Henry Winkler — the acclaimed actor, producer and director best known to a certain generation for his iconic role as “The Fonz” in Happy Days — will be at Words Bookstore in Maplewood to sign copies of “Fake Snakes and Weird Wizards,” a children’s book he wrote with Lin Oliver, on Monday, February 9, at 7 p.m.
The book is the latest in Winkler’s and Lin’s New York Times best-selling series, “Hank Zipzer: World’s Best Underachiever,” which has sold over four million copies. Winkler and Oliver also write “Here’s Hank,” a chapter book series prequel to the Hank novels. The books led to an animated Hank Zipzer series that runs on the BBC.
Although he has a star on Hollywood Boulevard and was presented with the Order of the British Empire by the Queen of England, Winkler has said the Hank series is his most proud accomplishment.
Inspired by Winkler’s own experience growing up with undiagnosed dyslexia that made him a “classic childhood underachiever,” the series is about the high-spirited and funny adventures of a boy with learning differences, according to a press release.
Learn more about the book, from Words:
Hank’s sister Emily wants Ralph’s Reptile Show to perform at her birthday party more than anything, but Ralph is booked solid. So Hank comes up with a plan: he’ll disguise himself as a magician called The Westside Wizard and pull a snake from thin air! But when Hank’s true identity is revealed during his performance, his good deed might just turn into a huge disaster.
Purchase the book at Words online website, or in the bookstore.
Oliver is a writer and producer of movies, books, and television series for children and families who has written more than twenty-five novels for children. She is cofounder and executive director of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Her latest book is a picture book poetry collection from Penguin/Nancy Paulsen Books, called Little Poems For Tiny Ears, illustrated by Tomie de Paola. She also executive produced the animated series Hank Zipzer for the BBC.
Words Bookstore, 179 Maplewood Avenue, Maplewood NJ, 973-763-9500 words@wordsmaplewood.com
