Library Visit

 

I had the opportunity to read my newest picture book, ALPHABET ZOO, at our local public library at the request of the children’s librarian, Jean Patrick, who is a wonderful children’s author.

 

All the children present, as well as their parents, were very engaged and enjoyed learning about the animals in ANIMAL ZOO and seeing C.E. Dale’s colorful and fun illustrations. It is always so rewarding to speak and read to children and see the excitement on their faces as they listen and ask questions. While there wasn’t enough time to present the animal trivia quiz in the backmatter section of the book as I was one of three authors reading that morning, we did discuss a few of the most fun tidbits which kids and adults alike seemed to enjoy.

 

It was a great time and given it was just before Christmas, I sold several copies of ALPHABET ZOO as well as my previous books which was terrific. School and library visits are a wonderful place to interact with children and share my love of books and reading, and this visit was no exception.

 

Thank you, Ms. Jean, and the Mitchell Public Library! I am grateful for the opportunity as well as your kind words…per Ms. Patrick, “Larson was a joy to have at the library. Kids loved interacting with her about their favorite animals. I only wish we could have had more time to hear her talk about the fascinating animal trivia from the end of the book!”

 

 

In addition, below is a book review of ALPHABET ZOO, written by Jean Patrick for our local newspaper, the Mitchell Republic.

 

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Young Living Book Review
May 6, 2023

By Jean Patrick
Republic Book Columnist

                When it comes to kids, you can’t go wrong with a book about animals.
                In “Alphabet Zoo,” by local author Karin Larson, readers are treated to concise, rhyming descriptions of zoo animals from A to Z.
                At first, the alliterative couplets describe familiar animals.
              For example, “C is for the cranky camel, who boasts a hump full of fat. D is for the dabbling duck, whose bill is broad and flat.”
                But halfway through the book, Larson begins to introduce kids to unfamiliar animals.
              For example, N is for the spike-billed nutcracker, U is for the wild urial, and X is for the x-ray tetra.
                The stylized illustrations of C.E. Dale are simple and uncluttered, making them especially appealing to preschoolers and toddlers.
               In each illustration, Dale emphasizes the eyes, giving young viewers the feeling that the critters are looking back at them.
                However, the exception is the yak, whose shaggy bangs reach down to its nostrils.
               Meanwhile, “Alphabet Zoo” has a component that may appeal to older readers.
                Following the main part of the book, Larson includes a section of Animal Trivia where she poses 26 questions with only an alphabet letter to serve as the clue.
                For example, for the letter "D", Larson asks: “What sleeps with one side of the brain at a time and one eye open to watch for predators?” 
                To find the answers, readers must flip to the end of the book. (The answer is a dolphin.)
                “Alphabet Zoo” is a multi-layered book that joyfully boosts vocabulary, emphasizes rhyme, and reinforces the alphabet.
                Larson, a speech/language pathologist from Mitchell, is also the author of “Bedtime Kisses” and “Little Bug.”
                “Alphabet Zoo.” By Karin Larson. Illustrated by C.E. Dale. 4RV Publishing, 2022. 80 pp.

New Contract Signed!

 

I am so excited to announce I've recently signed a contract on a new picture book. Thank you, Vivian Zabel of 4RV Publishing, for believing in me and COUNTING THE WAY TO ABUELA'S. I am excited to see my story come to life in Aidana's art and illustrations.

'Tis Almost the Shopping Season

Holiday shopping season is quickly approaching. If you are looking for new children's picture books, check out ALPHABET ZOO as well as all the other wonderful kid lit on the SCBWI Bookstop site. They make shopping easy!

Here is a link for my book, Bookstop: Alphabet Zoo. Have fun learning about the animals of Alphabet Zoo!

5 Star Review!!

I am so excited to share the newest, and 5 Star, review for ALPHABET ZOO! Thank you, Carmen Tenorio!

 

Reviewed by Carmen Tenorio for Readers' Favorite

Alphabet Zoo by Karin Larson is a read-along alphabet concept book that uses the zoo to teach the alphabet to young readers. The author features a letter from A to Z along with an animal name that begins with it, together with details of a special trait or characteristic associated with the animal. Mostly written in harmonious rhyme, the book uses large fonts and shows the alphabet letters in bold uppercase, with the rest of the following words in lowercase. The book also features fun, cartoon-like, and colorful illustrations by C.E. Dale to complement the text. There is an animal trivia section at the end where questions are posed and answers are provided with fascinating facts to further broaden the reader's understanding of animals.

Alphabet Zoo is a great book, especially for beginning readers who continually need practice and reinforcement to memorize and read the alphabet. Karin Larson uses amusing and descriptive rhymes and informative sentences that characterize and differentiate one animal from another. There are usually only around two lines of words per page, which makes the material easy to read and not overwhelming. The simple yet colorful illustrations by C.E. Dale will not only appeal to this reading age group but serve as creative and memorable picture clues. The additional trivia is educational and delightful as it reveals more information about the various animals. It's a resource for learning as much as entertaining, with animated language and eye-catching drawings that will make shared or solo reading time enjoyable for kids. 

 

Newest Book Review of ALPHABET ZOO

I am excited to share another lovely book review of ALPHABET ZOO. Thank you, Ann Marshall, for taking the time to read and review my book. Read Ann's review below:

"Alphabet Zoo is a delightful book, full of clever rhymes and colorful, adorable illustrations. Besides being such an entertaining read, it’s also a wonderful teaching tool—not just for helping children learn the alphabet, but also for gaining fascinating animal facts (e.g., Did you know ostriches can’t fly…and that the jaguar is the world’s 3^rd largest cat?!). Congrats to author, Karin Larson, and illustrator, C.E. Dale, for creating this fun-filled journey through the alphabet that kids will love!"

 

Here is one of the adorable illustrations by C.E. Dale to which Ann was referring.

 

 You can find more on my website as well as purchase information.

New Book Review

I am delighted to share the first review of my newest picture book, ALPHABET ZOO, by award-winning children's book author, Donna McDine. Donna's review reads...

Alphabet Zoo is beautifully illustrated by C.E. Dale. Children’s author, Karin Larson takes the reader and their young muses on a whimsical tale through the alphabet, from A to Z. The habitat of each animal is captured perfectly through the written word and illustrations. The “what comes next question” will continually be had before turning each page and the discovery of what animal that correlates to each letter of the alphabet is fun for all ages. Alphabet Zoo is a true delight and inspires thought provoking imagination. Bravo!

Thank you, Donna. Much appreciated! 

For more information, visit my website at www.karinlarson.com.

Explore Alphabet Zoo

 

It has arrived! Hard and soft cover copies now available from me as well as from 4RV Publishing, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. If you purchase from me personally, I can sign and send or deliver to you.

I hope you have fun learning about the animals of Alphabet Zoo!

Coming Soon...

 

Animals from Alphabet Zoo...coming soon to a bookshelf near you!

Coming Soon...

 

The time has FINALLY come! ALPHABET ZOO is coming to life. Thank you to 4RV Publishing and Vivian Zabel for believing my story worthy of publication and to C.E. Dale for so beautifully bringing my words to life. My author copies have been ordered and will arrive soon for any who would like to purchase directly from me and/or have a signed copy. In the meantime, it is also available on the 4RV Publishing website, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

4RV Publishing, Barnes & Noble, Amazon

World Book Day

Today is another day to celebrate reading. What a great week! World Book Day was created on April 23, 1995, by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). 

World Book Day is an event celebrated annually in the UK and Ireland on the first Thursday in March. Every child is given tokens or a voucher to be spent on books. How awesome! This is a terrific way to incite excitement and interest in books and reading for children. Oh, the fun it would be to peruse a bunch of books and decide which to take home.

For us here in America, there are oodles and oodles of wonderful books from which to choose. I encourage you to go peruse many of them on the 4RV Publishing website at https://www.4rvpublishing.com/ (you will notice one of mine there as well!) and support small publishers and the great books offered. 

Happy reading!

Book Review: THE HATCHLING

In the spirit of Easter and the Spring season, I would like to share my most recent book review with you.

TITLE:  THE HATCHLING

PUBLISHER:  4RV Publishing, January 2021

AUTHOR:  Vivian Zabel

ILLUSTRATOR:  Jeanne Conway

PAPERBACK ISBN:  978-1-950074-15-0

HARDCOVER ISBN:  978-1-950074-16-7

 

THE HATCHLING is a heart-warming story of two best friends, Louie Duck and Gus Goose, who go about their days playing, riding waves in the lake and enjoying each other’s company. But soon comes a surprise…Louie is going to be a big brother. How will this new sibling affect Louie and Gus? THE HATCHLING explores the feelings involved in both the sibling relationship and the friendship bond in a heart-warming and relatable way all kids will understand without feeling a lesson is being taught. Ms. Zabel uses active and lively, at times alliterative, language which kids will love. Back matter sections with discussion questions and additional information about ducks compliment the text which kids and adults alike will enjoy. Ms. Conway’s illustrations are bright and fun and bring the characters and story to life. This story is perfect for kids ages 4-9 years of age.

 

To learn more about Vivian Zabel or the other Louie the Duck stories (WAVE EXCITEMENT, LOUIE FINDS A FRIEND), visit https://www.4rvpublishing.com/vivian-zabel.html or www.vivanzabel.com.

 

For more information about Jeanne Conway, visit https://www.jeanniespaintings.com.

 

DISCLAIMER:  I received a hard copy of THE HATCHLING free of charge in return for my honest review. This review consists of my honest opinions, not influenced by anyone in any way.

Made in Oklahoma Event

If you are in or near Oklahoma City on Sunday, March 3, stop by the Made in Oklahoma event from 11 AM-5 PM and visit the 4RV Publishing booth on the 2nd floor of the Public Farmers Market Building. I cannot be there; however, BEDTIME KISSES will be as will some staff members and authors of many terrific books published by 4RV Publishing.

Thank you, Vivian Zabel, President of 4RV Publishing, for your dedication to 4RV and your authors. I wish I could be there in person. Thank you, too, to those authors and staff members able to participate in this great event. Much appreciated!

Book Contract

I am excited to announce I've recently signed a contract for my third children's picture book, ALPHABET ZOO.  I am excited to work with the 4RV family once again and can't wait to see my story come to life as the illustrator brings his/her vision to the creative process.

Check back for updates as we get closer to publication and the release date.

Last Minute Christmas Gifts

Books make great Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers.  If you need to help Santa fill stockings in your house this Christmas season, Bedtime Kisses and Little Bug may be perfect for your little one.

Mommy will be here really soon, but first I'll plant some kisses on my friends around the room...so begins a different type counting book for little ones.

Persistence pays in the end as Little Bug crawls to find a morsel of food, a drink of water and a place to rest.  Teaches about concepts and prepositions.

Autographed copies available.

Guest Interview

I am pleased to share a guest interview on Penelope Anne Cole's blog, Penny's Writing Chad and Book Reviews.  Penny is the award-winning author of the Magical Matthew and Mea series.  You can learn more about her at:

Web:  http://www.penelopeannecole.com/ 
Blog:  http://pennyreviews-chat.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PenelopeAnneColeAuthor

Penelope Anne Cole
Multi-Award Winning Author of Magical Matthew, Magical Mea, 
Magical Mea Goes to School, Magical Max and Magical Mickey, and 

Magical Max and Magical Mickey’s Big Surprise

New:  In and Out, All ‘Round About – Opposite Friends

What’s for Dinner? and ¿Qué vamos a comer?:

For Halloween: Ten Little Tricksters and

 Diez pequeños bromistas

Without further ado...

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

I'm pleased to welcome children's author Karin Larson.

Please tell about your background.

When I was younger, my parents owned jewelry and gift stores, so I grew up working in retail from a young age and did so through high school and college (when home on breaks).   I came home after graduating from college to manage the stores and do the books as my mom had made a change in her career path by that point.  After a couple years, I decided to go back to school and got my Master’s Degree in Communication Disorders.  I have worked as a Speech/Language Pathologist in both the medical and school settings since that time except for a few years I was home with my kids when they were younger.

How did you decide to become a children's writer and what steps did you take to make that happen?  

I’ve always loved to write though had never done so for more than my own eyes.  During the period of a few years when I had young children and was a stay-at-home mom, I saw an ad for a writing test with the Institute of Children’s Literature.  It made me start thinking about it in earnest, so I completed the test and was accepted.  That initial course was followed by a few others, and a writing life was born.  That was probably 12 or 13 years ago, so it certainly wasn’t overnight. Initially, I focused on writing for magazines but have now had two children’s picture books published and am drawn more to PB writing. 

Tell us about your book(s), especially about the one you are promoting now. (I will list your books/covers in the blog.)  

My first children’s picture book, Bedtime Kisses, was released in April 2014 by 4RV Publishing. It is a sweet and simple bedtime counting story for little ones illustrated by the talented Ginger Nielson.   

Little Bug, released in August 2015 by Guardian Angel Publishing and illustrated by Eugene Ruble, is a story about persistence which also teaches children about concepts and prepositions.  Both books are available through me, each publisher’s website, or Amazon.

What is a typical writing day like for you?  

I wish there was something typical about my writing day, but there is anything but!  I still work part time as a speech/language pathologist in a private elementary school and have two kids at home with one in college so I spend time chasing them in various school activities and sports.  I am trying to put writing first before any other writing related activity but often find myself tackling email or reading about writing or marketing on various social media sites if I have just a bit of time rather than physically writing.  I am a work in progress on this front but do try to spend some time working on a manuscript before sitting down at my computer on the mornings I don’t have to go to work.  Carving out time to dedicate just to writing is very important, however, and I am getting better at doing so.

What is the most difficult part of writing for children?  

Making the time to actually sit down, butt in chair, and write.  Often I get caught up in the rest of the day to day grind of life and activities and don’t make or take the time to focus on writing as often as I would like.  

What do you enjoy most about writing for children? 

I love the sense of wonder children have about life and the world around them.  Creating books that foster this sense of enjoyment in reading and losing oneself in the pages of a book is so important to me.  I want to make children want to read.  When a child comes to me and says he/she loved my book, it makes my day.  

Do you make school visits? If so, please describe a typical school presentation.  

I have done a few school visits, and they have been a blast.  While I have prepared notes to discuss with the students based on why the school has asked me to speak (Read Across America week, Dr. Suess Day, etc.), ultimately, we always seem to spend the bulk of the time in a marathon question and answer session which I love as would much rather cover what is most important to the kids.  They are the ones reading my books (as well as the parents reading to the younger kids), so it is always fun to hear their questions and see what matters to them.  It is so exciting to look out into a sea of little upturned faces staring at me with arms raised high in the air waiting to ask a question.  They are always a receptive and grateful audience.

Do you have a website? If so, please give the URL. I have both a website, www.karinlarson.com, and a blog, http://www.karin-larson.blogspot.com.  

Tell us about your marketing process. What do you do to market and sell your books? 

Word of mouth from family and friends have generated a number of book sales as have school visits. I send home a book order form with a spot for parents to indicate to whom they would like the book autographed which has helped get kids excited about my books and upcoming visit.  I have also done book signings at our local bookstore and offered books for sale at our regional SCBWI conference.  I also try to promote on my blog, Facebook, Pinterest and Goodreads and just recently got a Twitter account.  I must admit I am sorely in need of improvements in my marketing/social media life and need to dedicate some major time to it.  It is difficult, however, to justify spending a lot of time on this when I would much rather write and need the written product in order to market it.

What are you working on right now?  

I have three children’s picture books in various stages of editing at the moment and am working on having them all finished and ready to send out by the end of the year.  

What is your best tip for aspiring children's book authors? 

Persistence pays.  Keep working hard and don’t give up.  And read, read and read some more! Submerse yourself in the genre in which you write or want to write.  Creativity breeds creativity—at least, it does for me.

Thank you so much for sharing your writing journey, your process, and tips for aspiring authors!

Summer Reading Fun

I am excited to announce that Bedtime Kisses is part of the SCBWI Summer Reading List in the West division.  There are over 1400 titles from 350 publishers for your summer reading pleasure.  If you are a member of SCBWI, you can find the list at http://www.scbwi.org/list-of-pal-publishers/.

Enjoy!

While you are reading, I will be a bit MIA from this blog, and I apologize.  I will be checking in from time to time over the next couple weeks but am wrapping up our school year (and thus my work year), my daughter is graduating from high school this weekend and we are heading out on a family vacation shortly thereafter; therefore, I am firmly in Mom mode right now.  I will return with my author hat back in place mid-June and will be posting on a much more regular schedule thereafter.

Enjoy the beginning of summer and happy reading and writing.  May creativity and good fortune be yours!

Generating Book Sales

I've been thinking lately about how to re-energize book sales of Bedtime Kisses as sales seem to be in a bit of a slump lately.  Granted, it has been a crazy summer as of late and I haven't been very good at promotion; however, I've been mulling ways to creatively generate new book sales.

Today, I was perusing a new book, The Book: The Essential Guide to Publishing for Children 2015 (www.scbwi.org), and found a chapter entitled, "Keeping Your Book Alive."  That is just what I have been trying to figure out how to do.

This chapter discusses considerations pre-acceptance (hard and softcover, publishers, contract negotiations, etc.), post-acceptance/pre-publication (checking for accuracy, cover copy, inclusion in catalogs, etc.), marketing (reviews and awards) and book life post-publication (availability, rights, print life, etc.). 

There were certainly many great ideas, and I will be following through with those I have not already; however, it really made me start to wonder what all of you find most effective in re-kindling the sales fire when it subsides a bit.

If you are willing to share your ideas and tips for generating sales, I would love to hear them as I am sure would many others.  Perhaps we can all learn new techniques and ideas from each other.

If you are interested in this book, you can find more information at www.scbwi.org.  I haven't had it long and have only browsed through a few chapters thus far, but it seems well worth the investment.

THANK YOU

Thank you to all who voted!  4RV Publishing met the required votes and will be considered for a small business grant from Mission Main Street Grants. WOO HOO!

Final Push...Please Vote

I rarely post requests, but I have a quick favor...Would you consider helping with the following:

4RV Publishing, the small, award-winning Oklahoma-based publisher of my children's picture book, Bedtime Kisses, is working at a chance to receive a $100,000 small business grant, which would give it a huge boost. (Mission Main Street Grants is the donor organization.)

To move on to the next phase, 4RV needs 250 votes by June 5, this Friday. They are in the final push and still need roughly 100 votes on my last update.

Would you be willing to log in and vote for 4RV? Here’s the url:
https://www.missionmainstreetgrants.com/vote/businesses

Just enter “4RV” in the search box. To vote for it, you need to log in to Facebook--they have the FB log-in right there on the same page. You don’t have to navigate to a different url.

It should take you no more than one minute, really!

Thanks much,

Karin

Chase Mission Main Street Grants
Chase's $2M Mission Main Street Grants program for Small Business is in full swing! Apply or vote today! Learn more here: www.missionmainstreetgrants.com

missionmainstreetgrants.com
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Chase Mission Main Street Grants

Chase's $2M Mission Main Street Grants program for Small Business is in full swing! Apply or vote today! Learn more here: www.missionmainstreetgrants.com

missionmainstreetgrants.com

Adoption Journey/Book Auction

I received this email recently and wanted to share with all of you in case you are interested in donating a book.  I've gotten Amanda's approval to share their letter, and it is their hope that any donated books will also help promote the authors who are willing to donate as well.  She searched Facebook for Children's authors and found my name and website and perhaps some of you have heard from Amanda as well.  If not, this is the email I received.

 

Hello,

We are writing with possibly an unusual request. We are in the process of adopting internationally from Eastern Europe, our third special needs adoption in three years. This adoption is for an older sibling group who has waited a long time for a family.

Adoptions are very expensive so we have had to do many fundraisers to raise the funds needed to bring our children home. We are doing an all-book auction in August and were looking to include some signed copies by the author/artist of popular children’s books for more interest. Any unsold books will be donated to the orphanage when we pick up our children.

Our question is: would you be willing to donate a signed copy of one of your children's books? We are trying to raise the funds needed for our agency expenses and we believe this will help us get much closer to our goal. We would be so grateful and you would be making a huge difference in the lives of two children!

Thank you so much for considering this. You can read more about our adoption journey here and see the son we brought home in 2013 and the daughter we brought home in January 2015:

www.blessingseternal.blogspot.com

 Blessings,

Traver & Amanda Sutton Family

 

I have been in contact with Amanda Sutton and have spent some time on their website.  I will be donating a signed copy of Bedtime Kisses for their auction in hopes of helping in some small way.