Author Event: Steve Schirripa
Sopranos and Blue Bloods star Steve Schirripa gets a delicious and delightful lesson about the wondrous world of food from his dog WillieBoy in WillieBoy Eats the World, a beautifully illustrated children’s picture book released in April 2026. Come meet Schirripa at ReRead Books & Cafe on Saturday, October 17; listen in on a moderated conversation hosted by Matt Scott from Fox 61 News about the book starting at 3 pm, then receive a signed copy for $18.03 — or, for $50, get a signed copy plus a Happy Hour ticket to enjoy some New Haven style pizza, pastries and wine! Get your tickets at this link!
WILLIEBOY EATS THE WORLD is a children’s book that answers the question every parent has asked: what do you tell children who won’t try new things?
Actor and best-selling author Steve Schirripa yields center stage to his adorable real-life dachshund WillieBoy in this New York City–based fantasy. It was inspired by the viral videos the two have become famous for, with Steve and WillieBoy chowing down on everything from pizza to churros. In WillieBoy Eats the World, Steve admits that he only eats Italian food because it’s all that he knows—so WillieBoy teaches him the joy of trying Chinese, Thai, Mexican, Korean, and dozens of other delights. WillieBoy promises: “Trust me, my pal, you’ll be glad that I sent ya / On this great big fabulous dining adventure.” The book is cowritten by author and journalist Philip Lerman, and illustrated by veteran artist Kirk Parrish.
STEVE SCHIRRIPA, actor and best-selling author, is best known for his portrayal of the lovable Bobby Bacala on The Sopranos. His most recent bestseller (coauthored with Michael Imperioli and Philip Lerman), Woke Up This Morning: The Definitive Oral History of The Sopranos, was spun off of the popular Talking Sopranos podcast he hosted with his castmate and buddy Imperioli. Schirripa’s acting credits include the long-running TV series Blue Bloods and The Secret Life of the American Teenager, and many films, including What Are the Odds (which won him best supporting actor at the New York Independent Film Festival), Hungry Ghosts, and Hereafter. Schirripa is the author of the New York Times bestseller A Goomba’s Guide to Life and the young adult novel Nicky Deuce: Welcome to the Family, which was made into a film for Nickelodeon starring several of his fellow Sopranos alums. Schirripa is the proud dad of two wonderful women. He resides in New York with his wife Laura.