Daddies Do It Different has arrived just in time for Father’s Day! This hilarious picture book takes a high-spirited look at the way dads put their own spin on different parts of a child’s life–from going to a birthday party to bathtime. Alan Sitomer’s debut picture book is pulled from his own experiences as a father and winningly complemented with delightful art by Abby Carter.
Interview With Alan Sitomer
Are you the type of Daddy described in the book? If so, which of the scenarios in the book have actually occurred in your home?
They say that art imitates life. Well, my “dad-ly ways” might not be very artful at times but I do get the job done—often with a sprinkle of the unexpected. So yes, the text very much resembles the type of dad I am. I guess being a father has brought out the goofball in me. Something about my daughter’s smile shoots right to the core of my soul and, like a great many parents, I will go to exceptional lengths to turn her frown upside down should one ever cross her face.
In a way, being a dad has also awakened in me a sense of finding the joy of the mundane. A trip to the market for bananas can be a tedious “to-do” item on life’s daily agenda or it can be a swashbuckling adventure filled with laughs, excitement and magic. Sure, it’s the same trip; but also, it’s not. DADDIES DO IT DIFFERENT captures a bit of that joie de vivre which taps into the sense of how neither children, nor parents, can live by bread alone.
In the biography it said you won the “teacher of the year” award. What subject and grades did
you teach?
Indeed, I was named California’s Teacher of the Year in 2007. And oh what a journey! Truly, however, I attribute any and all success I’ve ever had in the classroom to my students. It’s not me “doing” something to them as much as it is me, as the teacher, awakening them to the fantastic power, aptitudes, and abilities which already exist inside of them should they dare to access and harness it.
Of course, as a high school English teacher, I had a little help from folks like Shakespeare, Steinbeck, Poe and so on, which made my work all the more achievable. Yet it’s a misperception to believe that kids today do not want to learn. They do. In fact, I think today’s students have a fire in their belly, a real hunger for stretching, growing, expanding, and testing their limits that might very well exceed any previous generation.
Today’s kids have all kinds of amazing skills. But they are selective, independent, finicky, and perpetually inquisitive. School has changed and our schools are not doing the greatest job of keeping up. Writing books for kids, penning real stories which speak to their hearts, has evolved into a life mission for me. And I am really fortunate to have so many wonderful fans of my work.
Do you have any plans to work with the illustrator, Abby Carter, again? The pictures are fabulous and capture the energy and excitement of the book.
Goodness, I hope to work with Abby again. Her art is exceptional. She really captures the
energy of the text and the entire book resonates with positive vibrations, in my opinion. She’s
a tremendous talent and I’d love to think this is the first of many projects we’ll find ourselves
teamed for in the years ahead.
Does the daughter in the book resemble your own daughter or anyone you know?
An old saw in the world of writing is, “Write what you know” so yes, I’d be fibbing if I
didn’t admit that there’s more than a sprinkle of my own daughter’s DNA in the book. Visually,
Abby created a cast of characters which are unique; our family doesn’t really look like the family
in the book. But temperamentally, it’s pretty spot on, down to the dog.
Do you have any other children’s books in the works?
I always have a variety of things “cooking in the kitchen” so yes, I do plan to write more
children’s picture books. For the time being though, I have a humorous new novel for middle
school age kids coming out towards the end of the summer (NERD GIRLS: A CATASTROPHE
OF NERDISH PROPORTIONS) and I am currently working on a new piece of young adult
fiction that’s a bit more gritty and aimed at high school audiences.
Like a shark, I guess I gotta just keep moving forward. I’m blessed that I love what I do
and get to do it for a living.
Review -
I read this book to my kiddos the second we received it and they loved it! Daddies Do It Different would be an awesome Father’s Day Gift for any fun-loving dad. The book was the perfect length too…not too long, not too short. My four youngest also thought it was hilarious! I think it probably reminded them more of me than their dad since it is pretty much the opposite in our home! Their favorite part was the “waffle tower”. They eat waffles almost every morning and I think that page really resonated with them…especially the mess! This book was funny, the illustrations were fantastic and I would recommend it to anyone!
Daddies Do It Different is available on Amazon for $16.99. It would be great for any child ages 3 and up!
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Disclosure: I received Daddies Do It Different Book in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated in any other manner. The opinions expressed above are my own and any claims should be verified on the sponsor’s site.