#453 – Why Kimba Saved the World by Meg Welch Dendler

By SMorris/KidLitReviews

kimba.

Why Kimba Saved the World

by Meg Welch Dendler

Serenity Mountain Publishing.

.                             ((no illustrations received)

Back Cover: How can a young cat pick between everything she has ever wanted and everyone she has ever loved? Kimba lives the care-free life of a much loved house cat, but what she really wants is freedom and the wild life for which she was born. Then she learns a secret that changes everything, including her destiny. Will she join this mysterious cat conspiracy? Kimba must choose between the freedom she craves and the human family she loves.

Opening:  “Some cats are born on earth and never know who they really are. Others are sent. They are undercover for their years on earth. They know who they are.”

Review 

The story is an interesting concept. Cats are not animals of the Earth, but aliens who, for whatever reason, intend to overtake the world from humans. Starting with the introduction of two kittens, Hiro and Kimba, the story goes on to convince one that Regulas is in control and she should go along with the plan for cats all over the world. Regulas does not give a reason why he wants cats to take over or what they will do once that has happened. Hiro worries about what will happen to their family, “Daddy” in particular.

Kimba has no such relationship with anyone in the house, though she does tend to tolerate “Mama’s” attention. The first half of the story is about Hiro and Kamba’s first year. On page 53—chapter 10—the antagonist is finally introduced. This is much too late in the story.  Kimba’s assignments seem innocent. One is to rub fur on every human family member so that Regulas—the head cat—can monitor each person’s movements, like a furry GPS system. That one is clever.

Not until thirty pages later is the real conflict, the real plot of the story told to readers. The cats in the mirror want to take over the world. Regulas claims to have “guided humans” in the creation of technology. Then why do the cats need help using it for their own devices? Kimba needs to get Mama’s password or “code” for Facebook, the platform the cats will use to take over.

kimba frames tour banner

The problem I have with this potentially good story is that it drags. In fiction, I like the rollercoaster ride that comes from mini conflicts that challenge and change the protagonist. Why Kimba Saved the World is more of a journal about these two cats, Hiro and Kimba—real life cats of the author—rather than a fantasy. Once Kimba understands the mission, she continues to comply even though Hiro gives her wonderful reasons not to. The most agitation this causes Kimba is a bit of worry. She worries about everything and then proceeds to follow orders, then worries again, obeys orders, worries, obeys, worries, obeys.

Finally, at the end, after Kimba has the password of Mama’s Facebook account she . . . obeys, once again. Oh, she worried about following through, but it was clear she would comply. Before the task is completed, Kimba finally reconsiders. Still, the ending was not satisfying, though it does lead to the next book in the ongoing series. Why (did) Kimba Saved the World? She does not. Turns out her action alone did not stop the alien cats from taking over. Several cats around the world apparently did not complete the task. The hero is not the hero, but one of many.

The author knows how to write and her words are kid-sized, as they should be. No punctuation or grammar errors are noticeable. Sentences read well and chapters were not long. The author took the admonition to edit and for this, I strongly applaud her. The story has promise, but if each book is about Regulas trying to bring in a different cat—the author has many—it will get predictable, fast. I recommended using actual illustrations and not pictures of the author’s cats and family. This is one big reason the book felt like a journal during the long first half. Also, use a prologue or an epilogue, but not both.

As the author’s debut, Why Kimba Saved the World is a noble start. The author wrote about which she knew and is that not what aspiring authors are told to do? She understands cats better than most and is good at describing their movements. The idea of cats taking over the world is a good premise. Add a little humor, a few more edits, a little more distance between author and subject, and get the story’s main conflict and antagonist into the story faster and this author will be on her way to a wonderful career.

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Why Kimba Saved the World

by Meg Welch Dendler    website    blog    facebook    twitter

Serenity Mountain Publishing

Released February 5, 2013

ISBN:  978-1-48208358-3

194 pages

Age 7 to 9

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WHY KIMBA SAVED THE WORLD. Text & photographs copyright © 2013 by Meg Welch Dendler. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Serenity Mountain Publishing, Eureka Springs, AK

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kimba

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31 thoughts on “#453 – Why Kimba Saved the World by Meg Welch Dendler”

  1. Pingback: Book Blog Tour! Why Kimba Saved the World by Meg Welch Dendler | This Kid Reviews Books

    • Cupcake, don’t believe everything you read in a book or book review. See Rhythm’s comment, he seems to understand cats. Cats already think they run the world and if they are not being bossy, they are acting superior by ignoring you. In all the years cats have taken up residence in my house, every one has acted this way. And it works. I have no idea how they get me to cooperate, but they do. “Help me!”.

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  4. Well, I totally believe that cats are aliens. Whether or not they’re here to take over the world is an interesting idea to ponder. I think that they believe they have already taken over the world.

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    • I think you are right, cats already think they rule everything. You aren’t one of those dogs that hates cats, are you? I thought you were an accept all canine. Please tell me it’s true! 🙂

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          • The cat was named by my best bud, who happens to be one of those Grand Girls of the Mom Person. MR. Alphabet is a girl. And that may be at the root of her sinister nature. My Mom Person is a substitute teacher and loves it. Especially since I get to go and be her assistant!

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  6. The first thing I thought when I saw the cover was “Pretty cover!” and the next thing was, “I wonder if this explains why Mr. Wuffles was only interested in the tiny spaceship!” 😀

    It sounds as if this story is self-published since it’s not strongly character or plot-driven 😦 I do think it’s a clever premise, though! I also agree that illustrations, rather than photos, would lend to the fantasy of the story.

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    • Writesideup: The story is self-published. Don’t let a publisher name fool you. A good many of these that you have never heard of is because the author makes them up and then uses the fake publisher to make it look like the book is good enough that a publisher bought it. A author should be self-publishing under their own name. If a publisher does not have more than the one author and does not have more than that author’s books “published” it is a ruse.

      Unfortunately, more than 90% of the “publishers” for the self-published books I have received for review have a fake publisher. Most should be spending the time finding a good editor.

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        • I do not know how this got started but it is not a good thing. Many of these authors do not realize what they are doing, potentially, to their reputations. Many are doing what they were advised to do, probably by other writers who were advised the same. I wish there was an organization devoted to non-traditionally published books that had all the correct procedures. I have read several times that traditional publishers will not touch a book published under a non-existent publisher. So these writers could be unintentionally hurting themselves (if they would like traditionally published).

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