Doss Owls Under The Stars Book Fair Features Local Authors
December 15, 2022
West Austin News
By: Alana Moehring Mallard
Photos: Bonnie Lang
The favorite authors of Doss Elementary’s book fair last month came in their pajamas.
“Six pajama-clad and local authors were the stars of the night,” said Doss librarian Bonnie Lang of the book fair’s evening Doss Stories and Milk & Cookies. “They read their amazing stories to a packed house of milk and cookie eating Doss Owls.” Lang said the turnout was so unexpectedly high that it required a quick trip to HEB for more milk and cookies.
Reading their books for the kids on milk and cookie night were Meghan P. Browne, reading from Indelible Ann: the larger-than-life story of Governor Ann Richards; Lindsay Leslie, who read from Dusk Explorers; Melissa Coffey, reading her book Fridge-Opolis; Anne Wynter, reading from Everybody in the Red Brick Building; Kari Lavelle, who read her book We Move the World; and Robin McGrath, reading Dolly! The story of Dolly Parton and her big dream.
And, really, you need to look carefully in the photo at those PJs the authors are wearing, because they coordinated with their books: retro Austin icons, twilight’s pink and grey swishes, colorful and audacious food snacks, red and black squares, colors of the rainbow in stripes and hearts, starry dots.
Doss book fair, called Owls Under the Stars, was sponsored by Black Pearl Books, and featured special events such as early morning readings on the porch by Doss teachers; happy hour at Black Pearl Books for teachers; a coffee for parents with a discussion of favorite books of the season led by librarians Bonnie Lang and Celeste Pustka, and Doss parent Erin Quinn-Kong; and a special shopping time and social for parents and kids after the Fifth Grade Musical, Four Birthdays and a Recital.
PICTURE BOOK LOOK PODCAST
Fun podcast with FRIDGE-OPOLIS illustrator, Josh Cleland, Kirsti Call and Kim Chaffee!
September 27, 2022
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CjA33b3Pa9y/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
New Voices: Melissa Coffey & Kristin Wauson on SCBWI’s Role in their Journeys – Cynthia Leitich Smith
CYNSATIONS interview
September 21, 2022
FRIDGE-OPOLIS BOOK LAUNCH AND SIGNING PARTY
September 17, 2002
10 a.m. at Pease Park
Storytime with Melissa Coffey: Fridge-opolis | BookPeople
Free registration here: Storytime for our Littlest Readers – FRIDGE-OPOLIS by Melissa Coffey Tickets, Sat, Sep 17, 2022 at 10:00 AM | Eventbrite
Betsy Bird Fuse 8 interview on School Library Journal
September 6, 2022
Food Waste Gets a Second Look: A Fridge-opolis Q&A with Melissa Coffey (slj.com)
BOOK TRAILER REVEAL
August 28, 2022
FRIDGE-OPOLIS Book Trailer Reveal | VIVIAN KIRKFIELD – Writer for Children
Westbank librarian: ‘Kidlit’ authors to visit for Storytimes, panel discussion
August 21, 2022
Westbank librarian: ‘Kidlit’ authors to visit for Storytimes, panel discussion (statesman.com)
Austin American-Statesman/Westlake Picayune
The Picture Book Buzz
August, 2022
SCBWI Austin newsletter feature
August 2, 2022
VIVIAN KIRKFIELD’S BLOG
August 6, 2022
Kid Lit Caravan: Will Write For Cookies Plus Giveaways | VIVIAN KIRKFIELD – Writer for Children
ADVANCE PRAISE from KIRKUS
Read the entire review of “a playful introduction to the serious topic of food waste” here:
FRIDGE-OPOLIS | Kirkus Reviews
June 22, 2022
FRIDGE-OPOLIS PRESS RELEASE
BOOK SIGNING at TLA
Signing advance reader copies of FRIDGE-OPOLIS at Little Bee’s booth at TLA in Fort Worth on April 26!
PW Fall 2022 Children’s Sneak Previews
February 24, 2022
Little Bee ponders pierogi with Our World of Dumplings by Francie Dekker, illus. by Sarah Jung, featuring children in a multicultural apartment complex preparing dumplings from each of their cultures for a potluck; Battle of the Books by Melanie Ellsworth, illus. by James Rey Sanchez, in which all of Josh’s favorite books are in a battle to determine which will be the coveted bedtime story; Hello, Tree by Alastair Heim, illus. by Alisa Coburn, about a roguish fox who makes Christmas mischief all over town until a special guest helps him see the error of his ways; Fridge-opolis by Melissa Coffey, illus. by Josh Cleland, an introduction to recycling and composting set in the gloomy, rancid Fridge-opolis; and The Iheards by Emily Kilgore, illus. by Zoe Persico, which finds Mason unable to stop gossiping.
Tara Lazar’s Writing for Kids Blog
February 9, 2022
Kidlit Caravan Swings into Town! What’s New in 2022 (plus something for you!)
SCBWI Austin
April 4, 2021
“Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Melissa Coffey, who just signed a deal for her debut picture book, Fridge-O-Polis!”
