Debra Sartell
This week, we’re celebrating Debra Sartell’s debut! Debra Sartell booked stand-up comedy before she began writing children’s picture books. After her son, Cole, was born she found inspiration for her work and many comical moments in parenting through the camera lens. Says Debra, “TIME FOR BED, BABY TED grew out of one of those snapshot moments of parenting exhaustion when Cole could’ve tucked my husband into bed!” She lives in California with her husband Darrell and their two lively children, Cole and Stella.
TIME FOR BED, BABY TED by Debra Sartell
Here’s a little bit about TIME FOR BED, BABY TED (Holiday House).
It’s time for bed, but where is baby Ted? He’s not baby Ted! Try and guess what he is instead. With a quack a snack, a cluck and a tuck, a loving father prepares his child for bedtime in this charming story.
If you had to give your book a movie rating: G through Rated R, which one would you give and why?
G It’s a going to bed book done in lively rhyme.
What topics, issues, or themes does your book address? What drove you to write about them?
TIME FOR BED, BABY TED, is a sweet rhythm and rhyme story of a father preparing his child, Ted for bed. Ted finds many ways to avoid going straight to bed, by playing an animal guessing game but through gentle patients and play Dad moves the bedtime ritual along until Ted has tucked himself into bed.
Name three examples of readers who would identify or like your book.
Any parent who has to get a child ready for bed will appreciate the bedtime rituals set-up in this book as well as fun and memorable rhyming phrases such as, “We’ll SNAP him up, WRAP him up and tuck him into bed.” Kay Chorao’s illustrations are exciting and vibrant.
List a few statistically improbable phrases or sentences one might find in your book. These are phrases or sentences you might never find anywhere else.
And he started Poke, POKE, POKING. “Ouch!” Dad said. “How do you put a baby porcupine to bed? VERY, VERY CAREFULLY!”
How can your book be used in the classroom?
To start a fun discussion about bedtime and routines. What do you do to get ready for bed? We read a story, brush our teeth, go to the bathroom and snuggle up for sleep. What time do you go to bed? How many hours are we awake in the day and how many hours do we sleep at night. Talk about sleeping and dreaming. Playing in your dreams at night and being rested enough to play out your dreams in the day.
Now tell us about other already-published books that readers of your book might enjoy.
Kay Chorao, the illustrator of TIME FOR BED, BABY TED has written and illustrated many books, a couple favorites are, “Pig and Crow,” and “Rosie to the Rescue.”
Now whet our appetites with a teaser.
“That’s the end of the story,” Dad said. “Come on, baby Ted, let’s get ready for bed.” But Ted crawled fast past Dad and said, “I’m not baby Ted. I can’t go to bed. Try and guess what I am instead.” And he started snap, SNAP, SNAPPING.
Are you offering authors visits to schools, libraries, or other organizations?
Yes, I think it would be fun to read my book on pajama day at schools. I would also love to do library readings and other organizations. At the end of each reading we will make a sleepytime potion to place under our pillows.
Are you willing to speak nationally?
Yes!
This concludes our interview with our latest author, DEBRA SARTELL. We wish her much success with her debut novel TIME FOR BED, BABY TED. To see what Debra is up to these days, visit her website at http://www.debrasartell.com or her blog at http://www.debrasartell.blogspot.com.
*GIVEAWAY ALERT* Debra is giving away a signed copy of TIME FOR BED, BABY TED to two winners. Tell your friends and leave a comment for the author! Enter by March 9th, 2010 11:59 PM CST. (U.S. and Canadian residents only, please.)
Your email address will not be displayed publicly and will only be used to contact you if you win! And don’t forget to participate in our other AuthorsNow! giveaways.
Comments
1 McKim // Mar 2, 2010 at 11:46 am
I would love to win this for my new grandchild.
2 Cherie J // Mar 2, 2010 at 3:14 pm
Please enter me. I would love to read this to my 3 year old. I also think my 6 year old would enjoy this as well. Thanks for the chance to win a copy.
3 Kelly Ann T. // Mar 2, 2010 at 7:43 pm
This looks like an adorable book. I would love to read it to Lydia at bedtime. Thank you for the chance to win.
4 Kristi C // Mar 3, 2010 at 5:55 am
I would love to win this for my son. We always read a story or two or three before bedtime.
5 deb c // Mar 3, 2010 at 8:23 am
Sounds like a reallly cute book. Would love for my grandaughter.
6 david basile // Mar 3, 2010 at 10:29 am
book sounds great
7 lori berman // Mar 3, 2010 at 12:43 pm
would love this for my grandkids
8 Dawn Lairamore // Mar 3, 2010 at 9:31 pm
Congratulations, Debra!!
I have been looking forward to this book for so long–will be so thrilling to finally hold a copy in my hands!
9 Julie // Mar 4, 2010 at 9:12 am
What a beautiful, fun book! Congratulations. I look forward to reading it to my grandchildren (in around 10 years)
10 Ann Herrick // Mar 5, 2010 at 10:29 am
Sounds like a sweet book!
11 Katrina // Mar 5, 2010 at 11:13 am
that book looks seriously cute…I just love reading to my daughter….and all children….I am a librarian in training after all
12 angie // Mar 5, 2010 at 7:39 pm
sounds like a great book to share with princess
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13 Terra Heck // Mar 6, 2010 at 1:12 am
What a cute book. Looks like a fun read. Thanks.
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14 JAMES LYNAM // Mar 6, 2010 at 5:38 pm
RETIRED.
WINNING IS ONLY WAY I CAN ADD THIS TO MY COLLECTION.
15 Melissa B. // Mar 7, 2010 at 12:30 pm
This sounds like the perfect book for my preschool class.
16 Linda Kish // Mar 7, 2010 at 10:38 pm
How sweet. I love kid’s books.
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
17 Rosanne // Mar 7, 2010 at 10:50 pm
Any idea for getting them to think of bed positively is a great book
18 Marc // Mar 8, 2010 at 9:04 am
I would love to win this for my daughters as they enjoy stories that rhyme. I enjoy reading them the stories too as long as they’re not in the mold of Dr Seuss…I can’t stand the way he made up words to make the story rhyme.
19 shawna // Mar 8, 2010 at 12:36 pm
Would love this for my kids.
20 phxbne // Mar 8, 2010 at 12:51 pm
sounds like a fun book
21 Ed Nemmers // Mar 8, 2010 at 5:30 pm
This sounds joyful!
22 Priscilla P. // Mar 8, 2010 at 8:52 pm
I love to get this cute book for my Grandchildren.
23 Merrie L. // Mar 8, 2010 at 11:44 pm
It looks cute!
24 Trina // Mar 9, 2010 at 11:13 am
We are looking for great bedtime stories to read to our son. He loves to prolong going to be as long as possible.
25 Gianna // Mar 9, 2010 at 5:41 pm
Please enter me
26 Heather // Mar 9, 2010 at 9:27 pm
This looks really cute!
27 Chrysa Duran // Mar 9, 2010 at 10:31 pm
Looks cute! Thanks for the giveaway!
28 Lily Kwan // Mar 9, 2010 at 11:34 pm
This book sounds very interesting. I’ll definitely check it out!
29 Donna K // Mar 9, 2010 at 11:59 pm
It sounds really cute.
30 Pothi - Admin Assist - AuthorsNow! // Mar 10, 2010 at 8:11 am
Congratulations Trina and James Lynam! You’ve won this Spotlight!
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