is a hot market right now. Parents are working more hours than theyreally should have to be working these days, and they're looking forsome way to spend a little more time with their kids. So, of course,one of the best options is reading to their children before bed. Itonly takes a few minutes, but it helps to reinforce the bond betweenparent and child. An okay children's book is, at least, probably goingto sell, and for the children's book publishers putting out the reallygood kid's books, they fly right off the shelves.

Now, we've mentioned the sagging economy, which is the negative side ofwhat's going on right now, but let's look at the good news: These days,with the internet and small publishers, anybody in the civilized worldcan create and publish a children's book, and, they can retain therights.

Fifty or sixty years ago, it wasn't like that. In the post-WWII era,any artist who wanted to create children's books, comic books, film, ornovels was basically resigned to handing one hundred percent of theirownership over to the publisher. Artists and writers owning their owncreations was practically unheard of until the seventies rolled around.

One of the artists who really got the ball rolling for creator's rightswas the Underground Comix pioneer Robert Crumb. Crumb was making aliving as a greeting card illustrator and drawing comics in his sparetime. His somewhat-autobiographical work has been championed for itsunique, strange appeal, and its sincerity. Crumb became the posterchild for ownership rights simply because his work was just too offbeatfor DC or Marvel comics to have any interest in trying to sell, and so,he went to a small print shop, made some copies, and sold them himself.His notoriety snowballed, and today, he's a cult legend, all withoutever having been signed by a major publishing house.

Crumb set the example, and other comic artists followed suit. Then,novelists, children's book writers, all forms of cartoonists, musiciansand filmmakers, and so on. Crumb sent a clear message to aspiringstorytellers: Your foot's already in the door, so just draw and writewhat you like, and publish it on your own dime.

Another success story would be Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. Inspiredby Ninja movies and superhero comics, the two chose to draw their owncomic book and publish it through a small time publisher with moneyfrom their tax returns. If you don't know who Eastman and Laird are,you might assume that they basically blew their tax return on a sillypipe dream, but that comic book was entitled Teenage Mutant NinjaTurtles. As you know, those four amphibians went on to grace movies, ,toys, and even toothpaste with their likeness. Today, the duo aremulti-millionaires, all thanks to self publishing. And, Peter Lairdstill retains 100% of the rights to the property (Kevin Eastman soldhis own 50% share to Laird, and then bought the entire share of hisfavorite magazine).

The bottom line is, if you're a storyteller, if you've got great ideasfor children's books, there are more ways than one to get your storiesout there, there are small presses, and children's books publishers whowill let you retain all of your rights. Traditional, sell-the-rightsbook publishing  is not the only way to go.