For many of us, growing up meant learning that coffee was strictly an adult beverage.

But for Christine Rollings, author of My Barista ABCs, inviting discussions around coffee creates an opportunity for anyone (regardless of age) to learn virtues like patience, sustainability, self-expression, and community. 

Aside from authoring one of the few coffee-education books for children, Christine is a talented writer, storyteller, and coffee hobbyist whose favourite method of brewing is with the Hario V60, an absolute classic!

Christine’s professional coffee experience includes training as a barista in the Philippines, opening businesses alongside her husband, Trent Rollings, and supporting coffee communities around the world through frequent adventuring.

Christine and Trent now live in Alberta, Canada, where they are both thoroughly involved in the local coffee scene. While Trent founded Timberline Coffee School to help today’s café owners and baristas receive hands-on training, Christine has discovered a penchant for educating and inspiring the next generation of coffee lovers.

For a bit of personal insight into My Barista ABCs, we asked Christine a few questions about the creative journey that led to the publication of her first book:

Christine Rollings' “A to Z” of writing a coffee book for kids

Specialty coffee is famously diverse, and though that’s cause for celebration, many can feel overwhelmed with so much complexity. In My Barista ABCs, Christine tackled the challenge of making coffee approachable, fun, and engaging for families. 

We’ve seen lots of folks with a breadth of experience like yours write books for professionals and hobbyists. But you published a children’s book. What drew you to that calling?

"One of the things I loved most about the process was discovering just how much you have to understand a subject before you can explain it to a child. Distilling big coffee concepts down into a few simple sentences became this really enjoyable creative challenge."

“If a five-year-old can understand the idea, you've probably found the heart of it... I wanted this book to be something both kids and adults could genuinely learn from without feeling intimidated. Sometimes the simplest explanations are the ones that stay with us the longest.”

What inspired the idea of Benny Barista?

“I wanted a gentle, curious character who could guide children through the alphabet and make the world of coffee feel approachable. It wasn't until readers started affectionately calling him 'The Bearista' that I realized how perfectly it fit.”

Do you have a favourite letter in the Barista Alphabet?

“Q for Q Grader. I love that it gives kids (and even adults) a glimpse into just how many different careers exist in coffee... Including Q Grader was my little way of honouring the people who dedicate themselves to that craft while also expanding kids' imaginations about what working in coffee can look like.”

Christine's runner-up proves that in coffee, you can find plenty of valuable lessons for the little ones and parents alike.

“Z for Zero Waste... None of us do sustainability perfectly, but I love the idea that even small actions matter, and that kids can grow up seeing caring for the environment as simply part of enjoying coffee.”

Was there an entry or concept that didn’t make it into the book that you really wanted to include?

“There weren't necessarily concepts I regretted leaving out, but there certainly wasn't a shortage of ideas. Specialty coffee is wonderfully rich, and there are far more than 26 concepts worth sharing.”

What was it like working with Amber Steffan to turn these coffee concepts into illustrations that kids and adults love?

"From the beginning, I knew I wanted the illustrations to feel calm, clean, and inviting. Some of my favourite children's books leave plenty of room for the imagination, with simple illustrations and generous white space, and Amber immediately understood that vision."

What is your hope for the kids and parents who read the book?

"More than anything, I hope it becomes something they enjoy together. Coffee is a ritual. It's about slowing down, hospitality, community, and connection. If a parent loves coffee, I hope this gives them a way to share that passion with their child, just as we share books, music, or cooking together..."

"I hope kids grow up seeing coffee not simply as a drink for adults, but as a fascinating world filled with people, places, and stories."

How has the book changed your own life, and your relationship with coffee?

"This project taught me one of the biggest lessons of my creative life: not everything has to carry enormous weight to be worthwhile. Sometimes making something beautiful and joyful is enough... It also reminded me that you don't need to know every step before you begin... I hope that encourages other people who have an idea they've been sitting on."

How do you think the specialty coffee industry can become more welcoming for families?

"When we have children, there's often this subtle feeling that certain spaces aren't really designed for us anymore. As parents, you're constantly wondering, Is my child welcome here? Are we disrupting people?"

"...It made me think about all the parents who want to be involved in our industry but have to navigate challenges that often go unseen. What would it look like if conferences had family spaces or children's activities? What if we intentionally designed our industry with families in mind? I think My Barista ABCs grew out of that same question. Coffee is ultimately about hospitality, community, and bringing people together and I believe children belong in that story too."

If you have "baby baristas" of your own at home, My Barista ABCs is a great way to welcome them into the wonderful world of specialty coffee.

And if you're in Calgary on Saturday, July 18, 2026, swing by the Eight Ounce Coffee café and showroom to meet Christine in person, where she'll be signing copies of the book and serving up some delicious Hasty Instant specialty coffee... just in time to prep for the back-to-school rush!