By nature, I am a very picky children’s book reader. If the first sentence or the pictures don’t draw me in, I place it back on the shelf and browse on. The Cat’s Pajamas is not a children’s book I would return to the shelf. It quickly snags your attention and brings you into the story. True to the nature of his novel “Big Fish,“ Daniel Wallace does not disappoint with yet another (adorable) tall-tale. It is the story of one cool cat in his quest to be different who instead, in the end, makes a difference. It is the perfect bedtime story or Pajama Day (at school) story and the narrative voice is quite pleasant and easy to read. I would say that this book is appropriate for ages pre-k through 2nd or 3rd grade and is enjoyable for any parent or teacher as well, especially if said readers are cat fanatics.
The cool thing about this book is that it was published through INKSHARES, which is a crowdfunded publisher. On INKSHARES.com, users donate funds to projects they are interested in by pre-ordering copies of the book. Depending on the amount donated, a user can receive a digital copy, hard copy, draft or even recognition in the book. Users can chose to donate $15, $40, $100 or an undisclosed amount to projects of their choice. Once the author has received enough support, INKSHARES.com supplies an editor, designer and takes care of other aspects of the publishing process.
Any writer can publish using INKSHARES, whether they’re a seasoned and published writer like Mr. Wallace, or a new and upcoming writer being published for the first time. INKSHARES supports an artist’s work by paying more per book sold than a traditional publishing house. A writer can receive up to 70% more in royalties per book as opposed to traditional publishing methods which pay only pocket change for each book sold.
Please take a moment look at inkshares.com and browse their current project list or maybe even look into publishing your own book!
Mr. Wallace’s book “The Cat’s Pajamas” is available in hardcover for 18.00 here.