Meet Gimme, alone on a huge Texas ranch. He is young, adventurous, and learning to slow down before he acts. Follow his search for belonging in a place where fitting in is tough, especially when you are a gemsbok who believes you are a cow. The images and the language work together to guide young readers through curiosity, risk, and the relief of friendship.
The book’s visual approach gives adults concrete moments to pause and ask questions. Children can identify feelings and cause and effect as they notice what the characters do and how the scenes change. The guided questions support early reading and help families and teachers extend conversation beyond the final page. Educators who plan read alouds can use the prompts to start inclusive dialogue about difference, belonging, and taking thoughtful action. These uses align with the goal of encouraging courage, kindness, empathy, and the building of friendships so children can work through fear toward connection.
The project reflects the Southwestern landscape through a clean, vivid visual approach that pairs with the open-range setting. The art uses bold strokes and strong color choices to support the mood of each scene and to guide young readers through moments of curiosity, risk, and courage. That visual language helps adults point out foreshadowing, contrast, and resolution when they read with children. Local features can draw a line between the art on the page and the ways families and classrooms talk about acceptance and respect for differences.
The subject remains relevant to parents of young children who face stereotyping and the pressure to fit in, as well as to children who step into new experiences while fearing non acceptance from peers. Families and schools can use the scenes and the questions to help children believe in themselves and to practice empathy in daily life. The story and visuals encourage concrete discussion about how careful choices build trust and open doors to friendship. The combination of narrative and art makes it easier for adults to keep an objective tone while they explore sensitive topics with early elementary readers.
Gimme will be available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble. This availability supports families, schools, and libraries that need copies for story time, classroom sets, and community events.
About the Author
Jennifer Macdonald lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico with her husband. She holds multiple degrees in English and education and has taught high school English and creative writing. This is her first children’s book and it is based in part on a true story. She wants the story to generate positive conversations with young children about acceptance and respect for individual differences. These aims shape the guided question approach that supports early reading and family dialogue.
About the Illustrator
Mary Jo Kelly is an artist living in northern New Mexico. She uses bold strokes and vivid colors, and her impressionist style reflects the landscapes of the Land of Enchantment. Her artwork grounds the book in a recognizable regional aesthetic that supports read aloud sessions because the images cue emotion and action for young readers.
Amazon Live Link:
E-book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G6GLKCNJ/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0
Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1326729705/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0
For more details and inquiries contact Jennifer Macdonald at jjmacromer@comcast.net.
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