CASTINE — To write children’s stories, one should have an inner child. Children’s book author Chris Van Dusen fits the bill.

On March 1, Dusen visited the Witherle Memorial Library and read to students from the Adams School, as well as others who came to the library.

“How many of you have read one of my books?” Dusen asked the audience. Many hands shot in the air.

Dusen currently lives in Camden. He started out as an illustrator of books before becoming a writer. Some of his illustrations have appeared in L.L. Bean catalogs, one in 2008 and 15 total.

He also drew the lobster on the Maine license plate.

“It’s really funny while you’re driving to see your drawings on a license plate of the cars around you,” Dusen said.

And those public service announcement posters? Dusen illustrated some of those as well.

But as an author, Dusen has written books such as “Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee,” “King Hugo’s Huge Ego” and “Randy Riley’s Really Big Hit.”

“For my books, I write them and create the illustrations for them too,” Dusen told the audience.

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