Savoy Bookshop & Café presents a book release party with local author Debbi Michiko Florence to celebrate her new children's series My Furry Foster Family. Savoy will donate 20% of profits to One Soul Rescue, who will be bringing 3-4 dogs for adoption that day. This event is free and open to the public.
About the Books
Truman the Dog (illus.by Melanie Demmer) “T” is for Truman, tricks, and TROUBLE! Truman the black lab might be an older rescue dog, but he’s still got enough mischief beneath his collar to keep eight-year-old Kaita Takano and her animal-fostering family on their toes from morning till night. Chewed through and through, the playfully illustrated, Kaita-narrated chapter book promises plenty of canine fun.
Buttons the Kitten (illus. by Melanie Demmer) All of Buttons’ playful, super-friendly littermates are being adopted, one right after the other. But not Buttons. How do you find THE shyest kitten in the world his forever home? That’s the big question eight-year-old Kaita Takano and her animal-fostering family need to answer in this illustrated, sweet-natured, tabby-filled chapter book narrated by Kaita herself.
Apple and Annie, the Hamster Duo (illus. by Melanie Demmer) Annie and Apple are a pair of chatty, restless dwarf hamsters from the animal shelter who are being fostered by eight-year-old Kaita Takano and her family. Kaita can’t wait to find forever homes for the inquisitive furballs―but first, she has to find them! Bright, engaging illustrations and 1st-person narration invite early chapter-book readers into the nonstop fun and adventure.
Betty the Bearded Dragon (illus. by Melanie Demmer) Eight-year-old Kaita Takano and her family are old pros at fostering rescued dogs and cats from the local animal shelter. But they’ve got their work cut out for them when a beautiful bearded dragon with plenty of attitude arrives at their doorstep. Even though Kaita narrates the rollicking adventure, this charmingly illustrated chapter book is all about Betty!
About the Author
Debbi Michiko Florence, a third generation Japanese American, is a former classroom teacher and zoo educator. Her four-book debut chapter book series is Jasmine Toguchi (Farrar Straus Giroux/2017 and 2018) about a spunky Japanese American 8-year-old girl. Jasmine Toguchi Mochi Queen was a Junior Library Guild selection, Amazon’s Best Children’s Books of 2017, a Bank Street 2018 Best Children’s Books of the Year, on the 2018 Amelia Bloomer List, and on the Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC) 2018 Choices List (Best of the Year). Jasmine Toguchi Drummer Girl is a 2019 Cybils Award winner, a Junior Library Guild selection, on the CCBC 2019 Choices List, and on the Chicago Public Library’s Best Of list. Debbi is also the author of two early chapter book series, Dorothy and Toto (Picture Window Books/2016) and My Furry Foster Family (Picture Window Books/August 2019).
Debbi has spoken on panels at the National Council of Teachers of English conference, the Decatur Book Festival, the Brooklyn Book Festival, among others; taught workshops at the Society of Children’s Writers and Illustrators conferences; and presented at numerous schools. She is a mentor for the Highlights Foundation Diversity Fellowship in Children’s Literature as well as a guest presenter at their Early Chapter Books workshop.
A native Californian, Debbi now lives in Connecticut with her husband, rescue dog, bunny, and two ducks. She loves to travel with her husband and daughter.
T is for Truman, tricks, and TROUBLE Truman the black lab might be an older rescue dog, but he's still got enough mischief beneath his collar to keep eight-year-old Kaita Takano and her animal-fostering family on their toes from morning till night. Chewed through and through, the playfully illustrated, Kaita-narrated chapter book promises plenty of canine fun.
All of Razor's playful, super-friendly littermates are being adopted, one right after the other. But not Razor. How do you find THE shyest kitten in the world his forever home? That's the big question eight-year-old Kaita Takano and her animal-fostering family need to answer in this illustrated, sweet-natured, tabby-filled chapter book narrated by Kaita herself.
Annie and Apple are a pair of chatty, restless dwarf hamsters from the animal shelter who are being fostered by eight-year-old Kaita Takano and her family. Kaita can't wait to find forever homes for the inquisitive furballs--but first, she has to find them Bright, engaging illustrations and 1st-person narration invite early chapter-book readers into the nonstop fun and adventure.
Eight-year-old Kaita Takano and her family are old pros at fostering rescued dogs and cats from the local animal shelter. But they've got their work cut out for them when a beautiful bearded dragon with plenty of attitude arrives at their doorstep. Even though Kaita narrates the rollicking adventure, this charmingly illustrated chapter book is all about Betty.