A familiar feline friend will be skipping his way into Moscow this weekend. 

Famous children’s book character Skippyjon Jones will make an appearance at BookPeople of Moscow on Saturday to help welcome the latest Skippyjon Jones book.

“Things like this just don’t happen very often in rural areas,” said Jesica DeHart, assistant manager at BookPeople.

This special event will likely have kids’ jaws dropping over the fact that they are meeting the real Skippyjon Jones, she said.

“I love it when the store is just full of kids,” DeHart said.

The kids aren’t the only ones excited; the adults and grown-ups are often just as exuberant, she said.

Not only will Skippyjon Jones himself be there to greet kids and sign books, but Moscow Mayor Bill Lambert will kick off the reading at 11 a.m. and will be followed by Moscow police officer Dani Vargas at noon, DeHart said.

Two more surprise celebrity readers will appear at 1 and 2 p.m., she said. 

Events like this attract families from all over. Their costume event in the past attracted people even from Clarkston, DeHart said. 

Jamaica Ritcher, marketing and events coordinator of BookPeople, said Saturday will be a great day to stop in the store, whether you’re a cat enthusiast or a fan of the books. 

The event will be festive and the book would make a good holiday gift, as the copies they have of the new book each contain a unique bookplate that isn’t available in other places, she said.

Reporting by Holly Lane