There’s a lot more to Vermont than black-and-white cows and Green Mountains. Take, for example, duct tape, nudist campgrounds, toques and hipbillies. Leon Thompson tackles these aspects of his home state in “Not Too Awful Bad, A Storyteller’s Guide to Vermont.” Thompson will read from his new book and sign copies starting at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 3 at Barre Books in Barre. The store is located at 158 N. Main St.

Mr. Thompson’s version of a “tourist guide” to Vermont includes how to talk like a native; the different types of Vermonters, from redneck natives to transplants; where to go and what to see in Vermont, its rich history and much more. His take on the habits, characteristics, and shall we say, peculiarities of Vermont is, well, as unique as Vermont itself.

Mr. Thompson was born in raised in northwestern Vermont. A graduate of Lyndon State College, he is a staff reporter for the St. Albans Messenger, where he also is a humor columnist. His humor writing has garnered him awards from the New England Press Association and the National Newspaper Association, among others. He is the author of two previous books, “Good Junk” and “Dork. Another Look At My Junk.”

For more information about the event, call the store at 802- 476-3114. For more information about the book, contact Islandport at 207-846-3344 or at info@islandporpress.com. Islandport Press is an independent Maine-based publisher of quality books about Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. In addition to publishing Maine storyteller John McDonald’s “A Moose and a Lobster Walk into a Bar” and “down the road a piece, A Storyteller’s Guide to Maine” and Rebecca Rule’s “Live Free and Eat Pie, A Storyteller’s Guide to New Hampshire,” it also distributes the classic Bert and I series of CDs. For more of our titles, please go to www.islandportpress. com.