Chasten Buttigieg, the noted author, former educator, husband of U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, and father, is expanding his literary work by releasing his debut children’s book, Papa’s Coming Home.
People unveiled the book’s cover in an exclusive interview with Chasten Buttigieg on Thursday. The book is set for a May 13, 2025 release.
The story follows siblings JoJo and Rosie as they prepare for their father’s return from a trip. After a day of planning and preparing, the kids realize the car doesn’t have enough space for everyone when they get to the airport. Drawing from his own life with Pete Buttigieg and their twins, Penelope and Gus, Chasten says he crafted this story to reflect the love and connection that define all families.
"The impetus was asking around for books like this after our kids [Penelope and Gus] were born … we love books and we love having a big library for them, but none of them looked like our family … I just wanted a story, a day in the life of a family like ours, and I wanted my kids to see themselves in one of these stories," he told People, adding that a friend encouraged him to write one.
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Chasten Buttigieg said, "I was working on this particular story on an airplane and thinking about how excited I was to get home to my kids, and that shared experience of excitement for someone to come home, especially a parent who you've been missing and that unconditional love for your kid that's the best thing in the world to come home to."
The new book comes as LGBTQ+ representation in literature is more important than ever. Last year, during the Library of Congress National Book Festival, Chasten Buttigieg criticized the political motivations behind the rise in book bans targeting LGBTQ+ content and authors. He emphasized that these efforts are less about protecting children and more about marginalizing the LGBTQ+ community.
His previous work also shows Chasten Buttigieg’s dedication to inclusivity and representation. While in neighboring Indiana in May, the Michigander spoke at a book event in the city his husband is known in as Mayor Pete — South Bend. He criticized the performative actions of politicians prioritizing image over genuine support for their constituents. He shared personal stories from his memoir about growing up in a conservative town and the importance of self-love and authenticity as a queer person. More recently, both Buttigieges often defend LGBTQ+ families during media appearances as conservative Republicans attack Pete and Chasten Buttigieg’s family for existing.
Chasten Buttigieg explained that transitioning from memoir writing to a children’s book was a new challenge, but his experience as a father informed the process. The result is a story that he hopes will resonate with young readers and reflect the everyday realities of modern families.
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"Figuring out a story that squeezes into 20-30 pages was difficult for me, but getting in the mind of a toddler was easier because I was right in it with the books that we're reading right now. We read a ton of books every single day, and so I was kind of immersed in all of these worlds, and the language, and was thinking about the book that I wish was in my hands that I was reading to them," he told the magazine.
Chasten Buttigieg said that at its core, Papa’s Coming Home is a celebration of unconditional love, family, and the small moments that bring people together.
