Remembering Bernard Waber

Bernard Waber passed away on Thursday. He was most famous for his Lyle the Crocodile books, but when I was a kid, I knew him mostly because he was the author-illustrator of one of my favorite books, Ira Sleeps Over.

One of my greatest thrills early in my career came in September of 2000, when I got to sign books with Mr. Waber at an event at FAO Schwartz in New York City. I had done a few book signings before, but nothing quite like this. It was very exciting and surreal to be sitting there signing books right in the same room as James Howe and Judy Blume, and right next to Bernard Waber. I got to tell him how much I loved Ira Sleeps Over when I was a kid, and he signed my copy for me.

I just dug through my old photos and found a few from that day...

Bernard Waber and me, at FAO Schwartz in New York City, 2000

I got to watch Mr. Waber read and draw for a group of kids.

my signed copy of Ira Sleeps Over. He wrote: "For Matt, Good Luck! Bernard Waber, 9-24-00 Pleasure signing next to you."

Here's a nice remembrance of Bernard Waber in The New York Times.