Kimo and Kalini: A Hawaiian Mouse Tail was inspired by a few things, including actual events. At around age nine, Jimbo's younger daughter was an avid reader of the Poppy series of books about mice, written by the acclaimed author, Avi. While on vacation on Oahu, Hawaii, he spotted two little mice running around on the lava rock below the concrete barrier at the Halona Blowhole, which is not far from Koko Head and Marina Bay. The Halona Blowhole is also right next to a small beach known to locals as Cockroach Bay. One mouse was light brown in color, and the other was darker gray or brown. The idea of these two characters stayed in Jimbo's head until March of 2016. The rest of the story came to him after rescuing his older daughter's charm from a hotel drainpipe (without calling maintenance) while on a ski vacation with his girls. Please, enjoy reading with your children.
