Press Kit

Bio

Kimberlee Gard spent most of her childhood running from books instead of reading them. A learning disorder held her back until one loving teacher taught her the tools to overcome the disorder and showed her the magical world of books. From this came Kimberlee’s aspiration to write books for children that would bring about the same love of reading she once found.

Kimberlee was further inspired after watching her own son battle dyslexia and committed herself to work and create stories that would encourage and engage even the most struggling and reluctant reader. Kimberlee lives on a small farm in Colorado with her husband and four sons and a gaggling group of barnyard friends which offer constant inspiration for the stories she writes.

Q&A

Why did you become an author?

I have always loved creating stories.  I love imaging new worlds and the characters in them.  Writing books allows me to do that.  It brings me great joy.

I first started writing picture books after my own children were born.  When my oldest son started pre-school, he struggled while trying to learn the alphabet.  This gave me the idea for my book, THE LITTLE i WHO LOST HIS DOT, a book that is not only fun and engaging but one that can help children learn the alphabet and letter sounds.

Who were your favorite authors/illustrators when you were a child?

I struggled as a reader when I was a child, so I often would open a book, look at the pictures, and make up my own story.  I think that is when I first fell in love with storytelling.  Beatrix Potter books and Cicely Mary Barkers Flower Fairies series were among my favorites.  I was always wishing I could escape into the pictures.

Where do you get your ideas for your books?

The secret is to pay attention.  Ideas are everywhere, and an author’s job is to catch them, write them down, and share them with others.

What is your favorite part of the writing and publishing process?

The publishing process is fun and amazing. Each milestone is its own victory from finding an agent to signing the first book contract.  I’ve loved seeing how a book is made from start to finish and seeing how the text comes alive with the illustrations.

What is a typical workday like?

Every day is different.  I’m a wife and mom and with homeschooling, kids going in a dozen different directions, and chores on our hobby farm, life is always busy.  On a typical day, I try to get my writing done early in the morning and have a daily word count goal that I’m always striving for which keeps me disciplined.  Then a lot of time throughout my day is devoted to other tasks like revising, critiquing manuscripts, catching up on emails and social media and most importantly, reading.  I try to read several picture books each week and usually end my day reading a novel.  My favorite days are the days I get to share my books with others.  I do a lot of events at bookstores, schools, and libraries, and speak at writers groups and conferences.  These days are always the highlights of my week.

What do you have to do to become an author.

Write!  The more you write, the better you become.  The other most important thing you can do is read.  Read books similar to what you are writing.  It’s also important to study the craft.  Find a writing community and attend workshops and conferences. 

The journey to becoming a published author is different for everyone but the key is to stay persistent and never give up.

Do you do school or library speaking events?

Yes!  I love doing author visits- it’s one of the best parts of the job! For more information on visits email me at contact@kimberleegard.com

Headshots

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Latest Book Release

The Compound Noun Treasure Hunt: A Picture Book about Compound Words

by Kimberlee Gard ; illustrated by Sandie Sonke (Age Range: 3 – 4)

A new installment in the popular Language Is Fun series, all about the power of compound nouns.It all started when BULLDOG stumbled upon a piece of paper. “It must be a treasure map. And it must lead to gold!”

Pub Date: August 5, 2025 | ISBN: 978-1-64170-885-2 | Page count: 32pp | Publisher: Familius

Previous Book Release

Red Rover, Red Rover, Send a Vowel Over

by Kimberlee Gard ; illustrated by Sandie Sonke (Age Range: 5 – 8)

The vowels, little a, e, i, o, and u, know they are different from the other letters, so they hesitate to join in the playground games, but when the consonants try to form words, they realize just how impossible that is without the vowels.

Pub Date: September 10, 2024 | ISBN: 978-1-64170-956-9 | Page count: 32pp | Publisher: Familius

Book Reviews

“Kids will giggle in delight.” – Kirkus

“With many alphabet books in circulation, it takes originality and creativity to make another A,B,C book stand out; finding a book like The Little i Who Lost His Dot is like finding the sweet blueberry in the mix of the bland.”   – Tulsa Book Review

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