Sidewalk Signing with Karen Olsen

Name: Sidewalk Signing with Karen Olsen
Start: 2025-09-27T11:00:00-06:00
Location: 220 N Higgins Ave, Missoula, MT, United States, Montana 59802

Schedule

Sat, 27 Sep, 2025 at 11:00 am

UTC-06:00

Location

220 N Higgins Ave, Missoula, MT, United States, Montana 59802 | Missoula, MT

About the Author: Karen Olson crossed “write a book” off her bucket list at 59… and then just kept going. What began as one “it's about time “ checkmark turned into a growing collection of children’s books and one-of-a-kind journals for adults. Rooted in the wide skies of the Great Plains and the quiet magic of the Mountain West, Karen is a small-town native with a big love for animals and nature. With backgrounds in early childhood education and nursing—plus years spent volunteering at an animal shelter—Karen brings empathy and resilience to every page. She’s recently added “bird nerd” to her resume and can often be found jotting story ideas while listening to chickadees chatter in the trees. Whether she’s writing about wish-granting gophers or making room for wonder in the everyday, Karen’s stories reflect her belief that kindness, imagination, and being natural can go a long way.
About the Books: Laugh along with Nike as he celebrates life after being found on top of a mountain. A childhood memory humorously relived where Parker - alias Me - conquers the letter “R”. And a cute little bluebird wonders if he’ll ever be able to sing. These are a few of Karen Olson’s creations to share with you.
A Dog’s Bucket List: “In my dreams I carry a big bright red bucket along with a list of a bazillion activities I’d like to do. I call it my bucket list." Nike, a once abandoned dog, entertains young and old in this short chapter book as he tells his quirky tales of how he finally filled up his red bucket. Based (perhaps a little loosely in some cases) on actual experiences after his forever family found him on top of a mountain, Nike's perspective is funny, a little arrogant but always inspiring.
A Kid’s Bucket List Journal: What's A KID'S BUCKET LIST JOURNAL?? It involves a bucket, a list, PAWsome activities, and oh, a kid! A Kid's Bucket List Journal was inspired by Nike's book, A Dog's Bucket List. Nike shares his unique bucket list with you again, but this time, you are the main participant! He'll help you to discover and write down your own dreams and thoughts. Draw pictures, write short stories, play word games while you make this YOUR own bucket list journal. Go get a bucket and start journaling! (Okay, a bucket isn't really needed.)
Where Are the Candy Bars?: Spelling bees and third grade don't always make a perfect match if you have trouble saying the letter "R"; Parker found this out the hard way after she spelled "BIRTHDAY" as "B - I - AW - T - H - D - A - Y". Speech impediments can be embarrassing to young children. "Where Are the Candy Bars" addresses this subject in a sensitive, yet humorous way that parents, teachers and speech pathologists will find helpful.
The Bluebird Who Couldn’t Sing: Bennie the bluebird loves spring, but there’s just one problem—his singing is more EEK than tweet! No matter how hard he tries, his chirps are a disaster. Will Bennie ever find his true song? With a little practice, encouragement, and a whole lot of heart, he just might surprise himself—and the whole meadow! A playful, uplifting story about perseverance, self-confidence, and the joy of finding your own voice.
Animal Mix-UPS Coloring Book: Share this playful coloring book with your family! Inside, you’ll find pages of funny animal mix-ups — like an owl combined with a peacock or a puppy mixed with a turtle. Each mashup comes in two versions: one with finer details for nimble fingers and one with simpler lines for easier coloring. Get ready for a creative adventure where imagination takes flight!