Reindeer In Here would not be one of the newest holiday traditions if author Adam Reed didn’t learn to trust his instincts. A television producer by trade, this Playa del Rey resident put everything on the line because he believed strongly in the message of his holiday-themed children’s book, which features a cuddly reindeer with unique antlers: being different is normal.
“Every one of us in the world is different in our own special way,” Adam said. “Different on the inside, different on the outside. Different in our hopes, dreams and desires and those differences should be celebrated.”
Adam didn’t know much about children’s books before writing his first book, Bee In The Sea, but after waking up from a dream where he was a children’s author, he knew going down this path was something he was destined to do. He didn’t quit his day job, but learned as much as he could by researching online. He figured out how to self-publish his books and even found an illustrator, Izzy Bean, whose style worked well with his vision for the stories.
“From the outside it all looks so easy, but its been a lot of work and a lot of challenges,” he said.
Fast forward to when his daughter, Peyton was a year old. Adam and his wife Jennifer knew they wanted to start a new holiday tradition but didn’t find one that quite fit their family. Adam decided that he’d just have to create his own and wrote Reindeer In Here and designed a stuffed animal with Izzy to go with it.
“We had about 100 different designs,” he said. “But what was most important to me is that one antler is smaller than the other, so this reindeer really exemplifies the message of the book.”
Now the set is sold across the country and has won numerous awards from toy and parent groups.
The idea is that Santa sends this reindeer to a child at the beginning of December so the animal can learn the true wishes of the child, who is encouraged to name him or her and take it on adventures all month long. On Christmas Eve, the reindeer goes under the tree for Santa to pick up for the trip back to the North Pole where it lives until it’s time for the reindeer to magically return every year to create new memories.
“I wanted a positive and immersive Christmas tradition. It’s pure magic for children and no stress for parents,” Adam said. “I never would have imagined that I would be writing children’s books or creating a new holiday tradition. My children changed my life from the moment they were born, and it has truly changed my outlook on life. Everything I do is driven by my love for my family. I see what magic this little reindeer has brought to my family and I want that for other families around the world.”
Since Adam, CEO of Thinkfactory Media, is more familiar with producing unscripted entertainment than promoting books, he approached Reindeer In Here like a television show.
“I’m building elements around it to make it even more magical than just a story you read to your child,” he said.
This includes creating related products like socks, blankets and other stuffed animals so a child can have a connection to their reindeer all year long. The Reindeer In Here website also has math pages, coloring sheets and teacher activities to download.
“This is truly a family business. Jennifer has helped a lot and the whole Westchester/Playa community has really risen up around us, our family and this brand that started in my house,” said Adam. “We’re lucky to be in Bed Bath & Beyond and on Amazon, but the way this has spread is really grass roots. We’re very grateful, not only for the support from people around the country, but also of course, within our hometown of Westchester/Playa.”
For more information, please visit reindeerinhere.com.
Pictured: The Reed family poses for a holiday photo with their Reindeer In Here plushies.
Courtesy Reed Brands.
Story by By Consuelo Israelson.
Posted November 2019.