Tag Archives: Why Kimba Saved The World

Next Blog Tour Book Review of “Why Kimba Saved The World”

Today’s blog tour stop is with the Heart of a Philanthropist web site for a book review and giveaway for “Why Kimba Saved The World.” Click here to visit her site and read the full review. Also take a moment to look through her information about the Village of Hope orphanage in the Philippines that is struggling to recover from a devastating earthquake in the region. I’m joining Kim in her letter writing campaign to offer support and prayers as they work to rebuild. Good work is going on around the world! Thanks, Kim, for taking time to review and share my book.

Cover 2 Cover Book Review of “Kimba” Today

Just a quick shout-out to blog tour host Cover 2 Cover today for her great book review of “Why Kimba Saved The World.” She is also running a free copy giveaway, so be sure to share her link with your friends so they can enter for a free copy. Thanks, Stephanie!! Click here for the full feature and review, but here’s my favorite part:

“As I was reading this book, I was laughing and thinking about my cat, and how he too is a found stray and how many of his first places and movements were similar to Kimba and Hiro’s. I think Cooper (my cat) may too be communicating with and accomplishing his missions with the strange things he does and things he gets into…”

Yes, Stephanie, watch out if Cooper pays too much attention to YOUR computer. You never know!

There’s another blog tour stop tomorrow, so stay tuned!

New “Kid” Book Review of “Kimba”

I love it when a child has a chance to do a book review for “Why Kimba Saved The World.” That who it is written for! Adults sometimes come at reviews with a lot of literary baggage, but kids just want to enjoy the story. I’m so glad that Rhiannon did! I shipped a copy of “Kimba” all the way to Australia for her (much to the dismay of our small town post office who had no idea how to accomplish this task), and it was worth it. Click here for the link to her review, but here’s my favorite part:

“This is one of my favourite books and anyone who likes cats will think that this one is a winner!”

Thanks Kidz Review Krew!

Moonbeam Children’s Book Award for “Why Kimba Saved The World”!!!

I am thrilled to announce that “Why Kimba Saved The World” has been honored with a Moonbeam Children’s Book Award as “Best First Book — Chapter Book,” Bronze Medal. I’m not a competitive person by nature, and especially when it comes to writing. This award is not about being better than another writer or book, it is about being good enough to win, and I am humbled beyond words to have earned that honor. Not only does this forever make “Kimba” an award-winning book, it also serves as a seal of approval in a sea of self-published books on the market.

Bronze Moonbeam Award Seal

“Presented by Jenkins Group and Independent Publisher Magazine, the Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards are designed to bring increased recognition to exemplary children’s books and their creators, and to support childhood literacy and life-long reading. Awards are given in 41 print book and nine e-book categories covering the full range of subjects, styles and age groups that children’s books are written and published in today. As our society has gotten more complex and growing up has become more complicated, children’s book authors and publishers have risen to the occasion, creating books that not only celebrate the joys of childhood, but also help kids and families deal with its challenges. The Moonbeam Awards will recognize and reward the best of these books and bring them to the attention of booksellers, librarians, parents and children.” (from their web site)

There were 165 medalists from the 1,200 entries, including 35 US States, 5 Canadian provinces, and 7 countries overseas. Only books from small, independent publishing houses and self-published books are eligible.

“Creating books that inspire our children to read, to learn, and to dream is an extremely important task, and these awards were conceived to reward those efforts. Each year’s entries are judged by expert panels of youth educators, librarians, booksellers, and book reviewers of all ages. Award recipients receive gold, silver and bronze medals and stickers depicting a mother and child reading and silhouetted by a full moon.” (from web site)

If you already have a paperback copy and would like an award sticker, please just email me at [email protected], and I will send you one.

And watch for the sequel, “Vacation Hiro,” available in early November.

Book Review from Arkansasbookreviewer.com

Thrilled to share a new connection and a new book review from Arkansas Book Reviewer’s web site. Click here to read to full review at her site, but here’s just a sample:

“Meg Dendler’s debut novel, Why Kimba Saved the World, her first in the Cats in the Mirror series, is a charming fantasy book appropriate for middle grade youth, cat lovers, or any animal lover in general. A chapter book, perfect for school rooms and personal libraries, comes complete with added photos to personalize the experience.”

She gave “Why Kimba Saved The World” 5 stars at amazon.com and at goodreads.com. Yay!

I have actually been diligently working on some technical revisions to this book for a few grammar changes. Earth should be capitalized the way we are using it (thank you www.askjanis.com for catching that in the next book). Some changes are just for continuity between “Kimba” and “Vacation Hiro.” There will also be a link at the end of the new version of the “Kimba” ebook to click and buy the next book right away and more live links for my web site, twitter, and Facebook pages. I’m learning how it all works as I go and am grateful for the freedom self-publishing offers to make whatever changes I want and keep my books up-to-date!

We are still waiting for the cover art for “Vacation Hiro.” Lesley already had some other projects lined up (of course she did, she’s fantastic), and we are waiting just as patiently as we possibly can. Once that’s all set, the book will be available quickly. Very excited!

Recent Features to Share

Things are bubbling along with the production of “Vacation Hiro,” and we are almost ready for the final round of book proofing! Still on target for early-November. In the meantime, I thought I’d share two recent features on my writing.

The first is through author Kim Scott and her facebook page. She shared book buy links for “Why Kimba Saved The World” and bio information from this website and really talked me up for a day, so head on over to her Facebook page and share the love. You can also follow her on twitter @KimScottAuthor. I do! She has a great indie book giveaway going on through Facebook right now. Everyone loves free books!

The second feature was through the website 1 Book Lover’s Opinion. Michelle shared some basic info about “Kimba” with her followers too.

There should be lots of reviews for “Kimba” coming up, and then we can move into reviews and features for “Vacation Hiro!” I hope to be able to share the cover art with you in a couple of weeks. So exciting!

Great New Review for “Kimba”

I’m so grateful for this great new review of “Why Kimba Saved The World” at the blog Found Between The Covers. Click on the link to read it on her site. Blogs like this are nothing short of a lifeline for indie authors. It costs thousands of dollars to get a review from any major publications and even most indie web sites (don’t kid yourself that they review those books just because they like them), so those blogs who are willing to read and share the self-published books they love mean everything. I’d rather have you read the whole review at her link and give Sherrey the internet traffic, but here’s part of what she had to say:

“Well thought out plot and characterizations, and the personifications of Kimba, Hilo, Slinky, and the other animals were delightfully creative. And there’s a lesson to be learned in the end. Kimba has a surprise waiting for all of you soon-to-be readers.”

Thank you, Sherrey, for sharing the love!!

“Vacation Hiro” goes into production on Tuesday, so there’s even more alien cat fun on the horizon.

“Vacation Hiro” Soon!

Summer has been crazy around here! Not only do we run a tourist-focused guest house that has been hopping all season, but I’ve been enjoying going to local fairs and being in touch with book review bloggers all over the world. I’ve lost track of how many reviews and interviews are coming up between September and October, but there will be a lot of them — and I’ll do blog posts to share them all as they come up.

I’m beyond excited that the edited manuscript of “Vacation Hiro,” Book 2 in the Cats in the Mirror Series, is on the way back to me, and my fantastic book guide is ready to start putting it all together right after Labor Day! There are a lot of variables on how long it will take to get through the production and ebook process, but we are all hoping to have copies ready to go out by early November. So excited! I must admit that I’m mostly aflutter about seeing what cover art Lesley will come up with this time. She blew me away with the cover for “Why Kimba Saved The World,” and it should be even easier this time since we already have a format to follow.

I’m still trying to get some actual writing done. There are entries ready for a few of the contests offered by the Ozark Creative Writer’s Conference I’m attending in October, and there’s two packets I need to turn in for manuscript evaluations through the SCBWI Missouri conference in November. Then, of course, there’s always “At The Corner of Magnetic and Main” (YA paranormal-lite) for me to spend some time with and hopefully publish in the spring. And “Miss Fatty Cat’s Revenge” (Book 3 of the Cats in the Mirror Series) is beginning to take form in my head and require my attention as well. Being a writer is definitely a full-time job!

For those of you who tweet, you can also find me now @megwelchdendler. Kimba has been tweeting for quite a while @kimbababy. There is also a new Facebook page just for “Why Kimba Saved The World” that you can follow for funny photos and stories. Our crazy cats provide those on a daily basis.

My editor’s cat guiding her through the process. www.askjanis.com.

Great New Review and Interview

I’m so grateful for my new twitter-connection friend The Styling Librarian and the great new review she gave to “Why Kimba Saved The World.” This blog also includes a wonderful interview with me about my favorite animal-based stories. Click on this link to read her comments and follow her blog too. She recommends fantastic books, and I’m thrilled to be included in her list.

Read Aloud Video Series Now Available for “Why Kimba Saved The World”

I’m so thrilled to be able to share this first parent/teacher resource with you! Over several weeks, I recorded videos of me reading aloud “Why Kimba Saved The World” a chapter or two at a time, and the whole series is now complete at available at my youtube channel. Click here to check it out!

Apologies are probably in order for the “homemade” nature of these videos, but until some publisher wants to pay Morgan Freeman to read it for you in a professional studio this is what works on my budget. The series is designed to feel just like read aloud time would have in my classroom back when I was teaching elementary school. My classes rarely missed a day with a chapter book read aloud time (one year, we did the WHOLE “Little House on the Prairie” series), and I love being able to share “Kimba” in this same way with kids I will never have the chance to meet in person.

Please share the link with your teacher friends, parents who home school, or children you know who just might enjoy it!