Theodore, the Sloth Who Wants to Race, follows a two-toed sloth who, unlike other sloths, dreams of winning a speed race despite the obstacles that are in his path. What was the inspiration for your story?

Sam and I have always chosen paths in life that others have tried to tell us won’t or can’t work. Sometimes those predictions were correct, and we’ve then found ourselves wishing in those low moments that we had chosen something else. But then, in other instances, in spite of the comments of naysayers, we have found the results of going our own way to be magical. And so, we were sitting around one night during one of those low moments of indecision, trying to sort out where to head next in our life direction, when one of us (we can’t remember which) commented that, “Sometimes, I feel like a sloth trying to be an Olympic sprinter.” We thought the analogy to be as funny as it was apt and then came up with Theodore as a way to entertain ourselves.

What scene in the book did you have the most fun writing?

Probably the scene where Theo is racing the worm and then, in his moment of glory, realizes his big achievement never actually happened. Poor Theo!

What educational aspects were important for you to include in this children’s book?

The primary lesson of Theodore is that life truly is a marathon and that you cannot give up. You don’t know what obstacles will come into your marathon-path, or how you might initially react to them. Sometimes you’ll have wins and other times losses, but the only way to really experience life is to just keep trying. You just never know what you can achieve!

In a purely didactic sense, we purposefully used vocabulary that one does not typically find in children’s picture books and then included a glossary at the end. Why? Because kids are smart and like to learn! And in this same vein, we also included some fun facts about sloths and the biology game, because we have noticed that when there is a relatable story behind learning, then kids are more engaged and able to absorb knowledge.

Also, it seems that education is changing directions, but when Sam and I were in our formative years, the message was definitely that learning is a chore and isn’t supposed to be fun. Sadly, this dogma becomes internalized and translates later in life to the idea that you can’t be a fun person and be a smart, successful, and serious person at the same time. We both think that learning is absolutely fun and critical to meaningful engagement in life.

Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out, and what can your fans expect in the next story?

Right now, Theodore is a stand-alone, with no specific plans for a sequel, but that possibility has been discussed. One reader suggested the next book to be about Theodore’s club, so we’ll have to see!

Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Instagram | Website | Amazon | YouTube

Theodore yearns to RACE, to EARN his wins, to prove his WORTH.
The only catch?
Well, he’s a sloth, the slowest mammal ON THIS EARTH.
But that can’t stop a dream.
With determination, a few good friends, and a touch of science, Theo sets out to overcome his obstacles.

Join him on his (two-toed) quest for athletic glory!

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2024/09/08/education-is-changing-directions/