A New York Times Best Selling Illustrator of a children’s book written by HGTV star Erin Napier kicks off holiday season with art exhibit, reception at USM tonight and Friday night.

The de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection at The University of Southern Mississippi will host an exhibit and reception for Adam Trest, illustrator for the book The Lantern House written by Erin Napier of the popular HGTV show “Hometown,” Dec. 1-2 in the Trent Lott Center rotunda on the Hattiesburg campus.

The art exhibit will be held from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1 and Friday, Dec. 2. A reception for Trest will be held Thursday, Dec. 1 from 5:30-7:30 p.m., during which he will discuss The Lantern House, his first picture book. These events are free and open to the public, and copies of the book will be available for purchase during the reception.

Trest, a Mississippi native, is also the illustrator for I Live in Laurel (2013); for his work on The Lantern House, he was recognized as a 2020 New York Times Best Selling Illustrator.

“We’re excited about the opportunity to have Adam Trest with us,” said Ellen Ruffin, associate professor and curator for the de Grummond Collection. “Erin and Adam both have a love of children’s literature and recognize its significance in the lives of children. There are even historic “winks” to well-loved children’s classics in The Lantern House, which make it a treat, and their story of collaboration on this work is almost as good as the book itself. This exhibit will be a great way to kick off the holiday season.”

For more information about this event, contact Ruffin at ellen.ruffin@usm.edu. For information about the de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection at USM, visit https://www.degrummond.org/.