I Bet I Can Make You Yawn! follows a cute and determined sloth who asks readers to play a game with him where he will try to trick them into yawning. What was the inspiration for your story?

I am a mother and an educator. I LOVE reading books with children. I have read many books throughout my lifetime and had the opportunity to observe hundreds of children interacting with literature. I chose to make this book interactive because I love to watch kids engage in and interact with a text. It has them being a part of the text and begging to read it again. 

I chose a sloth because who else can convince you to yawn but a slow moving animal that sleeps so much? Plus, who doesn’t love sloths? My illustrator, Audrey Kennedy, did an amazing job bringing Sammy to life. 

What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?

It is important to me that kids realize reading can be fun. 

I wanted the readers to feel like Sammy the sloth was playing a game with them. They also learn that yawns are quite contagious. 

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

The entire book was fun to write. It was quite difficult not to yawn through the entire process.

I really enjoyed creating the final scene (the final attempt of  Sammy trying  to get you to yawn). Even though there is no written text on this page, the illustrations effectively convey the message to evoke an emotional response. When the idea came to me, I thought it was perfect. The reaction I get when I read it to kids, reassures me of that decision. 

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?

This is the first book. There is no set date on the next book coming out. My illustrator and I have tossed around some ideas about the next book, so it is a possibility. 

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