Interview With Matt M. Morano - Author of There's a Moose in My Attic
- Mikayla Young
- 2 hours ago
- 9 min read
In a world where children navigate a myriad of emotions and experiences, storytelling serves as a powerful tool for understanding and growth. "There's a Moose in My Attic," authored by Matt M. Morano, is a delightful picture book that addresses the complexities of honesty, emotional awareness, and the challenges of admitting mistakes. Released on June 12, 2026, this enchanting tale invites young readers to embark on a journey with a boy who discovers that the weight of his secrets is not something he has to bear alone. Through whimsical illustrations and a heartfelt narrative, Morano aims to foster open conversations about honesty and the importance of sharing our struggles. Join us as we explore the book's themes, its inspiration, and the impact it hopes to have on children and parents alike.
Book information
Title: There's a Moose in my Attic
Author: Matt M. Morano
Publisher: Independently Published
Publication Date: June 12, 2026
Series: 1st book in a standalone series
Genre: Contemporary, Animals, Social-Emotional Learning
Age Category: Children's, 4+
Known formats: paperback
Known languages: English
Format: Picture Book
Representation and Themes: Emotional awareness, honesty, mental health, communication, childhood experiences, trust, and overcoming fear.
Book Synopsis
In "There's a Moose in My Attic," a young boy struggles with concealing a mistake, only to find an unexpected visitor—a moose—taking up residence in his attic. As his secrets grow, so does the moose, symbolizing his hidden fears. This enchanting tale explores the themes of secrecy and honesty, highlighting the relief of sharing burdens with trusted adults. Through whimsical illustrations and a heartfelt narrative, the story emphasizes the importance of truth and the freedom honesty brings. Join the boy on his journey of self-discovery, learning how facing the truth transforms challenges into opportunities for growth. A delightful read for children and parents, it encourages open conversations about honesty and the magic of sharing struggles.
Interview With Matt M. Morano - Author of There's a Moose in My Attic
What inspired you to write There’s a Moose in My Attic?
The book grew from the idea that a small mistake can feel enormous when a child tries to hide it. I wanted to give that feeling a physical shape children could recognize. A moose growing in an attic felt playful and memorable, while still capturing how worry can become heavier and harder to manage over time. My goal was to tell an engaging story that would help children understand that mistakes do not have to be carried alone.
Can you tell us more about the themes of emotional awareness and honesty in the book?
The story is about honesty, although I did not want it to simply tell children that lying is wrong. I wanted to explore why a child might be afraid to tell the truth. Children sometimes hide things because they feel embarrassed, confused, or worried about disappointing an adult. The story acknowledges those emotions and shows how telling the truth to someone trustworthy can bring relief. Honesty becomes more than following a rule. It becomes a way of asking for help and reconnecting with someone who cares about you.
How did your background in education and counseling influence the writing of this book?
My approach is grounded in more than two decades of work in
educational psychology and licensed mental health counseling. I hold a
PhD in Educational Psychology and am a Licensed Clinical Mental Health
Counselor. My professional experience has included providing therapy,
teaching, and working as a university administrator. Those roles taught me that people are more likely to talk honestly about mistakes when they feel safe from immediate judgment. That principle applies to adults as well as children. The story reflects that understanding. The boy needs to take responsibility for what happened, although he first needs to believe that telling the truth will not cost him the security of an important
relationship. I wanted the adult response in the story to be calm, compassionate, and open to listening.
What age group do you believe will benefit most from your story, and why?
The book is primarily written for children ages 4 to 8. Children in
that age range are becoming more aware of rules, consequences,
honesty, and other people’s reactions. They may understand that they
have made a mistake without having the language or confidence to talk
about it.
The moose gives them a concrete image for an emotion that might
otherwise be difficult to explain. The story can also be useful for
older children who struggle with worry, secrecy, or fear of
disappointing someone.
Could you explain the symbolism of the moose in the story?
The moose represents the emotional weight of an unspoken mistake. Each
time the boy avoids telling the truth, the moose grows larger and
becomes harder to ignore.
The original mistake does not change, although the fear surrounding it
continues to grow. That is often what worry does: it takes up more and
more space until it feels larger than the event that caused it.
Once the boy tells the truth, the problem becomes something he can
face with help. The moose no longer has to fill the attic. The fact
that the moose now lives in the garden is to show that something may
happen again and that everything will be okay. It was important that
the story not end with “the boy tells the truth, and it fixes
everything,” but rather that telling the truth allowed him to learn,
be loved, and grow.
How do you hope readers will relate to the boy’s experiences in the book?
Most children know what it feels like to worry about admitting
something. Their situation may be different from the boy’s, although
the fear can feel very similar.
I hope children recognize that being afraid to tell the truth does not
make them bad. It means they are struggling with a difficult emotion.
I also hope they come away knowing that they do not have to manage
that emotion alone.
What role do you think storytelling plays in helping children understand their emotions?
Stories give children a safe way to explore difficult emotions. A
child may not be ready to talk directly about something personal,
although they may be willing to discuss what a character is feeling.
That distance can make an important conversation feel less
threatening. Children can think about why the character acted a
certain way, what the character feared, and what might help. Those
conversations give children words and images they can later use to
understand their own experiences.
A good story does not need to provide every answer. Sometimes its most
important job is to make a conversation possible. Although I don’t
remember who said this first, I believe in the premise that
“imagination is the language of the unconscious,” so a good story can
give a child, and possibly the parents or caregivers, a way to grow.
Can you share any personal experiences that shaped your understanding of emotional challenges in children?
Much of my understanding has come from being a father and from working
with parents in my counseling practice.
As a parent, I have seen how something that appears relatively small
to an adult can feel enormous to a child. The fear of disappointing a
parent or getting into trouble can become more upsetting than the
original mistake.
I have also worked with many parents who were trying to understand why
their children avoided talking about a mistake or difficult
experience. A common pattern was that the child was carrying both the
original problem and a growing fear of how the adult might respond.
Children are generally more able to speak openly when an adult begins
with calmness, curiosity, and reassurance. Those experiences helped
shape the central metaphor of the book. An unspoken worry can keep
growing until it feels much larger than what first created it.
What message do you want parents to take away from reading this book with their children?
I hope parents remember that a child’s willingness to tell the truth
is closely connected to how safe the child expects the conversation to
feel.
Accountability is important. The way an adult responds in the first
few moments is also important. A calm response does not mean ignoring
the behavior or removing every consequence. It means making room for
the child to speak honestly before deciding how to address what
happened.
I would like the book to help families begin that conversation before
a difficult situation occurs.
What challenges did you face while writing this book, and how did you overcome them?
The biggest challenge was balancing the seriousness of the subject
with the warmth and playfulness of a picture book. I did not want
children to feel lectured, and I did not want the message to overpower
the story.
The moose helped solve that problem. Its growing presence allowed the
illustrations to communicate much of what the boy was feeling. The
page turns also became part of the storytelling because each new scene
could reveal how much larger the problem seemed to him.
That approach allowed the emotional lesson to emerge through the story
rather than being explained directly to the reader.
Are there any specific discussions or activities you recommend for parents to have with their children after reading your book?
Parents could begin with simple questions such as, “Why do you think
the moose kept growing?” or “What was the boy afraid might happen if
he told the truth?”
Another useful question is, “What helps you feel safe when you need to
tell someone something difficult?” That question gives children an
opportunity to explain what they need without asking them to disclose
anything personal.
Children could also draw their own imaginary worry creature and talk
about what makes it grow or shrink. The activity can help them
describe an emotion in a way that feels creative and manageable.
The goal is not to pressure a child into sharing something. The goal
is to give the child language that will be available when they are
ready to talk.
Do you have plans for future books or projects? If so, can you share any details?
Yes. There’s a Moose in My Attic is the first book in a planned series
that uses memorable animals and imaginative situations to help
children explore social and emotional challenges.
The next book is titled There’s an Octopus in My Class. I am hoping to
publish it in August, although the release may move into early
September. The story focuses on understanding and accepting
differences.
Additional books are planned, with each one exploring a different
emotional or social experience that children may find difficult to
explain.
What advice would you give to aspiring authors who want to write children’s books focused on emotional learning?
Start with the child’s experience rather than the lesson you want to
teach. Children connect with characters, humor, tension, and
discovery. They usually do not connect with a lecture disguised as a
story.
Emotional learning should grow naturally from what the character
experiences. The illustrations should also be allowed to carry part of
the meaning rather than simply repeating the words.
I would encourage writers to respect the complexity of children’s
emotions. Children may not always have adult language for what they
feel, although their emotional experiences are real and often intense.
A strong children’s book can open a conversation without trying to
provide every answer.
How do you see the role of children’s literature evolving in addressing mental health and emotional intelligence?
Children’s literature is becoming more willing to address emotions and experiences that were once avoided or oversimplified. That is an encouraging change.
The strongest books will still need to work as stories first. Children deserve memorable characters, engaging plots, humor, imagination, and emotional honesty. The mental health message should be part of the story rather than something placed on top of it.
When that balance is handled well, books can help children feel understood. They can also give parents, educators, and counselors a shared language for conversations that might otherwise be difficult to begin.
About the Author
Matt M. Morano, with over 25 years in education and counseling, is a licensed clinical mental health counselor and an author. Holding a PhD in Educational Psychology from the University of Connecticut, he specializes in helping parents and families manage the complexities of emotions and behaviors. His book, "There's a Moose in My Attic," offers a warm way for children and adults to discuss mistakes and honesty. Living in North Carolina with his family, Matt also founded Your Peak Mind, PLLC, focusing on social-emotional learning for children and exploring resilience and mental performance across all ages.
Where to buy or find the book
To find There's a Moose in my Attic, search for the exact title and author name through trusted sources. Good places to check include:
Local libraries
Library request systems
Local Bookstores
Conclusion
"There's a Moose in My Attic" by Matt M. Morano is more than just a whimsical tale; it serves as a vital resource for fostering emotional awareness and honesty in children. Through the imaginative journey of a young boy and his growing moose, readers are encouraged to confront their own fears and understand the importance of sharing their struggles with trusted adults. This engaging picture book not only entertains but also opens the door for meaningful conversations about honesty, trust, and emotional resilience. As families explore the themes presented in this story, they will find valuable lessons that resonate well beyond the pages, helping to cultivate a nurturing environment where children feel safe to express themselves. With its heartfelt narrative and delightful illustrations, this book is a must-read for parents and children alike, paving the way for a deeper understanding of the complexities of childhood emotions.
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