COD student and bestselling author Aaron Ozee’s newest children’s book, Regulus, has made headlines since its publication in June 2017. Within two weeks of being available on the market, it ranked in the top 10 bestselling books for children and teens on the self-publishing website Lulu, which was quickly followed by a No. 1 ranking on Amazon for children’s new releases.

Regulus follows the story of a mean rat king named Regulus, whose large ego and selfish personality cause him to be betrayed by the three mice who were closest to him. Gluttonous and self-centered, Regulus hoards every bit of cheese within the kingdom in the wall for himself, refusing to share any with his mouse subjects. Later, in the dead of night, the three mice sneak into his chambers and steal every bit of cheese while the king slumbers. The following day, Regulus goes on a journey of self-discovery as he uncovers the mystery of the missing cheese.

Ozee, whose 11 published works include multiple poetry anthologies and his first children’s book, My Darling Child Shiloh, says the concept for Regulus had come to him while driving, and he immediately knew he had to write it.

“I couldn’t get [the idea] out of my head,” Ozee said. “Whenever I had spare time, I would write notes on scraps of paper or on my phone. I ended up writing the manuscript in one day.”

Working with Ukrainian illustrator Mykyta Harets, Ozee brings the story of King Regulus to life with vibrant colors and rhythmic, vivid language. Children can connect with the story in print form and ebook form, watch the book’s stop motion movie—available for free on YouTube—and even buy a handmade Regulus stuffed animal from the company Budsies.

“My experience with this book has been unbelievably special,” Ozee said. “I consider it my masterpiece. Looking back to where I started and where I am now—it blows me away.”

Ozee decided to write children’s books to convert his poetry to a younger audience, seeking to make an impact with those still growing up.

“Regulus focuses on topics of pride, humility, self-forgiveness and self-discovery. It’s about the relationship King Regulus has with his subjects, and he learns the value of a sincere apology. In many ways, it represents the inner struggle with negatives of the past, and the importance of looking at the light at the end of the tunnel,” Ozee said.

Regulus can be found on Amazon, Smashwords, iTunes, as well as Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Half-Price Books and more.