If you’re a new up-and-coming children’s book creator, what’s your goal? I mean, what level do you aspire to? Do you simply want to be able to make a living? Or do you want to make an impact on some kid’s life? Maybe you’d like to be remembered for a popular series, beloved by hundreds of thousands of kids (and maybe even more than one generation)? Perhaps you’d like to be a bit of a household name.

If you’re Dan Gutman, of course, you are all of these things at once. And that ain’t half bad....