MPC Press International

It seems that a new children’s book is published by some actor or musician or athlete on a weekly basis.  What do these people know about writing….and children?  While I feel just a little bad for all of the naive publishers who have staked their reputations on poor quality literature, it is comforting here at MPC to know the weakness of our competition.  We really pride ourselves on the dedication and focus of our authors and illustrators.  While I hate to put this in print (as it will likely be seen by our authors and illustrators), our books are created by individuals who are likely horrendous actors, terrible musicians, miserable athletes, but frankly extremely talented writers and illustrators with a clear focus on their beautiful art.

Tags: actors, art, authors, illustrators, literature, musicians

What is going on with No More Mac & Cheese (A Bachelor’s Guide to Cooking with Ease)?  This book is now almost 20 years old and has never gone out of print.  Still, we would expect sales to slow, but they have only accelerated.  New college graduates are certainly having a tougher time finding work, and compensation is under pressure, thus perhaps leading to less dining out, and more home cooked meals with NMM&C as an aide.  Yes, our newest title, Rhyme, has been a success, but it will certainly take some time for Rhyme’s sales to match those of NMM&C.  While we at MPC feel blessed about this recent windfall, we can only expect that the good fortune will have to end someday!?  Of course, we are comforted to know that many of these same bachelors/bachelorettes who buy No More Mac & Cheese will someday be parents…and Rhyme will give their children the same pleasure that they received from NMM&C.

Tags: college, dining, fortune, print, rhyme, windfall

Note:  The editor is on vacation so we are publishing one of our fan favorite blogs from 2009.

On the way to L.A.  My GPS shows I have 375 miles to my destination, La Canada, California.  I’m driving on Highway 395 from Lake Tahoe to the southern part of the great state of California.  This is a longer route than the often travelled Highway 5, but infinitely more beautiful.  Unfortunately no Andersen’s split pea soup to enjoy and no carnivorous delight at the Harris Ranch…I’ll get over it, mostly due to spectacular mountains and the presence of Erick Schat’s Bakkery in Bishop and its famous Sheepherder’s Bread (don’t pass up the cheese bread).

Obviously, I’m in the passenger seat; new California law forbids this type of work while driving.  Upcoming exit for Bodie, a well preserved ghost town (10,000 residents in this gold mining town in 1879) and then Mono Lake, struggling to survive.  Very few cars on the road, but plenty of wildlife on the side including cows and horses.  Look at the trailer homes.  Here’s a guy on my right that has a single-wide on what looks to be a 5 acre piece of land.  My guess is the trailer cost about $30K with brand spanking new detail.  Next to it he has a ginormous speedboat that is probably worth $100K.  This leads to me to the subject of priorities.  I know everyone is different.  And this guy lives large for the 10-20 days a year when he powers up that manhood enhancer.  But for the other 345-355 days he needs to shut the bathroom door simply to have access to his kitchen.  Sure, if he didn’t have the boat I’d feel bad making judgment—he may have been through some hard times.  Oh, but the boat just changes the picture.  And speaking of manhood, I drive a Honda Pilot, and it needs some gas so we’re pulling over for fuel and Skittles.  Stay tuned for why this blog belongs on the site of a children’s book publisher.  Something about the animals grazing.  Do you know why those cows I see out my window are so great?  Because they are outstanding (out standing) in their field…buttumbum.

Tags: Bodie, Erik Schat’s, Harris Ranch, Highway 395, Highway 5, Honda Pilot, La Canada, Mono Lake, Pea Soup Andersen’s

Please just one more book?  It is difficult to turn down your child, when she asks for another bedtime story.  But sometimes, I just can’t go on any longer.  She’s exhausted, I’m exhausted, and 5 books (albeit short picture books) are all I can handle as I’m falling asleep myself.  So, when reading book #6, I skip the speech bubbles/balloons and simply read the main text.  Unfortunately, I am often caught; even a 3 year old knows my evil ways, particularly if she has heard the story with the extra dialogue.  Before publishing “Rhyme, A Pig in Politics”, we worked with the author to narrow down his use of bubbles to a level that works well for parents and children.  Of course, one could argue that no bubbles are better than any bubbles but there can be an added benefit; in the case of “Rhyme”, the benefit is humor that even the most demanding critics have praised.

Tags: ballons, bubbles, humor

A simple piece of advice that we offer children’s book writers and illustrators—animals, not humans.  Maybe this isn’t clear?  Children’s picture books that depict animals rather than humans have the potential to attract a wider audience.  Why?  No one has painted a perfect multi-ethnic human; it may be close to impossible.  Unfortunately this is the challenge of reading a book about a human family to a group of three children with one being of Asian heritage, another Black and the third Caucasian.  It is difficult for all three of these children to assimilate with the characters.  Yes, the book can be about a family of three children who look completely different from one another, perhaps due to adoption or different fathers.  But, even in today’s more open minded world, this would lead to confusion.  Questions would be asked and the reader’s/listener’s mind would wander from the true subject of the story.  So, a story about animals is plainly better from a marketing point of view.

So why did we publish Lawrence the Laughing Cookie Jar?  The family is clearly White, and nothing else.  The answer to this is actually simple; sometimes the quality of a book is at such a level that we can overcome certain issues.  When the author submitted Lawrence the Laughing Cookie Jar to MPC, we realized we had a winner, despite the purely White family.  Yes, our potential audience was trimmed, but initial test marketing indicated likely success.  In fact, our Media Acceptance Determination of Family Features (MADOFF) calculation came in at 91 out of 100, the highest level calculated in the history of MPC Press.  We are told that Curious George (which features the racially evident Man with the Yellow Hat) posted a MADOFF calculation of 89.  You may be asking what the MADOFF calculation really measures.  It is too confusing to describe in detail but try to picture a survey of parents and children that asks unbiased questions such as, “If I gave you 20 bucks, would you enjoy this book more?” 

While the success of Lawrence the Laughing Cookie Jar is without debate, we were pleased when the same author presented us with the manuscript, Rhyme, a story about pigs.  Our test marketing has revealed greater global acceptance (despite some selected human illustrations, multi-racial of course, beginning on page 19), and we hope to consider offers by translators (into potentially 30 languages including Pig Latin), due to international demand.  Stay tuned.

Tags: animals, humans, peace, pig latin, rhyme, translation