteer Janice Bennard, seated beside Children’s Librarian Alana Bennison. Ms Bennison had been instrumental in organizing the afternoon’s book signing.

The Sunday afternoon signing, scheduled for 1 to 4 pm, had started early, Ms Bennard said.

“It’s a wonderful response, people started coming in at 12:30,” she said. She remembers Mr Kellogg’s earlier work. “All of us who have had young children remember his tales and story telling.”

Sensing a loss of optimism in one young boy she talked to about Newtown, and in Mr Kellogg as well, Ms MacLachlan told The Newtown Bee recently that “in a way, I wrote [Snowflakes Fall] a little for myself, a lot for that little boy, a little for Steven, and for anyone it might [help through the healing process].”

C.H. Booth Library has copies of Snowflakes Fall available for loan. Big Y is also selling copies of the book at its Newtown location, 6 Queen Street.