Who We Are
Hi! I'm Margaret. Rhett and I are a husband and wife team of almost 30 years who have poured our hearts into creating unique adventures for children. From original-adventure birthday parties to a touring children’s musical theatre troupe, we have long sought to channel our creativity into creating unique experiences for children in ways that ignite their imagination.
It is our sincerest hope to inspire children to remain imaginative and kind as they grow into adults who help make the world a better, brighter, more magical place.
About Us
20+ years ago, Rhett published his first book, Excuse Me, Are You a Dragon? - a fantastical picture book of a brave knight’s adventure to find a dragon for his nephew, introducing kids to mythical beasts and the sometimes complicated nature of giving someone what they want. A few years later, Hey! There’s a Goblin Under My Throne! revisited the magical kingdom of Yondor, combining more mythical beasts with monthly challenges while Yondor faces the vengeful Slugma (who looks suspiciously like ME) and her desire to overthrow King Edwin (reprints of each book coming soon!).
Both books opened wonderful doors of opportunity - including the chance to revamp Excuse Me into a musical puppet show with Stone Lion Puppet Theatre (read more about that adventure here ((will be separate page)). Eventually Rhett’s career turned more towards toy design and illustration while my entrepreneurial spirit enabled me to prioritize the love of our lives, our amazing daughter MJ.
While Yondor's original stories and artwork are entirely Rhett’s, the letter-format stories and experience are my fan fiction. Greetings from Yondor! is a truly collaborative project: I write each letter based on the book, the puppet show, and other conversations, then MJ edits and contributes ideas before Rhett adds his input and develops the artwork.
Rhett is the most creative person I’ve ever met - no one even comes close. He draws, writes, composes music, and approaches the world with a genuine sense of wonder. Our family has always joked that he’s the Pied Piper of children — kids always gravitate to him wherever we go. I believe they sense the magic in his heart, and everyone who knows him agrees special sauce of creativity and magic deserves to be more broadly shared into the world.
In the fall of 2025, I was thinking about all of this while wondering how to leave my corporate job and do something that really set my heart on fire. Then our 10-year old niece came across a letter I had mailed to MJ - a hand-written letter on colorful stationary, sealed with a wax stamp. Our niece was AMAZED at the idea of receiving such a piece of mail, and in that instant the idea for Greetings from Yondor! was born.
Thank you for coming on this journey with us. We hope you love it as much as we do!
Onward!! ~ Margaret
Meet the Team
Rhett Pennell
Author, Illustrator
Add a short bio for each team member. Make it brief and informative to keep visitors engaged.
Want to check out more of Rhett's work? Take a look at his website!
Margaret Pennell
Writer, Founder
I've always been a creative spirit with a head for business. I consider myself an entertainer - singer, actor, musician, who loves to be on stage as much as I love crocheting and listening to audio books. Creating Greetings from Yondor! is my love letter to mine and Rhett's shared life and artistry; a way to channel our creativity in storytelling, visual art, music, and theatre, with hopes of making a more magical, beautiful, compassionate, and inspiring world.
MJ Pennell
Editor, #1 Daughter
Official idea-bouncer and editor. When I was a child, my dad’s books Excuse Me, Are You a Dragon? and Hey, There’s a Goblin Under My Throne! inspired me to stretch my imagination and come up with my own fantastical worlds. Now I’ve been writing my own fiction for over a decade, and I’m so excited to take all I’ve learned back to Yondor in order to create a magical experience for another generation of readers.
Our Pledge to You
We promise to create thoughtful, kid-centered stories that help young readers connect with big ideas, improve their vocabulary, build confidence in their reading skills, encourage fresh imagination and creativity — AND help adults connect with those young adventurers to create a delightful and unique experience for all.
Our serialized story experience encourages children to:
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Explore diversity, empathy, and belonging
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Build confidence as readers and thinkers
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Grow their imagination and develop their creative voice
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Expand their view of the world they know
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Look beyond first impressions and try to understand people and situations from multiple points of view
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Connect stories to meaningful ideas about the world around them
...and we promise to ALWAYS keep these ideals as our north star.
We also promise that every story, every piece of art, every activity has been thoughtfully and personally created by us — NEVER by AI. Now, did we tap AI to help build this website and business? Absolutely - we're artists, not business moguls. But what you're buying from us has been 100% conceived and created by Rhett, Margaret, and MJ, and your purchase is supporting art, creativity, and, frankly, our family's dreams. This dedication to both you and ourselves will never, ever, EVER change!
Get in Touch
Your thoughts and questions are important to us! Reach out with any inquiries you may have about our subscription, experience, or products, and we’ll be happy to help!