Paul J. Collins

Hello, my name is Paul Collins. Born in Dublin, Ireland, I’m a first generation American. I live in Connecticut with my beautiful wife and our three amazing children.

When our first child was young, we started reading books to him but felt there weren’t enough books with meaningful messages and embedded values we believed in. Too many children’s books lack real values, attractive art, genuine plots and humor. I felt compelled to create stories that demonstrate strong life-long principles. I wrote these stories to teach and inspire my children to make good choices and care for others. Their responses motivated me to publish the stories to inspire and encourage kids everywhere to do the right thing, to appreciate the importance of family, to help others, to say “please” and “thank you,” and to always be the very best they can be.

The Moonlight Puppies books are a dynamic series of children’s stories designed to entertain, educate, and instill family values and critical life principles in readers aged 3–9. As parents and guardians, we should encourage our children to dream, and to always dream big. We have a moral responsibility to give our children the educational, emotional, and spiritual tools to help them achieve those dreams. One or more of these core principles are deeply rooted in each story, nurturing a deep connection to the characters through meaningful, value-based lessons.

To help convey my messages, I created Professor Sci-Ants, who, at the beginning of each book, provides a framework with “10 Principles of Life” for kids:

Family is the most important thing

Appreciate what you have

Believe in your dreams

True friends will always be there for you

Always be willing to help others

Think before you act

Have the courage to act

Happiness comes from getting things done

Don’t be a bully, everyone is special

Handicaps shouldn’t hold you back

Reading a good book to a child should be a memorable experience for both child and reader. My kids wanted fun, action-packed adventures, stories about princes, princesses, eagles, bears, tarantula spiders, dragons, etc. All the Moonlight Puppies books are action-based with beautiful illustrations. Kids have asked me if Ellie the Eagle (The Rockefeller Christmas Tree) is real. I know some special needs kids who won’t go to sleep unless their parents read them certain books twice over, Moonlight Puppies and Tickles The Tiger Cub, in particular. I love hearing that. It means I have captured their imaginations in a very real and tangible way. It means they are reading and learning The Principles of Life, over and over again.

I believe art is critical to the success of children’s books. Kids love color, action and interesting characters. We choose illustrators carefully for each book, ensuring a particular vibrancy and larger-than-life appeal custom designed for each story. At the back of each book you will find “Miss Ladybug’s Bees,” all of whom wear bright, white t-shirts proclaiming value-based messages such as, “be kind,” “be forgiving,” “be ambitious,” “be courageous,” and “be a good listener.”

Many of the stories have a contemporary twist and all the books support a diverse community.

A portion of the books’ proceeds are given to a foundation I have created to benefit a number of children’s charities including: Prevent Child Abuse America, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Smile Train, Shriners Hospitals, The Silver Shield Foundation and Doctors Without Borders.