A busy busy year for our Mr. Kling. Earlier this year, agreed to a three-year residency with Minnesota Public Radio. His first book for children, "Big Little Brother," was released by Borealis Books.

And now it has been announced that "Come and Get It," stories and poems by Kevin Kling, will be this year's Winter Book, published by the Minnesota Center for Book Arts. The illustrator is Michael Sommers, a two-time Bush Fellowship recipient and a 2004 McKnight Theatre Fellow. He is an associate professor at the University of Minnesota.

Kling's will be the 21st in the Center's annual series, which celebrates the artistry of handmade books. Artists, designers, papermakers, printers, bookbinders and community volunteers collaborate each autumn to produce a handmade, limited edition book. There will be three editions of Kling's book: 200 chapbooks, $35; 100 standard editions, $155; and 26 deluxe editions, for $570.

The book launch will be at 6 p.m., with a reading at 7:30 p.m., on Saturday, Dec. 10, at Open Book (which is where the Minnesota Center for Book Arts lives), 1011 Washington Av. S., Mpls.

You should come by and listen to Kling, and take a look at the books--you might be astounded to see just how beautiful a book can be. Below are images of some of the previous Winter Books, or click here: