Barbara Higgins-Dover, author of the recent children’s book “Catfish Cookies,” will present a reading and signing from 10:30 a.m. to noon Oct. 6 at Oread Books in the Kansas Union.

The author will present a short activity for children based on themes from the book, followed by the reading. The event is free and open to the public.

“Catfish Cookies” is the story of a little blue catfish named Rippler who lives in the Kansas River near Bowersock Dam in Lawrence. Rippler faces bullying from big, mean catfish, but learns to believe in himself.

Author Higgins-Dover relates Rippler’s story to the resourcefulness she learned from her grandparents, Richard and Theda Higgins, who made their living from fishing in area rivers and operated a bait shop and fish market in North Lawrence. The title of the book comes from Grandma Higgins’ recipe for “catfish cookies” – catfish lard optional.

Higgins-Dover, a Lawrence native, is an educational curriculum design specialist who received a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a Master’s of Science in Education from KU. She grew up visiting her grandparents’ fish market and helping her grandmother cook.