Happy book birthday, Doll Trouble! Congratulations, Kim and Natasa, on your new picture book! I can’t wait to see this book in person!
NOTE: Clavis Publishing Inc. has agreed to send a copy of Doll Trouble (US & Canada only) to one reader who comments on this blog post by September 22 (one week from today)! Be sure to read to the end and comment to get your name in the hat. You will also find other ways to get bonus entries!! Be sure to let us know what you do so we can get the correct number of entries for you.
More importantly, Kim Larson is joining us today to celebrate this special book release. Welcome, Kim!
Tell us about your writing journey.
I wrote as a hobby for many years. Then in 2010, I was laid off after a 23-year career in mortgage lending. It had always been my secret dream to write full-time, and with our two sons almost grown, my husband gave me his blessing to pursue it. I took three creative writing classes at the same college my son attended, then started a critique group that met in my home for many years. I went on to publish twelve short stories and poems in regional anthologies and penned a few picture books along the way. However, it wasn’t until I stumbled onto a local SCBWI writing group in 2018 that I switched to writing for children exclusively.
You really put in the work and effort, Kim! Writing for children takes a lot of work.
What was your inspiration for Doll Trouble?
I fondly remember my favorite childhood doll named Teresa, and I often wish I still had her. Being the oldest of five siblings, my toys rarely “lived” to see old age. Between a house full of kids and a particularly destructive brother, I spent a lot of my childhood figuring out how to keep loving my dolls after they ended up with missing limbs or shaved heads. Those early lessons in empathy—learning to love something even when it isn’t “perfect”—became the emotional heart of this story.
But the specific spark for Doll Trouble really ignited when I watched the kids next door playing while their dad mowed the lawn. It took me back to a childhood memory of my cousin, who tragically lost several toes in a lawnmower accident. I wanted to weave those two worlds together: creating a narrative that celebrates the resilience of a well-loved toy, while gently alerting children to the very real dangers of lawnmowers.
This is a great story spark! Lawnmowers are helpful, but also dangerous for small children (and toys).
Tell me about your publishing experience with Clavis. Were you involved with the illustrator at all?
I submitted this story to Clavis Publishing on December 3, and just seventeen days later, I received an email stating they wanted to publish it! Working with Clavis has been a uniquely international experience. Because they are based in Belgium, the book actually made its debut in Dutch first under the title Mijn pop voor altijd (My Doll Forever), which was a fun collaborative process working alongside a translator and editor.
When it came to the artwork, it immediately reminded me of the movie James and the Giant Peach, an absolute favorite of mine during my boys’ younger years. When the publisher asked me to comment on the initial sketches, my only minor note was that the doll needed to look a bit more physically damaged—she had been run over by a lawnmower, after all! Natasa took that feedback and did a wonderful job balancing the humor and emotion of Emma’s worn-out doll. The final illustrations are just beautiful and perfectly capture the soul of the book.
I love this! The illustrations do have the feel of James and the Giant Peach. And how fun to have it publish in Belgium!
I’ve seen that you’ve been busy promoting Doll Trouble at elementary schools. Tell me about that experience. Do you have any plans to do more visits?
I was incredibly blessed to receive a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, which supported me financially as I embarked on a presentation tour across the state. I visited 15 public schools and delivered 47 interactive, 30-minute PowerPoint presentations to elementary students.
During these workshops, I used a practical “5 Ws and How” framework to teach kids the foundational building blocks of storytelling. We examined snippets from various picture books as mentor texts to show examples of each. It was an absolute joy to watch the students’ eyes light up as they identified these elements and at the end we created a story together. (You can check out photos from these amazing school visits on my website!)
Because I was able to share Doll Trouble early with so many students during the spring tour, I don’t have additional elementary visits scheduled for this fall. Right now, I’m focusing my energy on book launch events and finishing a first draft of my middle grade novel!
This is amazing! How cool that you were supported by a state grant!
Do you have any tips you would give to a new picture book author or illustrator?
Never stop learning. Never give up. And never lose your joy in writing. Staying actively connected with other creators in the KidLit community is the absolute best way to accomplish all three. The children’s writing community is uniquely encouraging, helpful, and supportive of one another. Connecting with fellow writers truly makes the creative journey so much more fun.
All true! This is a good reminder for me.
Surprise us! What else would you like to share?
On a more serious note related to the theme of the book, here’s a sobering safety fact from Mercyone.org:
“Each year, nearly 10,000 children are injured by lawn mowers, with 9,000 of those children needing to go to the emergency department. These injuries are one of the most common causes of amputations in children. Despite increased mower safety specifications and requirements, lawn mower injury incidence rates have remained essentially unchanged for the past 40 years.”
My hope is that Doll Trouble can open the door for parents and educators to have a lighthearted but important conversation about outdoor safety. Families can find great, practical lawnmower safety tips on their website.
This is a good reminder and warning about lawnmower safety. Thank you!
Thank you for visiting today, Kim! Congratulations on the book birthday of Doll Trouble! Hooray!!
Author Bio
Kim A. Larson is the children’s book author of Doll Trouble (Clavis Publishing, 2026) and Goat’s Boat Won’t Float (The Little Press, 2024). She’s a recipient of the SCBWI Ann Whitford Paul Award and multiple grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board and the Lake Region Arts Council. She writes to entertain, educate, and foster a lifelong love of reading in children through stories that are warm, humorous, and full of heart. Kim lives in Minnesota, and when she’s not writing, you may find her working in her garden or playing Sequence with her husband.
You can reach Kim on her website at KimALarson.com and on Facebook, X, BlueSky, and Instagram.
Giveaway Details
Clavis Publishing is offering a copy of Doll Trouble (US & Canada only) to one lucky winner! Comment below for a chance to win. Please let us know if you share this post on social media and I’ll enter your name for an extra chance to win. This opportunity is open until Tuesday, September 22!
Here’s my social media handles to tag me, if you would please. (And publisher.)
https://twitter.com/KimALarson7 https://x.com/clavisbooks
https://www.instagram.com/kimalarson/ https://www.instagram.com/clavis_publishing/
