Find Momo book tour ends in Sudbury

The book features photos of Momo hiding in various landscapes — it's a sort of “Where's Waldo” game involving photography and a dog.

Momo had quite the following even before the book was published, as Knapp started by posting the photos on Instagram two years ago.

When major media outlets in Canada and the United States picked up the story, Momo became a social media darling and Knapp received book offers from several publishers.

Knapp now has a deal for a second Momo book with his publisher, Quirk Books, in Philadelphia, Penn.

He's been taking photos along the way to include in the second book, which he said will be released next March.

The photos feature instantly recognizable North American tourist attractions and more unusual locations, such as a California ranch where trees have been created out of poles and bottles.

Knapp said he had many adventures along the way, including four breakdowns of his Westfalia VW van, which he tried to take in stride.

“That was a big thing for me, was to let go of that and try to enjoy the unexpected moments,” he said.

It was great travelling in a Westfalia van with a dog, as it was a way to make instant friends, Knapp said. Many people told him they'd owned a Westfalia 30 years ago, some even sharing stories about Woodstock.

Momo himself was also quite a hit, something the dog himself seemed to realize.
“He learned that the events were full of people who would play with him,” Knapp said. “When he saw a room full of people sitting on chairs, he figured it out pretty quick and got a good amount of play time in.”

Knapp said he's pretty sure Momo loved the trip, although he's a dog, so he obviously can't ask him.

“Dogs are a good example of being happy with where you are,” he said.

During the Sudbury book signing, Momo ran around the Fromagerie, barking and playing with the many children in attendance.

Among the families who showed up were Ashley Cayer and her two daughters, Leila, 7, and Serena, 8. She said the two girls love searching for Momo on Instagram, and were excited to meet the dog in person.

“It's fun to see (Momo),” Cayer said. “It's like a little piece of fame for the kids.”

Natalie Morrill said she and her friends follow Momo on Facebook, and have enjoyed hearing about Knapp's adventures with his dog.

“We'd run into Andrew and Momo once before in Sudbury, and they seemed like such a great pair,” she said. “We were just really excited about meeting them in real life again and buying the book and supporting them.”