"Books in Bloom" started last year, with 22 floral arrangements inspired by books--everything from Alice Walker's "The Color Purple" to "The Secret Garden" to Eric Carle's picture book, "The Very Hungry Caterpillar."

Pity the poor florist who was tasked with coming up with a bouquet to go with "The Letters and Papers From Prison," by Dietrich Boenhoeffer, (but they did a great job).

Inspired by the Minneapolis Institute of Art's annual "Art in Bloom," Books in Bloom has (I think) a tougher job--it seems more complicated to produce a floral arrangement based on a book than on a painting.

This year's exhibit will expand to 30 bouquets, and will add author visits and book signings. (Local authors, not Dietrick Boenhoeffer or Alice Walker.)

You can see all 22 of last year's arrangements here: https://gustavus.edu/gla/

The event is free and will run May 4, 5 and 6 in the Folke Bernadotte Memorial Library on the campus of Gustavus Adolphis College in St. Peter. Author signings will be from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.