New Book - Kaimana the Hawaiian Mermaid 🧜🏽♀️
🧜♀️ I JUST PUBLISHED A NEW CHILDREN’S OCEAN CONSERVATION BOOK! 🧜🏽♀️
Kaimana the Hawaiian Mermaid shares the tale of a sperm whale, a community of merfolk, the rich coral reef ecosystem in Kaua’i, Hawaii and a courageous mermaid named Kaimana who makes a difference for the future of marine life, earth’s creatures and all of humanity. Nica Quinn (the talented illustrator) and me collaborated for our third kids book together. (See our other books listed below) Nica’s art is stunning, showcasing a diverse multicultural merfolk world, which captures the underwater splendor of Hawaii. 🌺
Watch the 17 second video about it below or click here to watch it!
It’s also a bestseller in multiple categories on Amazon! 🎉
It received Number One New Release status in these categories:
🥇 Children’s Environmental & Ecology Books
🥇 Children’s Mammal Books
🥇 Children’s Mermaid Ebooks
🥇 Children’s Multicultural Folk Tales
🎊 So exciting! 🎊
’Kaimana the Hawaiian Mermaid’ has a thick resource section in the back of the book containing information about whales (relevance of whale songs, migration info & modern dangers whales face), the importance of a healthy coral reef environment & info for reducing waste that sadly ends up in the ocean harming marine animals & coral reefs. I worked hard on this part and am very proud of it! 🐋✨🐙
In January 2023, a rare and mysterious sperm whale washed up on the coast of Kaua’i, Hawaii choked by garbage debris in its stomach. I knew I had to share the story with the world. I decided to use my platform to speak for the whales, coral reefs and marine life. It’s easy to stare at the ocean in wonder, yet it’s hard to comprehend understand the verdant life that lives miles under the surface. I’ve been swimming often in her waters and I’m here to say that life under the water is enchanted & magical! Just because we can’t see what lives under the surface of the water doesn’t mean it deserves to live anymore then we do! 🐠
Quote from a reader:
“Kaimana, the Hawaiian Mermaid,” forges a path through the wasteland of human foibles to a vision of a future where we live in creative harmony with our world. In a world beset by naratives of conflict comes a delightful story of possibility ... a story that envisions a world free of pollution and strife, both inner and outer. Utilizing the evocative, colorful illustrations of her cocreator, Nica Quinn, Tara takes us on a journey of discovery that acquaints us with a place filled with joy and sustainable living that is the birthright of all conscious beings.” 🔱
Proceeds from the sale of each book goes to support Happywhale for scientific research of whales & their natural habitat. ✨🐋✨ Happywhale is actually my dear brother, Ted Cheeseman’s organization. This is especially near and dear to my heart as my parents were both fierce environmental activists and taught my brother and I to have a deep love and respect for the natural world. (You can read about the positive impact they had upon us and their lifelong work with their wildlife safari business Cheeseman’s Ecology Safaris in the book.) I am grateful to collaborate with my brother to create more awareness about these large magnificent mammals! 🐳
A special thanks goes out to the OG mermaid & brilliant ocean activist Hannah Mermaid for writing the forward for it! ✨🧜♀️✨I have such immense respect for her with the environmental activism work she does to create awareness about ocean conservation, shark awareness & speaking up for our delicate ocean ecosystem. This is vitally important in our modern day and age! 🦈 ✨ 🐬
Transforming into my mermaid self has been the most healing thing for me after the death of my parents in the past 2 years, so this book is a testament to the healing power of water, the tenacious human spirit and the importance of protecting our fragile ocean environment. 🐙
You can find the book on Amazon here. Please leave a review for it if inspired as every review helps immensely for self published authors like myself! Mahalo for the support!
Check out the other kids books that Nica and I published!
Comanche the Wild Mustang: The story about my wild horse Comanche from being taken out of the wild in a Reno, Nevada herd, his life as an Equine Facilitated Learning horse at Wind Horse Sanctuary, traveling across the ocean with his buddy Blue to Kaua’i, Hawaii and how he has been a tremendous healing force with me in my journey with cancer. This is a book to promote awareness about the wild horses. Profits go to support Wild Horse Protection Act.
Comanche the Wild Mustang coloring book: It is the same as the regular book, but in coloring book style!
And then of course, there is my memoir: Grace, Grit & Gratitude: A Cancer Thriver’s Journey from Hospice to Full Recovery with the Healing Power of Horses (not a kids book though!) 🐴
Watch the 17 second video about the new book!