Story Monsters LLC Everything Children’s Books

11/09/2025

Marketing should never be an afterthought—here’s one smart, real-world strategy from a best-selling author that truly worked for her.

For 40 years, I’ve been producing, promoting, and marketing books. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that marketing should never be an afterthought. Successful authors think about their audience early, strategically, and consistently.

Years ago, I wrote two books on this very topic—
The Economical Guide to Self-Publishing and
Linda F. Radke’s Promote Like a Pro: Small Budget, Big Show.

In Promote Like a Pro, I included insights and strategies from experts across the publishing and marketing fields, because the truth is simple: Effective marketing is built on shared wisdom—on what real authors and real professionals have tried, tested, and proven.

Recently, I asked authors to share the one marketing strategy that worked best for them. I’m beginning to share some of the responses I received, and today I’d like to highlight one that truly stood out.

What I love most about Jan Cullinane’s advice is that she’s simply sharing what genuinely worked for her.

Below is her guidance, in her own words—a smart, targeted approach that delivered real results:

Marketing Insight from Jan Cullinane, Best-Selling Author

Jan Cullinane is the author of several best-selling retirement books, including:
• The New Retirement: The Ultimate Guide to the Rest of Your Life (three editions, Wiley)
• The Single Woman’s Guide to Retirement (AARP)
• Retire Happy (Hallmark Gift Books)

In addition to promoting her books through library and bookstore signings, writing articles that showcased her expertise in holistic retirement, and speaking for groups where her books were purchased for attendees, Jan shared one approach that worked exceptionally well:

Because her books targeted Boomers, she researched Boomer-focused radio shows and podcasts with a talk component. She contacted the hosts, offered herself as a guest, provided helpful information during the interviews—and the hosts, in turn, mentioned her books. She reports this strategy worked extremely well.

— Shared with permission from Jan Cullinane, Author

If you have a marketing or promotional strategy that has worked well for you, I would love to hear it. Please send your suggestions to: [email protected]

Together, we can help more authors find their audiences—and their success.

AARP

11/06/2025

💚 My Heart Is Full 💚

Thank you to Steven Seril, founder of the Outstanding Creator Awards. Reading every word of the Little Monsters Read-Along review left me speechless — what the heart feels, words cannot always convey.

Sometimes there’s a voice inside you — not always the bravest or loudest — but it’s surrounded by a phenomenal team that helps turn vision into reality. I’m so thankful for that team — Team Story Monster — and especially for our young, extraordinary Little Monster narrators whose voices fill these stories with heart, hope, and wonder.

🎭 Zachary Simpson, Team Story Monster, and our young Little Monster narrators — take a bow! 💚

The best is yet to come. 💚

✨ Want to hear what makes Studio Story Monster rock?
👉 Visit www.StudioStoryMonster.com

Score: 95+/100 (9.5+ out of 10)

There are few things more beautiful, precious, and powerful than the voices of young people!

This upcoming generation has so much to say, so much to offer, and an unimaginable amount of potential.

Little Monsters Read-Along is arguably the most exciting project that Story Monsters LLC has embarked on so far! And it has heavy competition with the phenomenal Story Monsters Ink magazine (with its high production value and celebrities) and the many charming songs by Studio Story Monster.

But there's something incomparable about having the children read the books aloud themselves. The grand majority of us first "read" a book aloud with our parents, picking up language via verbal/oral cues, phonetics, and repetition. In other words, we learned to read with our ears first, not our eyes.

So, there's a certain weight that comes with hearing another young person read to you. It's arguably heavier than hearing from a famous author or listening to a pleasant tune about a book. Having a young narrator read to young readers sends the message that, "I'm here, I'm just like you. I'm reading, and YOU can read too!"

It extends a hand to young readers, encouraging and reminding them of what they're capable of.

It also helps that the books themselves (by authors like Linda Harkey, Raven Howell, Karen Patricia Nespoli, and Cynthia Kern O'Brien) are fun and engaging, featuring charismatic characters (like animals and fairies) who are always up to something. These books and characters also tend to cover topics that resonate with kids like friendship, feeling left out (or different), and being misunderstood.

When it all comes down to it, it's really the young narrators who bring a lot of the magic to these audiobooks!

Each and every single one of them stands out in their own unique and special way.

Jeremiah Acevedo has that welcoming “buddy” energy and he is fearless about character choices. He gives Quincy a deeper yet cute sound, tweaks Gator and Tripod so they feel like they are from a different side of town, and even reads Rodney’s “lizard moment” with a fun, teeth-clenched delivery. He tries a light Southern touch for the Great One, which signals to young listeners that voices can shift with character. Stewart Joiner Davis reads with crisp timing and expressive hits that make jokes land and action easy to track. In Chatty the Hen Pheasant he nails the contrast between gruff, determined Nassau and chirpy, endearing Chatty, and his “little Chatty voice” is exactly the kind of thing kids imitate later. He feels confident and in control, which helps listeners relax into the story.

Immy Dymott is the showstopper when the script invites play. Her diction is crystal clear, and she sprinkles in clever touches that never distract. In Marky the Magnificent Fairy she briefly sings a bright “La la la laaaaa” to match the text, and she layers multiple apologizing creatures so the moment feels alive without getting messy. In The Fisherman and the French Flounder she contrasts her elegant British narration with a light French flavor for the flounder, turning language mix-ups into laugh-out-loud beats. Heidi Immler shines on denser passages. She keeps a steady, cheerful pace and separates characters cleanly, from Willie’s scratchy friendly tone to Zeke’s deeper grumble and Ma’s accent. May Webster leans into calm clarity. Her steady London cadence makes stories easy to follow, which is perfect for younger listeners and classroom centers where comprehension comes first.

All of this sits under Linda F. Radke’s thoughtful direction, with Zachary Simpson’s music and sound design adding lift while keeping the narrator in the spotlight.

EVERYONE involved in Little Story Monsters Read-Along brings a rich range of talent and experience.

Jeremiah Acevedo comes in with real on-set and stage time as an actor, singer, and athlete, including national commercials and film/theater work.

Stewart Joiner Davis is an honors student with serious musical theater chops and contest wins like the Hammerstein International Youth Solo Contest. He reads like someone who rehearses and delivers on cue.

Immy Dymott brings more than five years of professional voice acting across networks such as Netflix, Sky Kids, and Nickelodeon. She is comfortable with accents and character switches because she has lived in that booth world for years.

Heidi Immler has experience across features, shorts, commercials, and musical theatre, plus training in singing and movement. That range helps her keep stamina and clarity when the text gets complex.

May Webster studies music at Trinity College of Music and has been voice acting since age eleven. You can hear the breath control and steady cadence that comes from formal music training.

The production team’s background matters, too. Linda F. Radke has more than forty years in publishing and education leadership, building Story Monsters into a trusted home for teachers, librarians, and parents. That shows up in clear direction and kid-first choices. Zachary Simpson is a composer and sound designer with a Berklee degree in Music Composition for Film, TV, and Video Games, plus professional performance experience at Disney, Universal Studios, and on cruise lines. He knows how to shape cues that support a young voice rather than fight it.

We applaud everything that Story Monsters LLC has ever produced, but Little Monsters Read-Along is a cut above!

In an era in which it seems like AI is replacing authors and narrators, Little Monsters Read-Along is a testament to how there's nothing like a genuine human voice and an authentic human connection.

Little Monsters Read-Along gives real children real books and surrounds them with caring direction, original music, and clean sound. Underneath is a quiet promise: I am like you. I am reading. You can read too!

Outstanding Creator Awards Raven Howell Karen Patricia Nespoli Cindy Kern OBrien Steven Seril

11/06/2025

Stories have the power to heal. 💚
Artist and author Charlie Mackesy reminds us why stories matter — and why we have published, do publish, and, G-d willing, will continue to publish.



https://www.facebook.com/reel/649844867997168/?fs=e&fs=e

11/05/2025

Wonderful news! 🎶— “The Magical Garden,” a song from the children’s musical Cate and the Garden Bandits, has been named a Semi-Finalist for Best Original Song or Score at the Film Revolution Fest in Montreal! 🌟

This song appears on the album Cate and the Garden Bandits: The Musical, inspired by the book written by Betsy Coffeen and produced by Studio Story Monster®.

Music and Lyrics: Zachary R. Simpson
Performed by: Erin Rementer, Kalen Kelly, and Zachary R. Simpson ~ Guitar: Jimmy Sweeden
Additional Instruments: Zachary R. Simpson

Congratulations to our entire team for this magical recognition!💚


Erin Rementer

11/04/2025

The Sixty-Minute Shakespeare Series:
Trusted by Educators for Nearly Three Decades

About the Series

As Story Monsters LLC celebrates 40 years of publishing excellence, we take pride in continuing one of our longest-running and most beloved educational series, the Sixty-Minute Shakespeare Series by Professor Emeritus Cass Foster. These adaptations have helped teachers and students rediscover Shakespeare for nearly three decades. Each edition preserves the Bard’s original language and play format while offering thoughtful footnotes that make every scene clear and engaging. Ideal for grades 6 and up, the series has earned lasting trust from educators nationwide.

Originally introduced through Five Star Publications, the series is now published by Book Street Press, an imprint of Story Monsters® LLC.

Hamlet, Sixty-Minute Shakespeare Series
A faithful and fast-paced condensation of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy, Hamlet invites readers to explore the depths of grief, revenge, and moral struggle. Cass Foster’s adaptation keeps the Bard’s original text intact while clarifying complex language for new audiences.

Perfect for one-class readings, scene studies, literature units in grades 6 and up and impress administrators, peers, the student population, and their parents with your students’ mastering of staging a Shakespearean production without modernizing Shakespeare’s language.

“Rather than retell, the series preserves the original play format and the Bard’s language, while providing excellent footnotes to archaic words. It’s a smart stepping stone to the real thing.” — NEA Today

Performance Rights: Performing rights for all plays in the Sixty-Minute Shakespeare Series are available from Dramatic Publishing.

To request classroom sets or sample copies, contact [email protected], visit IntroducingShakespeare.com, or order directly on Amazon.

William Shakespeare Introducing Shakespeare Cass FosterFolger Shakespeare Library Oregon Shakespeare Festival Dramatic Publishing

Adapted by Cass Foster. Buy any 3 books, get 10% off when you use Discount Code: SHAKESPEARE10 at check out! The introduction to SHAKESPEARE is not an easy task. Sometimes the magic can use a little assistance! To make the works of Shakespeare accessible to all ages and levels of education, Cass

11/02/2025

Trick or treat? 🎃 This one’s definitely a treat! 🍭💚

We’re celebrating 13-year-old author and illustrator Siona Talekar, whose book I Know What You Do When I Go to School! just won Best Children’s Story at the Independent International Film Festival (Season 2 – 2025)! 🏆📚

Story Monster® couldn’t be prouder of our talented friend! ✨

11/02/2025

Desert Ecology Story, Animal Friendship, Light Adventure

Themes: Curiosity, Adaptation, Companionship, Play, Nature’s Surprises

Content Warning: Includes brief scenes of animal hunting and desert survival, handled in a gentle, age-appropriate way.

Why do some animals seem to hold conversations we can almost understand, while others simply scuttle away? The answer lies hidden in this write-up—read on to uncover it.

The most memorable stories for young readers often begin with a simple “what if.” Desert Friends takes that premise and runs—sometimes literally—across the dry streambeds of the Sonoran Desert. Instead of humans guiding the tale, animals are the narrators of their own games, questions, and challenges. The result feels like eavesdropping on an animated desert neighborhood.

Rodney the roadrunner and Quincy the quail become fast companions not because they are the same, but because they aren’t. Their banter is humorous, sometimes quirky, and often oddly wise. When one explains why he stands in the sun, the other counters with how his flock gathers for warmth. What child hasn’t compared habits with a friend and felt a spark of delight at the difference?

Science quietly breathes beneath the story’s playfulness. Roadrunners really do prefer desert floors to roads. Gambel’s quails really do feed on seeds and fruits. A flood sweeping through an arroyo is not fantasy but a seasonal event that reshapes the desert. These details create trust between reader and book: the adventure is grounded, not make-believe, even if the animals talk.

What makes this story striking is its balance of rhythm and pause. One moment the animals are leaping over cactus plants, the next they are startled into reflection by shadows overhead. The pacing mirrors childhood itself—quick games interrupted by sudden lessons, then back to laughter.
The book is not written for readers who crave long arcs, heavy morals, or endless action. Instead, it fits those who enjoy short, bright bursts of life, the way a child finds joy in pebbles, pawprints, and passing clouds. Adults reading alongside children may recognize the way everyday moments—meals, naps, storms—become unforgettable when shared with a companion.

Desert Friends does not shout its message; it hums it like a bird call in the distance. And for families or classrooms looking for a tale that entertains while opening a door to desert ecology, that hum is worth following.

Review provided by Wordscape Wonders Award

10/31/2025

🎉 Celebrating Young Voices: A Teacher’s Dedication, A Student’s Achievement — Pulse Wins Best Student Poetry Award!

Congratulations to writing teacher Sheila Rowe and her students on this incredible honor from the Edgar Allan Poe International Screenwriter Awards! 🏆

For ten years, Sheila has led the Young Authors Project, helping students discover their voices and the courage to share them with the world. As a former special education teacher, I’m inspired by her dedication to bringing out the best in every student. 💚

Published by School Express Press, an imprint of Story Monsters LLC.

~ Linda F. Radke, Monster-in-Chief, Publisher, Story Monsters LLC


Wild Filmmaker

10/31/2025

🇺🇸✨ A Salute to a True American Hero! I’m deeply honored that Johnny Vet: America’s Original Superhero (USA) has been named Best Comic Book at the 2025 Epic ACG Fest! 🎖️

This year’s festival featured more than 70 projects from over 20 countries, bringing together creators from around the world to celebrate excellence in animation, comics, games, and audiobooks.

My heartfelt gratitude to the Epic ACG Fest Committee for this recognition — and to Major General Alan B. Salisbury, author of Johnny Vet: America’s Original Superhero, for trusting me to place his remarkable book in my hands to represent him through Story Monsters LLC.

It’s a privilege to help share his inspiring message of courage, service, and patriotism with readers of all ages. 💚🇺🇸

Epic ACG Fest

10/31/2025

🩷✨ A Celebration of Courage, Kindness, and Acceptance!

We’re thrilled to share that Marky the Magnificent Fairy by Cynthia Kern OBrien, illustrated by Jeff Yesh and published by Story Monsters Press, has received a Certificate of Excellence in the 2025 Ella’s Way Children’s Book Awards, honoring stories that promote acceptance, kindness, and inclusion. 🌈

Marky carries such a strong voice — one that empowers children to embrace who they are and to see the beauty in others. 💫

Congratulations to Cynthia, whose heartfelt storytelling shines through every page, and to Jeff Yesh, whose vibrant illustrations bring Marky to life. 💖

Special thanks as well to the Little Monsters Read-Along team for helping share this story’s uplifting message with young listeners everywhere. 💚

Cindy Kern OBrien