What to write on the first post? I should probably explain the purpose of this blog. My goal is to introduce people to my stories and the stories of others. I love children's books, both writing them and reading them. On this blog I'll share some of my favorite books and authors, relate my experiences getting published and write about other topics related to the children's book industry.

My first book, Runaway Tomato, appears in bookstores June 12, 2014. It's a fast-paced rhyme that's fun to read aloud. A tomato grows big, big, big on top of a hill, trapping a boy and his dog in their home. The whole town shows up with all kinds of vehicles to move the tomato. They tug and pull, push and shove but the tomato won't budge. When it finally moves, chaos ensues. The tomato rolls faster and faster towards town. The end result is a sticky, gooey Tomatofest.

Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin, is the publisher. Lincoln Agnew is the illustrator and his art is amazing! It's whimsical with a retro-feel and each illustration contains so many little details it's like searching for objects in an I Spy book. My boys pour over the illustrations and constantly discover new things.

Here's a shot of the cover. Hopefully you'll see this on the wall of books in the children's section of Barnes and Noble next summer. Visit my website www.kimcooleyreeder.com to see more.