Kim Kavin's Blog, page 13

“Little Boy Blue” is a “Masterful Story and a Must-Read,” says North Carolina Newspaper

This past weekend’s review of “Little Boy Blue” in the Courier-Times of Person County, North Carolina, is a write-up that we have been waiting to see for a long, long time. This is the local newspaper in the community where Blue was rescued, a community that for years has had an animal-control facility with a gas chamber and a 95-percent kill rate unless local volunteers intervene.

Book reviewer Phyliss Boatwright crafted a review that takes up almost an entire page of the newspaper, and that has left us absolutely honored and thrilled.

She says she was “mesmerized” after reading just a few pages of “Little Boy Blue.” She further writes: “Kavin crafts a masterful story that will tug at the heartstrings, but she does it in the manner of a true journalist who’s seeking the truth, not an activist trying to influence public opinion by any means. … Kim Kavin simply wants to do what she can to make life better for the multitude of animals that end up in high-kill shelters, like the one in Person County. … If you have ever loved an animal, ‘Little Boy Blue’ is a must-read.”

We are also thrilled that Boatwright’s review was published next to an article about an upcoming fund-raiser for C.A.R.E., a rescue group in Person County that was founded by Rhonda Beach, the woman who saw Blue cowering in the shelter and offered to save him and help find him a home. Kim and Blue will be appearing in a special video at that C.A.R.E. event, and autographed copies of “Little Boy Blue” have been donated to the rescue to use as auction items.

Filed under: Little Boy Blue: The Book

Little Boy Blue to Appear in Springfield, Pennsylvania

Books-A-Million has moved the September 8 book signing for “Little Boy Blue” from downtown Philadelphia to its location in nearby Springfield, Pennsylvania.

The Springfield store typically sees more foot traffic on weekends, so the hope is that more people will not only come in for a copy of “Little Boy Blue,” but also to meet the adoptable dogs who are going to be on site through Lulu’s Rescue, one of the groups that helped to save Blue’s life.

Blue and his mom, author Kim Kavin, will be at the Springfield store starting at 2 p.m. The address is 1250 Baltimore Pike. We hope to see you there!

Filed under: Appearances

‘I Would Suggest this Book to Any Dog Lover’

The Pet Haven blog just uploaded its review of “Little Boy Blue.” We are happy that the reviewer chose to focus not only on the hard truths that are within the book, but also on how the book celebrates the army of rescue volunteers who are working tirelessly across America to save dogs like Blue every day.

Here is our favorite part from the new review:

“This book not only exposes these truths of animal shelters, but it also tells inspiring stories of the grass-roots rescue network that has exploded across the nation in recent years. I would suggest this book to any dog lover.”

Filed under: Little Boy Blue: The Book

New Review of “Little Boy Blue” Praises Reporting: ‘The Book’s Research is Meticulous’

Best Children’s Books has just published a review of “Little Boy Blue” that recommends the book for audiences who are young adult and older.

We are thrilled that the reviewer acknowledged the challenge that the book presented to author Kim Kavin from a reporting standpoint:

“The book’s research is meticulous, as Kavin, as a professional journalist, is able to go places and get answers that many of the activist rescuers cannot. Getting to the bottom of high kill rates or the secret to a financially successful animal rescue takes persistence and effort.”

Filed under: Little Boy Blue: The Book

New Excerpt from “Little Boy Blue” Now Live on Pet News and Views

Pet News and Views just uploaded a new excerpt, never before seen online, from “Little Boy Blue.”

The excerpt is from the part of the book where author Kim Kavin visits Northeast Animal Shelter  in Salem, Massachusetts. It’s an example of a shelter that is succeeding because it is run like a business—using tools and techniques that smaller rescues sometimes lack.

Pet News and Views author Michele C. Hollow writes to her readers: “I wanted to share this excerpt with you because of its importance. Ever since I heard Mike Arms, president of Helen Woodward Animal Center (HWAC), talk about the importance of running animal centers as a business, something inside clicked. It made perfect sense, as we can see and learn from models like Northeast Animal Shelter and HWAC.”

Filed under: Little Boy Blue: The Book

Little Boy Blue to Appear in Doylestown, Pennsylvania

“Little Boy Blue” author Kim Kavin and Blue himself will be signing books as part of the grand re-opening celebration at The Doylestown Bookshop in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, on Sunday, September 23.

The time for this appearance is still being scheduled and will be updated as soon as possible on our Appearances Page. This outdoor event is expected to include several other dog-book authors as well as rescued pups who are available for adoption.

We hope to see you there!

Filed under: Appearances

What Human Might Play Blue in a ‘Little Boy Blue’ Movie?

Kim and Blue in April 2012

That’s just one of the questions that author Kim Kavin answers in a new Q&A for Coffee with a Canine.

Kim also talks about how Blue got his name, the ruckus he causes every night at bedtime, and what he’s really looking at in the photograph at right, which appears on the hardcover’s book jacket.

Here’s an excerpt:

Q: Squeaky toy, ball, stick…?

A: Honestly, whatever toy is in the mouth of whatever foster puppy we have in the house for Lulu’s Rescue, which is one of the groups that helped to save Blue’s life. We’ve had 19 fosters in the past year, since I learned about the need while writing Little Boy Blue. All of the sudden, all of these toys Blue used to be bored with are suddenly hot stuff and in demand. Whatever the foster dog picks up, Blue wants it. And if the dogs have nothing in their mouths, then he wants their full attention to play.

 

Filed under: Little Boy Blue: The Book

Come Meet Blue—and Get Free Dog Treats from Zuke’s

Guess what just arrived from the good people at Zuke’s? A huge case of nearly 500 sample-size packages of the company’s mini-treats for dogs—all to be given away at “Little Boy Blue” book signings and events.

Author Kim Kavin e-mailed the company after bringing her own bag of Zuke’s Mini Naturals to a “Little Boy Blue” event at Book Expo America in June. A number of dog owners in line for books asked about the treats, which Kim buys for Blue regularly because they are only 3 calories apiece and are made from high-quality ingredients. Blue especially loves the peanut butter and salmon flavors that Zuke’s makes in its Mini Naturals line.

We are thrilled that Zuke’s responded by giving us these samples to pass out at upcoming book signings where Blue and Kim will appear. The first event is this Sunday in New Jersey. Here’s a full list of all our upcoming appearances.

We hope to see you there—and we once again thank the good people at Zuke’s for supporting “Little Boy Blue” and its message of rescue.

 

Filed under: Appearances

‘Little Boy Blue’ is a ‘Compelling, Important Book that Should be Read by Everyone Who Loves Dogs’—The Bark

The September/October issue of “The Bark,” which is due on newsstands and in bookstores next week, features a review of “Little Boy Blue” along with a two-page excerpt and this Q&A with author Kim Kavin.

We are thrilled at the wonderful review that editor Claudia Kawczynska wrote. Our favorite part reads:

“Kavin masterfully weaves her life with Blue into the storyline, and does a great job presenting all of this information in an engrossing and inspirational narrative that reads like a page-turner police procedural. This is a compelling, important book that should be read by everyone who loves dogs. Personally, I’m thrilled that someone with Kavin’s passion and skill took on this tough assignment.”

Filed under: Little Boy Blue: The Book

‘The Bark’ Publishes Extensive Q&A with ‘Little Boy Blue’ Author

The September/October issue of “The Bark” is on newsstands now. It includes an extensive Q&A with “Little Boy Blue” author Kim Kavin, who talks about everything from lobbyist push-back against spay/neuter rates to the value of adopting a rescue dog from a foster home to the idea that the dog-rescue movement needs to change the depressing tone of its TV commercials.

Here’s one of our favorite parts of the interview:

THE BARK: What do you hope to achieve with your book?

LITTLE BOY BLUE AUTHOR KIM KAVIN: I hope that people will actually enjoy reading the book. That’s been one of the problems for rescue as a movement, in my opinion; the message of what these dogs face can be so depressing that people tune out. I intentionally wrote Little Boy Blue in a non-depressing way. A few parts are shocking, yes, but it’s not like those television commercials with the sad music and the sad faces that make you want to change the channel. One of the early reviewers said Little Boy Blue read like a mystery unfolding. My editor, after reading the first draft, said, “I laughed, I cried and I wanted to punch some people in the face.” I hope I have written a book that people will read all the way to the end, and that moves them to take action—not because they feel sorry for dogs like Blue, but because they learn how important it is to stand up and champion them.

Filed under: Little Boy Blue: The Book