Fireside
Fairytales, Fables, Favorites
Fireside Book Trust is on a mission to enrich the lives of children across the world, with the joy of reading.
DISCOVERFireside Book Trust is on a mission to enrich the lives of children across the world, with the joy of reading.
DISCOVERA contemporary classic, Champion is the heroic and heart-warming tale of a determined young hare who sets out to save his forest and to find his place in the world.
Maximus Hare had been told Aesop’s fable of The Tortoise and the Hare since he was a nestling — and he wished it had a different ending. It had been two millennia and five centuries since Aesop chronicled the famous fable, and the animals of Forever Forest were no longer very fond of hares, especially when it came to running races.
Everything changes for Maximus, after his peaceful river bend is suddenly overrun with a raging flood. When all of the animals in the forest panic, it’s up to Maximus and his friends to put the fable behind them and save their forest from disaster — in an epic race against the most dangerous rapids in the history of Forever.
King’s marvelous fable of courage, kindness, and being true to oneself, earns a memorable place on the family bookshelf for years to come.
PURCHASE
Each child has unique gifts and aptitudes that can propel that child to live a life of meaning. Champion encourages young readers to discover and develop their individual talents, and to strengthen their sense of purpose, so that they can use their gifts to make a difference in the world.
At Fireside, we strive to give children the confidence they need to make their dreams come true. Whether it’s providing educational resources like backpacks and books, encouraging individuality with extracurriculars, or guiding young scholars in the pursuit of a higher education — Fireside is committed to donating a portion of the proceeds from every book sold, to enrich the lives of children in need.
If you or your organization would like to partner with Fireside, we welcome the opportunity to work together.
GET INVOLVED
Maximus Hare woke up to the sound of running water — not the slow rippling sound made by reeds bending in the morning current, but the almighty whoosh of rapids tearing through the undergrowth. There was something wrong with that whooshing noise. The peaceful river bend, where Maximus made his home, had always been slow and leisurely — like the rest of Forever Forest’s inhabitants.
Every day, day after day, everyone who lived in Forever passed their time as slowly and as carefully as they could. Maximus wasn’t slow and he was only a little careful. Nobody that Maximus knew thought that being fast could be of any use, and everybody that he knew was sure that it would one day get him into trouble. Maximus was, after all, a hare.
When the complaints of the neighbors reached the ears of Maximus’ grandmother, Aurelia Hare, she took her grandson aside and told him, “Be the best you that you can be, Maximus. You’ll never meet your full potential if you try too hard to be something that you’re not.”
Try as he might, Maximus couldn’t slow down — so he sped up. He practiced long and hard every day. He trained his mind and heart to keep up with his feet. Maximus was certain that, one day, all of his hard work would come in handy. So far, he had never met anyone who agreed. Besides Grandma, that is.
Maximus’ father, Patricius Hare, had told his son when Maximus was still a little nestling, that the residents of Forever were not very fond of hares, especially when it came to running races. Everyone in the forest had read Aesop’s Fable of the Tortoise and the Hare, and they never imagined that Maximus could be any different from the hare in the fable. Patricius kept a battered old copy of Aesop’s fable sitting on the table next to his rocking chair, and read from it to Maximus every day.
Maximus had never liked the story, and one day he decided to ask his father why the old hare read it so often. Patricius handed the battered book to Maximus and told him, “It’s good to know what people think about you, in case you ever need to change their opinion.”
Maximus had taken his father’s lesson to heart and read the story every day since, but nothing he did had ever changed the way the Forever Forest animals thought. Maybe today was going to be different.
Twitching his ears back and forth to catch the sounds, Maximus became more and more certain that there was something wrong happening outside his family’s little cottage. The usual early morning stillness was broken by sharp cries for help and the crunch of paws running on stones. As quick as a hare, he jumped out of his cozy bed and raced out into the morning sun.
Let us know which edition of Champion you purchased and be automatically entered for a chance to win one of two draws! Winners will receive a gift of three prizes from Fireside Book Trust.
Draws take place on November 1st, 2026 and on December 1st, 2026.
See details and official rules here.
Are you an educator at an elementary school or a local learning center? Fireside is working with educators to bring Champion to classrooms across America. Please reach out to us to see how your school can get involved.
EDUCATORS
Paperback, Hardcover, and eBook editions are available at Barnes & Noble. More purchasing options for the eBook can be found at Amazon and Apple Books. All purchases are eligible for the Pre-Order Sweepstakes until December 10, 2026.
Libraries and organizations looking to place a bulk order may submit the request using the contact form listed below. A Fireside representative will reach out to you within 24 hours.
If you are interested in partnering with Fireside to fund your Charitable cause, or to initiate a Fundraising event for your Elementary School, please feel free to contact us. We look forward to collaborating with you.
Fireside shares a common mission with each charitable organization, community outreach program, and determined individual who has set out to improve the lives of children in need.
If you would like to find a way to partner with Fireside, please reach out to us. We welcome new ideas and look forward to collaborating.
If your charitable organization is actively seeking funding, feel free to let us know. Someone at Fireside will contact you to discuss your organization’s goals and how we can help.
Charitable organizations, Elementary schools, homeschool associations, sports teams, and clubs are welcome to partner with Fireside for their next fundraising event. Please be sure to notify us at least one week in advance of your fundraiser.
If your school or organization would like copies of Champion to be donated to your book drive, we would be delighted to participate.
At Fireside, we value our educators deeply. Teachers, coaches, tutors, and club organizers all play a vital role in nurturing a child's growth and in encouraging them to build a fulfilling life.
If you are an educator and you would like to find a way to partner with Fireside, please reach out to us. We welcome new ideas and look forward to collaborating.
Teachers and homeschool parents who are planning to use Champion as a part of the curriculum are eligible to receive 25% off a personal copy of the eBook. If the median household income at your school is near or below the poverty level, you may also be eligible to receive a classroom set of eBooks, free of cost.
Elementary schools, homeschool associations, sports teams, and clubs are welcome to partner with Fireside for their next fundraising event. Please be sure to notify us at least one month in advance of your fundraiser.
If your school or organization would like copies of Champion to be donated to your book drive, we would be delighted to participate.
Fireside is partnering with Eagle Classics Publishing House to bring together a team of dedicated Christian authors, illustrators, editors, and media professionals — united by a love of fairytales and a mission to help children across the world transform their lives through reading.
Champion is the first in a collection of inspirational children’s books, sponsored by Fireside. Proceeds from each book sale will be used by Fireside Book Trust to assist in furthering the education of underprivileged children in the United States of America.
PARTNER WITH FIRESIDE CONTACT US
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Fireside publishes fairytales, fables, and favorites for children of all ages.
