The news in my Austin-centric post from a couple of weeks ago was not the only good stuff to come from my home city this fall.

For one thing, there’s the new book that my friend (and collaborator on Whoosh! and The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch) Don Tate both wrote and illustrated: William Still and His Freedom Stories.

For another, there’s a second new Don Tate book, illustrated by him and written by Suzanne Slade: Swish! The Slam-Dunking, Alley-Ooping, High-Flying Harlem Globetrotters.

And there’s also this, from Sharyn Vane at the Austin American-Statesman: Austinite Don Tate tells Americans’ forgotten stories through diverse children’s books.

“When he’s presenting, it’s truly magical,” said Rita Painter, who recently retired after 19 years as the librarian at Menchaca Elementary in Southwest Austin. “The books come alive, and the kids are just on the edge of their seats watching him.”

And when those kids are once again able, pandemic willing, to see Don Tate in action and in person — now that will be some truly excellent news.