More of what Readers say..

  • “I love the book Manford of MorningGlory Mountain. We read it in class.”
  • “Thank you for sharing your good ideas. You helped me. I think I can write a better story now that I know how to think up better ideas.”
  • “The plots come together, the characters have unique identities, and the reader gets a sense of place.”
  • “I really think your books are great. I've read them all, some twice.”
  • “I love reading your books. My class read one. It is good and funny.”
  • “My favorite character is Ssam. Flossie is the funniest.”
  • “Your book is one we'll definitely read to the kids, both for the story and for the information.”
  • “I like the books a lot! I think they are funny and cool.”
  • “I liked your story. It was funny when Flossie got her tail on fire.”
  • “I like Manford because he tells interesting facts.”
  • “I really liked your Manford book. It was exciting.”
  • “I like Manford because of his love and respect for nature.”
  • “Our teacher read us the first book and we all loved it.”
  • “Thank you for coming to our classroom and reading about Manford. It was fun to hear.”
  • “My favorite characters are Flossie, Manford, and Princess Columbine.”
  • “We all loved your books, even the teacher.”
  • “Your stories are insightful and touching. My children will learn from them, and enjoy them.”
  • “The book was great! I really liked it.”
  • “I like Needlenose because he likes potato chips.”
  • “My favorite characters are Ssam and Golly.”
  • “I love the Manford books. I hope you will try more publishers so I can get my own copies.”
Manford of MorningGlory Mountain Drawing

About the book:

In Book 3, The Seven Who Could Not Be, Manford and his friends are sent on a vital quest:

They don't know what they're looking for.

They don't know where to look.

They don't know what to do with whatever they find if they find it.

But there are clues, and puzzles, and secrets. The adventurers, now known as the Circle of Seven, unravel each mystery as they encounter it and gradually find enough information to make sense of their mission.

Part 1, Hidden Mountain Passageways, takes them inside a mountain. They explore caverns and cracks, follow clues one to another, meet characters that make their life easier or more difficult, and struggle with adversaries who seek to stop them. In the process, they find out WHAT they're looking for.

Part 2, The Long Winding Valley, follows their 1,200-mile walk through a strange valley. They pass through hundreds of miles of empty wilderness and through scattered towns each completely different in design and purpose. Clues get more baffling. Foes enthusiastically increase the pressure. The adventurers vanish at book's end, gradually fading away to some unknown destination. But they now know WHERE to look, if they could only get there.

In Part 3, The Way to the Iron Rose, they travel to a succession of strange worlds. Barriers become seemingly insurmountable. Enemies grow confident that our heroes' long and puzzling quest is doomed to failure. But the adventurers persist. They carry on day after day to complete the tasks set for them, to find the object they seek, and learn what to do with it.

Manford and his friends portray basic, wholesome values and show how common sense, hard work, and cooperation can win the day. They do not bicker or fight. They do not wait for someone else to solve their problems. They work together toward their goal using their own skills and natural abilities (some can fly, some are strong, some can crawl under things). They show how a team succeeds when it takes advantage of what each member does best.