“I Sat Beside an Elephant” is a grand romp of silliness marching right into the joy of letting one’s inner creativity run free while waiting for the bus to arrive and carry you off to school.

Written in a light rhyming prose, any child age five to eight is sure to enjoy the story within “I Sat Beside an Elephant.” The illustrations are hand drawn in colored pencil and add just the right touch of realism to the completely whimsical nature of the story.

“I Sat Beside an Elephant” carries to the reader a touching look at the simple warmth always hiding in the thoughts of every child everywhere.

Alligators Can’t Stand Butterflies is an amusing collaboration of 6 stand-alone chapters that combine to tell one true yet fanciful tale, the story of the annual North American Monarch Butterfly Migration. Set in the raw beauty of the Florida Panhandle’s Forgotten Coast at the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, ‘Alligators’ lets the reader wonder what all the animal inhabitants of the refugeare really up to when people are not closely watching.

The book begins with entertaining background information that reads with no more difficulty than a child’s book report. This sets the stage for half a dozen animal capers that are an engaging mix of silly, slightly sad and by story’s end, sublime.

Master storyteller Chen Li recalls a special day in the history of his beloved home, the village of Ming Po, a small hamlet hidden long ago in time, and far away in distance in a most remote corner of northern China.

Su Tai, is a simple 11 year old girl whose world extends no further than her small village and all of her friends within its boundaries. When word comes of the galloping approach of 10,000 conquering Mongol soldiers she knows she must find some way to preserve the peaceful life that has existed for hundreds of years in her valley. The Heart of Nine Tigers shows us that courage is bestowed to those who most desire it and teaches that quiet inner strength waits to be awakened in each of us.

“Bartram and the Blue Morning Glory” is a delightful look at the wondrous happenings that are constantly occuring
in unique animal habitats and in nature all around us.

Bartram is a Santa Rosa Island Beach Mouse. There aren’t too many of his kind of mouse around any more. Floods and predators have caused the beach mouse population to dwindle down to just a few thousand mouse “cousins.”

When a beautiful blue flower unexpectedly appears, Bartram convinces his fowl followers that the Heavenly Blue Morning Glory must be a blessing and gift from nature. Through the eyes and heart of this plucky little mouse young readers are given a chance to see for themselves how every day, miracles are happening all around us.

In the spirit of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings’ “The Yearling” and Katherine Paterson’s “Bridge to Terabithia”, The Midget Green Swamp Moose offers the reader a charming visit to rural life and lifestyle at a special time in the recent American past.It’s 1963 and most of the world is in love with the Kennedy’s and Washington D.C.’s new version of Camelot. But that influence scarcely touches Melanie and Bret Fowler as they tend to chores and attempt to find diversions from summer boredom on their 117 acre farm in the Florida panhandle. Life turns and tumbles for 12 year old Bret and 11 year old Melly, as she is called, through an assortment of poignant and powerful moments. At points tearfully sad, but far more often humorous and uplifting, The Midget Green Swamp Moose paints an endearing picture of time and place in keeping with a true southern living experience.

Kid’s books certainly are not what they used to be. So many editions are being published today simply as a means to sell an accompanying product. The purpose of creating children’s books seems almost forgotten. That purpose is to entertain and hopefully enlighten children. Books from Morningside fulfill that promise. Every story is positive and uplifting. The protagonist of the story, whether it is a butterfly or a bear learns an important life lesson and that lesson is shared by the young reader who is always put in a position so as to identify personally with the character.

If one were to search for quality kid’s books online they might be amazed at the results. To begin with most of the first 20 search engine results for kid’s books online are possessed by major publishing houses. These are simple links back to their sites where their latest offerings for children’s literature are on display. Other major search results include Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com. A file entry into the first page of Google search and results for children’s books is a poor collection of stories displayed online at Magickeys. These stories albeit free, are poorly drawn and poorly written, with little to offer the young reader.

The best kid’s’ books tend to be those which have won awards from the American library association or other family based organizations. All of the books published by Morningside books are in contention for major awards such as these. Of course certification by the major literary groups who are decidedly pro child is not the conclusive indicator of a stories worth. That decision is best left to the individual child’s parents. Here in Morningside Books, we do our best to offer an honest evaluation of every book we publish so that you as a parent can choose wisely what is best for your child.

Certainly, classic kid’s books such as Huckleberry Finn or The Yearling do not come along on a weekly basis. But the criteria that defines these books as enduring and endearing is perpetual and constant. Books that are passed along one generation to the next are marked as special in that they never focus on a fad or momentary fashion. Instead, books that will become classics exhibit the framework of positive uplifting messages. These books teach our children to be compassionate, brave and to have faith in God. This is not to say that a great children’s book is pigeonholed into any one faith. It is more that the best books for kids extol the immense value of belief in goodness.

Morningside Books is introducing some of the greatest kid’s storybooks to come along in the last 50 years. Perhaps because the principals of Morningside are all the quintessential baby boomers who grew up being read to from the likes of Dr. Seuss, Beverly Cleary and Laura Ingalls Wilder, the books published by Morningside always carry forth positive themes that express faith in God and goodness. There are no dark sides to Morningside Books, hence our name. Even in our books for older children where life’s tragedy is sometimes explored, there is always a dawn… a morning light.

Teaching children to read needn’t involve seeing spot run. Here at Morningside books we believe that almost every child is capable of learning complex words and the thoughts they portray. Most of our books are what are called “read to me” books. They’re written and drawn so as to be read aloud by parent and child together. They are also created with stories that can be told and retold so that through repetition a young child learns greater meanings. We publish fun exciting kids reading books with great lessons for children and perhaps the occasional parent as well.

Every year there are around 100,000 new books for kids published. Amazingly, all but one percent of these are of little literary value. When we refer to literary value as seen in children’s books, we don’t mean that all of these books aren’t gems penned by the likes of Mark Twain or Katherine Paterson. What we mean is that there is an endless parade of little mermaid remakes and Disney follow ups. Yes, these books have a market value and will make plenty of money for their publishers. But will they leave a child with any lasting joy?

Looking for good books for kids? Morningside Books is quickly building a reputation as the nation’s most creative children’s book publishing house. Our initial printing of “The Heart of Nine Tigers” has established Morningside as producers of entertaining and engaging children’s literature at the highest level. This is not to say that we make boring books for egghead kids. No our books are created for kids from seven to seventy and anyone who wants to place a smile on the face of a child.

How does one define the best books for kids? Are they educational? Are they pure entertainment? And do these best books provide an important message that will further a child’s inner development. Books like “Horton Hears a Who” for younger children or “The Bridge to Terabithia” for juveniles offer messages that children carry with them and call upon in later years. Morningside Books publishes books of only this caliber. Whether a book is written solely for laughter or expressly to impart a message of hope all of our books carry forth a special strength of spirit.

Unfortunately online books for kids seem to be a collection of simplistic writing and illustrations that offer a child little in the way of emotional and spiritual guidance. Children’s books should have purpose. Sometimes that purpose is only to evoke a series of giggles and sometimes a book’s theme is created to provide deep emotional comfort. Regardless of which, children’s books should leave in the wake of their reading an improved sense of self. In the near future we will be offering free children’s books to read online that carry forth these ideas.

Morningside Books is a conventional ink to paper Children’s book publishing house. At the present time we do not offer online editions of our books. It is our hope that parent will see the greater joy in holding in their hands both their child and one of our delightful stories so as to give both the attention they deserve. Most books for kids online are of unbelievably low quality. When budget permits we do hope to make special online editions of our titles available. We are reminded of a quote by famous publishing icon, Charles Scribner who said, “When books become obsolete, I will make candles.” Real paper and ink books, like flickering candles share a special kind of light.

At Morningside Books we pride ourselves in offering wonderful reading books for kids. These are books that a child may not be able to read the first time on their own, depending upon the child’s age. But, after a reading or two your child will want to pour over the words and pictures of our stories time and time again. We publish stories your child will cherish forever. These are not sequels to animated films written and produced with the sole purpose of selling toys. We publish books created to enrich the spirit of any man, woman or child who reads them.

Kid’s stories just aren’t what they used to be. In looking over a selection from the local bookstore chain, we were disappointed to see nothing but cardboard fold over books. These books have no storyline and offer no lesson of any value. This is not to say that all children’s books must have a moral. But they should offer valid entertainment in the form of a smile or a soothing moment. The point of books for our children is to feed their minds and spirits with positive happy thought.

Great children’s stories are few and far between these days. Other than the few prize winning books brought out every year, the majority of new work for kids is simply a collective rehash of stories from television. Here at The Children’s Bookstore we work hard to find hidden treasures for children that otherwise might not be brought to your attention. We sell the best work from the best independent publishers. No you won’t find Disney characters floating around our pages. But you will find delightful tales filled with clever ideas and adventure.

Looking for good kid’s stories online? The Children’s Bookstore is the place to find them. We offer a unique selection of charming stories. These are tales that are seldom seen today. No, there are no transforming robots or discussions of why everyone poops. We fill pages with characters that your child will identify with such as Su Tai the brave young girl in “The Heart of Nine Tigers.” Even our little mouse in “Bartram and the Blue Morning Glory” will let your child see through his eyes. These are the most beautiful books offered anywhere online.

Our animal wildlife book “Alligators Can’t Stand Butterflies” is a wonderful collection of six short stories for kids. Each of the chapters can be read as a standalone story but still is tied to the others in its overall context and setting. One of the stories takes the young reader deep into the woods to study Florida Black Bears. Another tours a Florida Swamp filled with toothy alligators. All of the stories share knowledge about the migrating birds and insects who live in the Saint Marks Wildlife Refuge along the coast of Florida. And all of stories are filled with surprises and fun.

Most of the books offered at The Children’s Bookstore could hardly be called children’s short stories. A few of our books contain wonderful short story collections, but most of our titles allow characters and plots to fully develop. Our books have beautiful positive messages in them with examples of courage and faith that your child will take to heart. These books are written for kids from seven to seventy, so moms and dads are never bored reading them. All of our books are constructed to a higher than library standard, so as years pass the books will survive to be passed down to younger siblings.

What is the best length for a bedtime stories for kids? Is it 200 words or two thousand? The answer depends upon two things, the age of the child being read to and the patience of the parent reading the story. Sometimes when mother and child are sharing a special bedtime reading moment the story ends too soon. Other times, if the story is not challenging the child’s imagination, the storytelling moment becomes a tiresome exercise. We offer only books that will capture your child’s heart and imagination. And, all of our books are written and drawn so that mothers and fathers enjoy reading them as well.

Our latest book “Bartram and the Blue Morning Glory” is one of the nicest bedtime stories for children ever written. Bartram is an endangered beach mouse and deals with trials and triumphs on a mouse sized level. But your child will appreciate what it is like to be little in a very large world. The story is over 20,000 words long and filled with beautiful hand drawn (not computer created) illustrations. Reading will take many bedtime sessions. But each chapter ends nicely allowing your little ones to peacefully dream until the story continues.

All of the books offered at The Children’s Bookstore make for wonderful bedtime stories. Some such as “Bartram and the Blue Morning Glory,” are too long for one night time session, but these have convenient chapter breaks for sleepy eyed children, moms and dads. Other books such as the enchanting story, “The Heart of Nine Tigers,” can be read in either one long storytelling time or split between two nights. We will soon be adding to our sales list bedtime stories for younger children aged four to six. These are perfect for settling the active mind of a young child and filling it with the seeds of beautiful dreams.

Do you have a list of favorite children’s books you remember from when you were a child? Almost everyone has a favorite bunch of books. We progress from Dr Seuss to Beverly Cleary to Katherine Paterson. All of the books by these noted authors, regardless of the age they are intended for share a commonality. They give their young readers a positive image of self. If there is any one objective for a children’s book author it should be to do this. All of the books you will find at The Childrens Bookstore were selected because of the positive image they present to children.

Once a child graduates from simple picture books to children’s reading books, whole new worlds are made available. The reader may find his or herself traveling down the Mississippi river on a raft or flying into outer space. In “The Heart of Nine Tigers” the young reader visits ancient China and learns about an important historical figure. In “Alligators Can’t Stand Butterflies” the reader delves deep into the Florida swamp to meet alligators. The best books for children who are advancing their reading skills are books such as these that inspire via participation.

Books for children can be simple or complex depending upon how you classify childhood. Morningside Books publishes a full range of childrens books from simple picture books filled with rhyme that teach basic reading skills, to young adult novels written so as to share important insights teenagers need as they travel into adulthood. Of course all of our books are packed with fun and entertainment. They always take the young readers imagination to new and exciting places. Whether it is a trip to ancient China or into the deep dark Florida swamp, these are books that ignite the reader’s spirit.

“Bartram and the Blue Morning Glory” has been praised as one of the finest storybooks for children ever written. With tremendous attention to detail the book depicts a week in the life of a very special endangered species, The Gulf Coast Beach Mouse. More importantly this fanciful tale teaches the young reader that miracles exist in nature everywhere. Discover the danger that small creatures such as Bartram must deal with in order to survive. Join Bartram and his many mouse cousins as they try to make sense of a wondrous happening in their little corner of the entire Earth. Classic books for children.

If you feel that good books for children just aren’t being made anymore, take a look at this year’s listings from Morningside Books. We have four fun new books for this year. Remember we offer only a very select list from independent publishers. You won’t find these books available anywhere else in the world. All of the books you see here at The Children’s Bookstore are produced to library binding standards so they will last for what we hope will be many generations of storytelling in your family.

Attention to detail is what makes excellent historical fiction books for children such as “The Heart of Nine Tigers” so special. In this charming tale of finding inner courage we see exactly what life was like for young children one thousand years ago in the furthest reaches of ancient Northern China. All clothing and buildings drawn have been carefully researched so that along with a fun exciting story to read, your child receives a wonderful educational experience. The story as told by 300 year old storyteller Chen Li offers lessons in history as well as lessons for life.

How does one create realistic fiction books for children? Is it by drawing animals exactly as they appear in nature without turning them into cartoons? Books in the Morningside Books Wildlife series offer illustrations done in this way. Even though our book of six short stories “Alligators Can’t Stand Butterflies” is filled will silliness and fun, the animals in the book, which include, Florida Black Bears, Alligators, and even Butterflies are all drawn correctly. This makes the whimsical things the animals do all the more fun to see and read about.

Children’s book reviews from all across the nation are coming in for our latest title “Bartram and the Blue Morning Glory.” Who would have thought that one little mouse could create so much excitement? Bartram is an endangered beach mouse who suddenly finds himself the leader of dozens of birds, mice and other animals who inhabit a sand dune along the Florida Gulf Coast. Both his brave and not so brave exploits teach children important life lessons while filling their hearts with joy. The book teaches children that “Miracles are everywhere.”

In publishing Christian books for children, how do we decide where stories should end and preaching begin? We want to impart to young readers the grace and grandeur of God but in such a way that they discover this for themselves. The books offered at The Children’s Bookstore have varying degrees of spiritual insight. Some such as “Bartram and the Blue Morning Glory” simply teach us that the hand of God is on every creature great and small. Others like our young adult novel, “The Midget Green Swamp Moose” show characters directly coming to understand the accepting of God into their life.

There are many ways to offer Bible stories for children. Yes one could retell the parables of the gospel and once again redraw the characters. But to be honest, there are a thousand books for children already doing so. And one could turn the Biblical characters into funny looking vegetables as well. And that also has been done. But perhaps the best way to impart true spiritual understanding to children is to voice that knowledge in terms they best will understand as is done in books such as “The Chronicles of Narnia,” or “The Midget Green Swamp Moose.”

It hard to say whether or not the parables as found in the Bible are in the best form to be read to children. Probably not, as younger children need friendly images and simpler language when attempting to deal with events from thousands of years ago. For this reason so many important Bible stories for kids have been rewritten. Children can better understand the story of Noah and the Ark with pictures of animals walking aboard the boat two by two. You will find many biblical themes in the titles published by Morningside Books. We take great pride in offering books we feel are “pleasing to the eye of God.”

Which are the best kid’s Bible stories? Are they stories from the Old Testament such as Noah and the Ark or David and Goliath? Or perhaps the deeper meanings of stories found in the New Testament such as the story of Fish and Loaves offers more insight. We would think the latter, as we are pleased that within every book we sell are important lessons and messages culled from stories and verses of the Bible. No, we don’t have pop up animals climbing onto the Ark. But we do let the young reader see how God is always around them working miracles.

What defines stories as being Christian children’s books? Is it the ability to fill the pages of the book with scripture? Or is it the deeper meanings imparted by the action and dialog of the stories that touch a young reader’s heart and mind? Our books, whether they are about a child living in ancient China or a mouse living on a sand dune all carry important positive messages for children, messages taken from the Bible. Yes, some of our books make specific reference to God as the child’s savior. Yet others help a child learn by his or herself how God is all around and everywhere looking after everything.

What is courage? In times of war many men are awarded medals for brave acts that they later said were not bravery but merely the only available choice at the time. Young Su Tai faces exactly this situation in her beloved Village of Ming Po. Of course Su Tai’s story takes place “One thousand years ago in the land that is now called China.” Join her as master storyteller Chen Li describes the events of one powerful day in his story presented by Morningside Books “The Heart of Nine Tigers”. One doesn’t need to be the smartest, wisest or strongest to find inner courage and fight for the things they love.

Melanie and Bret Fowler live a life far removed from the high definition text driven society we now live in. Theirs is a world where crops must be planted, grown and harvested. Chickens must have their eggs swiped from under them and Rosie the cow gets milked every morning. Still, summer vacation is the same everywhere when children are freed to run loose. Whether on a cigar tobacco farm in the Florida panhandle during the summer of 1963 or facing the complexities of 2010 children often are forced to grow up before they had wanted to. The Midget Green Swamp Moose explores these and other powerful life lessons, culminating in the decision by narrator Melanie that God is always at hand.