Brad and Kristi Montague of Henderson continue to make a name for themselves worldwide.
On May 18, they released their new book “The Circles All Around Us,” and the amount of books sold already has stunned them, they said.
This week, in the June 6 issue of the New York Times Best Seller’s List, the book can be found in the top five books in the Children’s Picture Books category. The rankings reflect sales for the week ending May 22, 2021 which was the book’s first week.
“We were thrilled to see our names on the New York Times Bestseller list,” said Kristi who illustrated the book. “For such a gentle book to have such a big impact gives us hope that we can create big things even though we are in a small town.”
This is Brad’s second book to hit the New York Times Best Seller’s List. The first book was “Kid President’s Guide to being Awesome” which he coauthored with Robby Novak.
Brad shared how the book originated.
“I would share this little poem about how there are these little circles all around us everywhere that we go, the difference we can make and the love we can show… but I never saw it as a book.”
Later, he shared the poem online through a video where he did illustrations and his kids read the poem. The video ended up gaining an audience.
“It really connected and resonated with people in a way that they found it to be meaningful and helpful,” he said.
Then editors of Dial Books said that they wanted a book on the poem.
Brad recalled them saying, “This needs to be something kids can have and hear and hold.”
The impact Brad and Kristi make on children through the book all goes back to what their goal is at Montague Workshop and that is why they love it.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to get to do the kind of work we do because I love stories. I’ve always loved stories. Books were a window to the world to me growing and still are,” Brad said. ”A guiding principle for us in our work here at Montague Workshop is to try to be who we needed when we were younger.”
“It’s a book about connection and about the difference for good we can make in the circles all around us,” Kristi said. “We love the idea of adults and kids reading this book and engaging with its message together.”
