California Book Talks in September 2026
September 10, 2026
It’s back to school for many and back to the San Francisco Bay Area for me in September! If you are in the area, please join me for STONE BY STONE reading, signing and Q&A: – Wednesday, September 16, 4 pm. Copperfield’s Books. Petaluma – Saturday, September 19, 5 pm. Books, Inc. Laurel Village. San Francisco – Sunday, September 20, 10:30 am. Linden Tree Books. …
Stone by Stone in August 2026
August 20, 2026
It’s been a busy month with the release of STONE BY STONE: book talks, rock activities, and lots of articles and reviews featuring STONE BY STONE. Here are just a few: The Heart of a Story Starts with a Spark What Did You Discover This Summer? Unlock the Secret Story Hidden Inside Every Rock Drawing to Write STEAM Team August Interviews
STEM Teacher Summit July 23-25, 2026
July 9, 2026
Join Carly and Adam’s STEM Teacher Summit for three incredible days of presentations for elementary educators, the opportunity to connect with STEM authors, access curricula that corresponds to their STEM books, and a chance to win a copy of my book, FOREST TALK! Learn more at https://www.stemteachersclub.com/Carly-And-Adam-STEM-Teacher-Summit
FROM WOLF TO WOOF TO WE Announced!
June 15, 2026
Della Farrell while at Holiday House bought world rights to FROM WOLF TO WOOF TO WE by Melissa Koch, illustrated by Ryan Middaugh; Alexandra Aceves will edit. This nonfiction picture book explores the shared evolutionary history of and relationships among wolves, dogs, and humans. Publication is set for spring 2028; Laurel Symonds at KT Literary represented the author, and Christie Megill at the CAT Agency …
Book Talks in August 2026
May 20, 2026
My new picture book, STONE BY STONE, releases on August 4! I’ll read, answer questions, and share fun facts and activities with rocks and stone structure. If you are in the neighborhood, please join me! August 4. 10:30 am. Storytime & Rock Activities. Phelps Park Shelter #5, Decorah, Iowa August 4. 7 pm. Reading & Q&A. Pulpit Rock Brewery’s Community Room, Decorah, Iowa August 12. …
Celebrate Earth Day Everyday
April 22, 2026
Reading a book outside—under a tree or by a stream—is a great way to celebrate the Earth. If you’re looking for your next read, checkout the 2026 Green Earth Book Award Long List. Also this month we celebrate poetry with NCTE’s 2026 Notable Children’s Poetry Books. Note the books that celebrate the Earth in poetic form in both lists!
STONE BY STONE: A ROCK’S JOURNEY THROUGH TIME
March 20, 2026
Available for pre-order today, and on shelves August 4, 2026!! My nonfiction picture book, STONE BY STONE: A ROCK’S JOURNEY THROUGH TIME, takes readers on a lyrical journey through the world’s stone structures, revealing their geological and sociological significance. From the stacked stones that guide our way to the stone walls that separate us, our stone structures tell our tale. Stone by stone we can …
Love Under the Sea
February 3, 2026
We could all use more love in the world today. Katy Tanis’ board book LOVE UNDER THE SEA takes readers on a voyage to discover the different ways ocean animals express love and their gender. The rhymes and ripples of color chart a course for curiosity and appreciation of the natural world, inspiring us all to learn more about love in unexpected places.
The Blue Jays that Grew a Forest
September 5, 2025
THE BLUE JAYS THAT GREW A FOREST invites you to take a closer look at the bird world all around you with author Lynn Street’s lyrical language and eye-opening observations. Blue jays’ hunger for acorns helps oak trees scatter their seeds, making it possible for forests to flourish. But wait, it’s not just observations; Street also shares the primary research it took to write the …
Books Travel the World
July 14, 2025
Joan Schoettler’s BOOKS TRAVEL THE WORLD celebrates librarians, books, and the kids who benefit from both! Around the world——no matter the obstacles——librarians make sure we can all access the books we need. “Book lovers cross seas. They trek up narrow trails, down steep, rocky paths, over swift rivers, and through dark forests. They journey by foot, on sturdy animals, and with unique vehicles, delivering books …
Wait ‘Til You’re Older
June 14, 2025
Take a fun romp through time travel with Maria Marianayagam’s WAIT ‘TIL YOU’RE OLDER. It’s a great pocket guide for your imagination steeped in physics and brimming with possibilities for your astrophysical adventures. Get ready to blast off with this informational fiction story and fact-laden back matter. Enjoy your trip!
The Fire of Stars
September 5, 2024
Early fall is a great time to get outdoors at night and enjoy star gazing. The big dipper has shown brightly the past few weeks. We also enjoyed a super blue moon for several nights in August. THE FIRE OF STARS: THE LIFE AND BRILLIANCE OF THE WOMAN WHO DISCOVERED WHAT STARS ARE MADE OF written by Kirsten W. Larson and illustrated by Katherine Roy …
New Picture Book!
April 17, 2024
Della Farrell at Holiday House has acquired world rights to Stone by Stone: A Rock’s Journey Through Time by Melissa Koch, illustrated by Victoria Tentler-Krylov. This nonfiction picture book takes readers on a journey through the world’s stone structures, revealing their geological and sociological significance. Publication is set for spring 2026; Laurel Symonds while at the Bent Agency represented the author, and Rebecca Sherman at …
Body Image
April 15, 2024
While I’m usually thinking of bodies of water or landscapes, the last eight months I’ve been thinking, talking, and teaching about our own body images. In other words, how we view our human bodies. As we grow and age, our bodies change. Some changes we welcome, others we resist. At the same time, we are bombarded with verbal and visual messages from the media, peers, …
Water Poetry
July 25, 2023
Long, hot summer days spent splashing in the sprinkler, drinking icy lemonade and taking a dip in the swimming pool. Water. My favorite part of summer. I love how water feels cool and refreshing as it slides down your throat or on your skin when you dive deep, emerge, and then let the water droplets evaporate. Like poetry, water soothes the soul. The …
Outside In
April 12, 2023
Spring is a time we go outside to enjoy nature: it’s not too hot nor too cold no matter where we live. And there’s a lot going on in the spring too: new flowers budding, birds singing, and all sorts of animals awakening. It’s a great time to reconnect with the outside that’s been waiting inside all of us. In Outside In, a 2021 Caldecott …
Snow Days
February 22, 2023
It’s a snow day as I write this post. The world seems to have stopped for a bit or at least slowed down with a quiet hush. It’s warm and cozy inside while we watch the outside world disappear beneath a blanket of white. We sip some hot tea or cocoa while we wait for a little less ice and a little warmer temperatures to …
Time with Trees
June 26, 2020
Forest BathingSpend some time with trees this summer. Whether it’s in your backyard, a nearby park, or on a hike in the woods. Use all your sense to take in what you see, hear, feel, smell, and taste (just the air, please) around you. Use all of your senses to absorb your tree surroundings even if it’s just a few trees. After you take some …
The Forest Talk Tour
May 20, 2019
During April 2019 in honor of Earth Day, I gave Forest Talk book talks at several libraries in the Midwest. The audience ranged in age from 4 to 84. Forest Talk has something for everybody! “Melissa, it was such a joy having you at our library! Your book is wonderfully informative and interesting! The kids, as well as the adults, enjoyed your presentation very much. …