BELFAST — Left Bank Books in downtown Belfast invites the public, especially those who are in pre-Kindergarten through the third or fourth grade, to meet children’s book author and illustrator Chris Van Dusen on Friday, July 12, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Lots of laughter, story-telling, and reading out loud will be on tap at this free event, according to Left Bank, in a news release.

Copies of his books will be available for purchase and for Van Dusen to sign.

Van Dusen’s most recent book is Big Truck Little Island, which is based on a true story that took place on the Maine island of Vinalhaven.

“His clever, rhyming wordplay and whimsical illustrations tell the story of a big truck and its big load getting stuck on a narrow road, bringing island traffic to a halt,” said Left Bank. “Van Dusen consistently brings humor, adventure, lively language, and richly colored illustrations to all his books.”

Some of his most popular books include the If I Built. . . series. If I Built a Car won the 2006 E.B. White Read-Aloud Award from The Association of Booksellers for Children. Others in the series include If I Built a House and If I Built a School. Each features a young boy named Jack who has an imagination that knows no limits. The school of Jack’s dreams, for example, is one full of animals, with tubes to transport students directly to their classrooms, and library books that come alive.

Van Dusen has also written and illustrated the “Mr. Magee” series of books — Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee, A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee, and Learning to Ski with Mr. Magee —as well as Circus Ship, which is loosely based on a true historic event when a circus ship ran aground off the Maine coast.

As illustrator, Van Dusen has collaborated with Newbery Medal-winning author Kate DiCamillo in their “Mercy Watson” series of chapter books for early readers. Mercy is a “porcine wonder” who delights her readers as she brings them along on her madcap adventures.

All are welcome to stop in at Left Bank Books any time between 11 am and 1 pm to meet Van Dusen and have him sign copies of his books, most of which will be available at the shop.

No reservations are needed for this free event, but if you’d like to reserve copies of any of Van Dusen’s books in advance, please call (338.9009) or email info@leftbankbookshop.com to do so.

The shop is located at 109 Church Street in downtown Belfast, and there’s ample, free parking in front of the shop and in an adjacent city lot, according to Left Bank.