Promised Protagonists is a US-based youth-led organization and literary platform dedicated to instilling a love for reading and writing in younger generations while celebrating diverse stories.
Small Courage, Tall Trees
Squirrel Up joins a global youth-led anthology.
United States — August 28, 2025 — Promised Protagonists, an international youth-led initiative, features Squirrel Up! in its debut anthology. The collection spans outer space, pirate seas, school stages, and living myth, inviting readers into stories where everyone belongs at the center.
The Piece
The Story Behind the Work
Squirrel Up! embodies the playful absurdity and narrative spark at the heart of Sillygoose’s practice. It’s funny, a little eccentric, and unapologetically curious. By giving a squirrel the spotlight, the piece reimagines protagonism showing that even the smallest characters can steal the scene with wit, mischief, and a dash of energy.
The Voice
“Squirrel Up! is a reminder that the smallest, quirkiest characters can still hold the biggest stories sometimes all it takes is a nut and a little imagination.”
— Sillygoose
The Buzz
Cultural Relevance
Promised Protagonists is more than an anthology it’s a stage for youth-led creativity with a global audience leaning in. By featuring Squirrel Up!, it affirms that play, humor, and experimentation deserve a seat in serious storytelling. Published in Volume 1, the work joins a collective effort to show younger generations that literature is not only for them but by them. And because the anthology extends into schools and libraries, its impact ripples outward sparking curiosity, broadening representation, and planting new stories where they’re needed most.
Publication Notes
Key publication details are outlined below.
Publication Details
Title: Promised Protagonists: Volume 1
Organizer: Promised Protagonists
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Publication Date: August 28, 2025
Artwork Information
Featured Work: Squirrel Up!
Style: Playful, Absurdist, Narrative
Medium: Narrative illustration
Focus: Youth-led, Diverse Storytelling
Access & Credits
Venue: Paperback & Digital
Issue: Volume 1 — August 2025 Release
Availability: Online, Print
Website: promisedprotagonists.org
In the Headlines
Who reads it. Where it’s seen.
- Distributed globally in print and digital formats on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookshop
- Readership includes students, educators, youth writers, and literary communities
- Featured in Promised Protagonists — Official Volume 1 release and contributor spotlight
This recognition highlights the anthology’s role in expanding access to diverse stories and affirms youth creativity as a vital force in contemporary literature.