Review of “Story Monsters Ink May 2024 Issue” (Literary Magazine) by Story Monsters LLC

Score: 95/100 (9.5 out of 10)

This May 2024 issue of Story Monsters Ink magazine is jam-packed with fascinating and inspirational stories from artists and illustrators in the literary field!

To say that this is an interesting bunch of creators would be an understatement. Each of the featured creators offers something special and unique to the world! This includes Mia Armstrong, Pan Cooke, Ashley Iman, Margaret Finnegan, and Aiden Woosol Lee.

Mia Armstrong headlines this issue and serves as the cover model, and rightfully so! Mia Armstrong is a highly accomplished young woman and probably the most interesting and inspirational of the bunch (and that's saying a lot)!

Mia is a remarkable young actress, model, voice-over artist, and author who has achieved significant milestones while advocating for individuals with Down Syndrome. She broke new ground as the first child with Down Syndrome to voice a cartoon character on Netflix. Her book, I Am a Masterpiece, provides insight into her life and encourages children to embrace their uniqueness and share their stories with pride.

One of our favorite quotes from Mia and her section is that she describes herself as “sassy, smart, and strong” (which all start with S).

Mia is passionate about promoting inclusion and challenging outdated stereotypes about disabilities. She believes in being a "masterpiece," which involves understanding one's purpose and striving for excellence despite life's challenges. Her supportive family has always reinforced her belief in her capabilities.

Besides being an author, Mia has made appearances on various TV shows and films. She advocates for adaptive clothing, which facilitates independent dressing for people with disabilities. On that note, she modeled adaptive clothing for Tommy Hilfiger, which really elevated our respect and appreciation for that brand.

Mia enjoys hobbies like art, surfing, rock climbing, and gymnastics.

Mia's lively personality, determination, and optimistic approach make her an inspiring figure, showing that differences are beautiful and everyone has the potential to impact the world positively.

She is proof that disabilities aren't what define you and that you can live a full, satisfying, and fulfilling life with them. Mia is a dreamer and a go-getter who aspires to be the first person with Down Syndrome on American Ninja Warrior and to voice one of the trolls in the Trolls movies someday.

The next featured creator in the issue is Pan Cooke, a talented and passionate illustrator who is the author of Puzzled: A Memoir About Growing Up with OCD. Cooke shares his experiences with OCD and his journey to becoming a successful cartoonist. His cartoons are deep, interesting, and thought-provoking. People with OCD are often misunderstood, looked down on, and even made fun of. Through his illustrations, Cooke is able to take us into the mind of someone suffering from OCD, nurturing a better understanding and empathy.

Ashley Iman's section also got us in the feels, especially since she talks about how brilliant, intelligent, and creative children often feel like they can't perform or share their knowledge to the best of their abilities because of the rigid ways that school and society are structured. We had a similar conversation in the office the other day, talking about how there needs to be a balance between discipline (in a school) and allowing creativity and innovation. You, as an educator, might think you have all the answers. You might have a lot of knowledge of what happened before. However, one of your brilliant students might have answers and solutions for things in the future. We should be nurturing that.

Iman has one of the best quotes in the book: “Schools can either replicate oppression or dismantle it.”

Next, there's Margaret Finnegan. Finnegan, an accomplished author, celebrates the release of her fourth middle-grade novel, Sunny Parker is Here to Stay. The book delves into issues of community and identity, following the journey of Sunny Parker, a young girl who finds her voice amid controversy over an affordable housing project in her neighborhood. Inspired by a vision of a girl cycling through an apartment complex, Margaret crafted a narrative that highlights the significance of affordable housing and social inclusion.

Margaret's personal experience of growing up in affordable housing informs the emotional depth of her storytelling. She seeks to impart the message that one's value is not determined by wealth or material possessions. With a background in political science and U.S. history, as well as extensive teaching experience, Margaret brings a unique perspective to her writing.

She is passionate about the revision process, seeing it as an opportunity to refine and strengthen her stories. For Margaret, writing is a rewarding endeavor that allows her to connect with young readers and inspire them. She eagerly anticipates the release of her next book, Spelling It Out, slated for publication in 2025, which will continue to explore themes of courage and community.

Aiden Woosol Lee is a 16-year-old author from California who wrote A Galon of Water, a book inspired by his own experiences with bullying. He began writing the book at age 13 and finished it at 15, focusing on themes of self-love and overcoming differences. Aiden grew up in a creative environment with an art teacher mother, which enriched his storytelling abilities.

In addition to writing, Aiden illustrates his books using techniques like watered-down acrylic and colored pencil. He is currently working on a new book set to be released in December, experimenting with a hybrid style of fiction and nonfiction. Aiden advises first-time authors to write with genuine passion and shares that he is a high school sophomore interested in psychology, currently reading Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck.

It should be noted that the major sections of this magazine are actually written by Raven Howell, a previous Outstanding Creator Awards winner for her children's book, Finding Joy! Howell does an excellent job as accentuating the positives of each of the featured creators (as well as their works).

Speaking of familiar faces, there's a sizable section about the experiences of Conrad J. Storad, one of the authors and illustrators who has been a mainstay at Story Monsters Ink and has participated in multiple Outstanding Creator Awards contests! His section in this issue talked about his inspiration in writing Arizona Way Out West and Wacky, a play which highlights many of the amazing flora and fauna of the great state of Arizona. In particular, he talks about the giant saguaro cactus. We were surprised by how much we learned! For example, did you know they could grow over 50 feet, live for more than 100 years, and weight over eight tons?! Wow! Storad is always amazing us by teaching us about plants and animals. He might be inspiring a new generation of future zoologists, veterinarians, and conservationists among his young readers.

Another familiar face we recognized was Once Upon a Dance, which is highlighted in the book recommendations throughout the book. Speaking of which, there's a rather long section which contains ads and summaries for outstanding Story Monsters Ink books. We're not going to take anything away due to that section, because every magazine needs to advertise, either other peoples' products or your own. Like commercials during TV shows, there's no way around it. Ads keep businesses going. It helps that there are some stellar books in that section including Sora Searches for a Song by Once Upon a Dance, Desert Friends by Linda Harkey, and Cate and the Garden Bandits by Betsy Coffeen, all of which have founded enormous success in our contest.

Check it out!