No one expected the storm of ‘02….

The Elves Indoors is an original Christmas fable inspired by the COVID-19 quarantine, written by Michael Sheinbaum in March of 2020. It tells the story of one of the greatest snowstorms that ever reached the North Pole and how Santa & his elves coped with this unprecedented challenge. Click here to learn more about how The Elves Indoors came to be.

Learn more about professional storyteller Michael Sheinbaum and best-selling illustrator Leah Stoogenke, the artists behind The Elves Indoors by clicking here.

The Elves Indoors is proud to partner with #GetUsPPE, a non-profit dedicated to getting PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) to Healthcare Workers.

Half of the royalties to The Elves Indoors goes to #GetUsPPE. By purchasing The Elves Indoors, you help GetUsPPE realize their mission.

To learn more about GetUsPPE.org, please click the image above or this link.

Michael Sheinbaum

Michael Sheinbaum is a professional storyteller, proud father, and now a children’s author! He feels as thrilled about the publication of The Elves Indoors as he does strange about writing in the third person. He has weathered the COVID-19 quarantine with his beloved fiancee Renate, his treadmill, and if this image is any indication, a genuine need for a barber.

Leah Stoogenke

Leah Stoogenke is the author and co-illustrator of “Maggie’s Box,” a bestselling children’s book about girls’ empowerment, and is excited to be jumping back into illustration with Michael for The Elves Indoors. Leah is currently an Honors student at Tulane University, majoring in English. She has written two musicals and multiple short stories alongside her art endeavors.

…they could not forget they were not making toys.

Michael Sheinbaum and Renate McIntosh, like most children’s performers, had a difficult time during the quarantine created by the COVID-19 pandemic. And like most children’s performers, the absence of an audience was felt as strongly as anything else. As Kris & Holly (a Santa/Mrs. Claus team), they turned to making videos as a way to find that audience. In one example, Michael wrote an original Christmas tale that the two read together. You can view it here.

The poem described a powerful snowstorm that swept through the North Pole and forced Santa to shut down the toyshop, which seemed analogous to what everyone was experiencing during the pandemic. People responded positively to Michael’s story. So using some of the money received from his stimulus check, he hired a cousin of his, Leah Stoogenke, to illustrate the poem. Meanwhile, Michael fine-tuned the verses. Together, they created The Elves Indoors.

The Elves Indoors tells the story of a young elf and a friendly baby seal who inspire their family and soon all of the elves with their ingenuity and positive energy. It’s a fable that teaches about the values of creativity, family, and determination. Whether you experience it during the Christmas holidays, a global pandemic, or anything in between, we hope it is meaningful and brings you joy.