By Judy Shields
Los Angeles, California (The Hollywood Times) 08/18/2023 – What happens when the annual family ‘get-together’ commences? Humor, mischief, a twinge of jealousy, an abundance of mayhem, and a healthy dose of pure joy! Through lyrical rhyme and colorful, humorous illustrations readers will realize that “The cousins are coming!”—followed by a “dash out the door to meet the crew…with hugs and laughter and a kiss or two. “YUCK!” From ‘rock-paper-scissors’ to unauthorized spying on the parents, the gathering of two families presents relatable interactions between children, some coming-of-age moments, a touch of tenderness, and the building of memories.
Kay Jones’ first picture book is more than a playbook for friendship, it also captures the gift of family.
The Cousins Are Coming an Uproarious Salute to Kin and Chaos
When the annual family get-together commences, humor, mischief, a twinge of jealousy, an abundance of mayhem and healthy doses of pure joy ensue in the colorful and comical new children’s book, The Cousins Are Coming.
From author and lifelong educator Kay Jones and award-winning illustrator Peter Trimarco, The Cousins Are Coming uses lyrical rhyme and playful illustrations to capture the chaos, the comedy and above all, the camaraderie that arises when young cousins have a chance to gather under one roof.
With energy and imagination to spare, the children move seamlessly from one technology-free moment to the next, with a spirited game of hide and seek, some unauthorized spying on the parents and plenty of laughs at the adults’ expense — all of which is witnessed by whimsical animal sidekicks.
The Hollywood Times had the opportunity to speak with author Kay Jones about her colorful and amazing new children’s book. Grab yourself a drink of choice, your earbuds or headphones and enjoy our conversation:
There was something Kay told me that is truly awesome as to why you should get several copies of her new children’s book. The reason why is…while she was at one of her book signings, adults were buying the book for THEIR cousins! Her friend told her that she bought five of her books. The friend’s son was getting married and five cousins were coming to the wedding. At the rehearsal dinner, the friend gave her cousins the book with a memory written inside of it and they loved it more than anything. WOW, that is really a wonderful idea in itself. What a wonderful gift to give to that special cousin in our life! Get yours today. Click here to purchase your copies.
Here are some photos of the pages Kay referred to in our conversation:
Perfect for children ages 3-9, The Cousins Are Coming presents relatable interactions between children, some coming-of-age moments, a touch of tenderness and the building of memories — all of which depicts the magic of family.
REVIEW
There are so many children’s books out there and that is really a good thing. Your children can never have enough bedtime reading or raining day shut-in days to be read to and this new book of Kay Jones is truly a great book to read to your child or grandchild. The cover alone will get their attention with the brilliant colors and the children in the tree and hanging out of the window of the moving car. The kids will be begging you to turn the page to learn more about the cousin’s coming. With the dog and hiding cat, they will want you to read it many times over. Judy Shields, The Hollywood Times
Karen Rigby of Foreword Reviews had this to say: “In Kay Jones’s boisterous picture book, The Cousins Are Coming, children anticipate a day full of lighthearted adventures … it focuses on the day’s progression, honoring its events with perky rhymes. And the children’s conversations are lively — their rambunctious interactions even include the opinions of their pets. The cartoon illustrations … with fun embellishments that stretch the scale of objects … make use of a soft palette and minimized backgrounds, drawing attention to the children’s actions, which are sometimes disorderly and at other times silly.”
About the Author
Kay Jones is a 40-year educator, having taught in Oklahoma, Arkansas and currently in Dallas, Texas. If not the kids in her classroom, then her five grandchildren are inspiring her to think and learn, but most importantly to laugh. The Cousins are Coming is her first picture book, and it shows the love, the hilarity and the struggles that occur when the cousins in her family join forces. Jones originally wrote this rhyme as a piece for children to perform as a reader’s theater, while encouraging them to add their special touches to the performance. Jones brings her wit and zest for literacy to classrooms each day, and now her own unique touch to the printed page.
About the Illustrator
Peter Trimarco started his professional doodling career as an editorial cartoonist before turning to commercial art and designing packaging for the music industry. While staying in the entertainment field, he published a trade magazine for the film industry and brought his creative juices to the printed page for youngsters. Peter is the illustrator of the critically acclaimed “It’s Just So” book series (Lizzy’s World), which he co-wrote with his wife, Brenda Faatz.
For more information, visit http://www.notablekidspublishing.com/, or follow the publisher on Instagram and Facebook at notablekidspublishing.
Get your copies today for the upcoming Labor day holiday get together, for that upcoming wedding, baby shower or for Christmas.
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Cousins-Are-Coming-Kay-Jones/dp/1735853542
The Cousins Are Coming
Publisher: Notable Kids Publishing
Release Date: May 23, 2023
ISBN-10: 1735853542
ISBN-13: 978-1735853543