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Me In Animal Form
Tegan Finds Her Tribe follows an abandoned cat who joins a group of kindred spirits that help her live her best life. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
The inspiration was a combination of my finding and rescuing a small kitten who became part of our tribe, and my escape from a toxic work environment during The Great Resignation. In the book, Tegan is essentially me in animal form. I have found a new life, kindred spirits, and am starting to realize my dreams! One of those dreams was writing a children’s book. Becoming both a publisher and author is much more than I ever imagined! But here I am!
This was a charming book with beautiful illustrations. What was the artistic process like to bring this book to life?
Being that Tegan Finds Her Tribe was my first attempt at writing and illustrating a book, it was a challenge! But I pulled it together somehow. I guess determination was the key.
What scene in the book did you have the most fun creating?
I enjoyed visualizing Tegan’s antagonists in the forest at night, and how they made her feel. She used that, refusing to let fear of the unknown conquer her. She knew intrinsically that she would persevere… somehow. She trusted herself, and took a leap of faith.
Do you have more children’s books planned that feature Tegan?
I hope to do at least one more book about Tegan (and Willow), I just haven’t figured out what’s next for Tegan or for me. In the meantime, I have two other books in the works.
Author Links: Amazon | Facebook
The story teaches authenticity, acceptance, diversity, inclusion, overcoming obstacles, empathy, the importance of having a sense of community, kindness, compassion, and realizing your worth. The story of Tegan’s journey encourages your child to appreciate their own unique traits and accept the differences of others so that everyone can thrive. It feels good to be yourself!
For ages 6 – 10
Tegan Finds Her Tribe
Tegan is a charming and unique cat who has big dreams. But those dreams are dashed when she’s abandoned in the woods. She survives one terrible night and decides to take it upon herself to seek safety and a new home. What she finds instead is a band of friends that make her feel better and let her be who she is.
Tegan Finds Her Tribe is a heartwarming and uplifting children’s book that teaches young readers to persevere in the face of adversity, and that a home is really a place where people accept you for who you are, not just a place. Throughout the story Tegan is wonderfully emotive, ensuring that readers can see her emotion in every situation, which speaks to the fantastic illustrations throughout the story. Tegan’s nose looks like a little balloon and was one thing I looked forward to in every scene. This picture book is filled with beautiful watercolor art that is vibrant, has depth and reminded me of the artwork in The Lorax by Dr. Seuss.
The story starts off with Tegan being abandoned, which is hard to see, but the story then takes readers on an inspiring adventure that is filled with lots of creative and cute imagery. I loved the scene where Tegan lists all the animals she heard in the woods. They were all so cute. Tegan’s imagination is also a source of inspiration for her and provides her with the motivation she needs to keep going. I really enjoyed this idea and I think it makes this book unique because there are not many kids books that show kids how to find inspiration from within. It’s usually an external force that motivates the character. In this book, Tegan motivates herself to find something better, imagines what that could be, and then goes out to find it.
Author Melinda Booth has created an inspirational children’s book that takes young readers on poignant journey to find a place where an abandoned cat can feel like herself. This is the perfect book for parents and teachers to educate kids on acceptance and empathy and show them how to find the strength from within to overcome obstacles.
Pages: 32 | ASIN: B0B57ZH86Z
LITERARY TITAN 