October
02
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Cover Reveal of Don’t Call Me Fuzzybutt! by Robin Newman
When I tuned in to watch the first presidential debate with millions of other Americans, I listened in horror as the two candidates berated one another with some of the most unpresidential words I had ever heard. And all that was running through my mind was, what kind of impact will this have on our children? Aren’t adults supposed to be the ones to set the example?
I was inspired to write Don’t Call Me Fuzzybutt! because my son, in third grade at the time, seemed to think it was cool to say and call out bad words. All children learn bad words. It’s a rite of passage. They pick them up from their peers, siblings, and even parents, the same way they might pick up the sniffles, chicken pox, or the flu. I still remember when I learned one particular word at day camp. It was the summer before fifth grade. I had no idea what the word meant, but I knew it wasn’t good. When my mom picked me up one day, we got into some kind of disagreement, and I shouted the word at her in front of all the campers and the counselors. She just stood there staring at me in shock. Then, she said quite calmly, “Don’t you ever use that word again.” And we walked home in silence. It was a very long walk home.
Now more than ever, it is imperative that we teach our children the impact of their words. In Don’t Call Me Fuzzybutt! illustrated by Susan Batori (Sleeping Bear Press), Bear turns grizzly if he doesn’t get his much needed 243½ days of sleep. But Bear also has a problem. He’s a very light sleeper. So, Bear builds a brand new door to keep the noise out of his den. Meanwhile, one of Bear’s neighbors is Woodpecker. He’s a master carpenter with a specialty in real estate development. He loves building houses. But recently, his houses have gone M.I.A. So he follows a trail of debris that leads him to Bear’s new front door. Bear and Woodpecker engage in a feisty exchange of name-calling and gossip with the rest of their forest neighbors. Can they patch it up—literally—before Bear loses too much sleep?
I am beyond thrilled to share the cover for Don’t Call Me Fuzzybutt! on Nerdy Book Club.
Words can hurt, but they can also teach us how to heal.
Don’t Call Me Fuzzybutt! releases March 15, 2021.
Robin Newman was a practicing attorney and legal editor, but she now prefers to write about witches, mice, pigs, bears, and peacocks. She is a graduate of Bryn Mawr College and the City University of New York School of Law. She is the author of the Wilcox & Griswold Mystery Series, as well as the picture books, Hildie Bitterpickles Needs Her Sleep and No Peacocks! A Feathered Tale of Three Mischievous Peacocks. She lives in New York with a motley crew of fuzzybutts, including a husband, son, and three spoiled dogs. For more information, please visit www.robinnewmanbooks.com.
You can find her online on Twitter: @robinnewmanbook, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/RobinNewmanBooks/339179099505049, and Instagram: @robinnewmanbooks.
Nerdy Book Club 
Yes. I recently read a list of the ways that our current president’s behavior has affected children’s sense of what is OK and not OK. The powerful learning phenomenon of “monkey see, monkey do” is happening all the time (whether we are aware of it or not — as I learned over and over again when I was an au pair and the parents of my beloved charges would sometimes — with loving humor — tell me things that their children said which they had clearly learned from me…) Hurrah for you to write books which help children learn to interact with each other with love and respect!
Robin, this book sounds SO good! It’s DEFinitely needed…always has been, but now more than ever. I, too, watched the debate, though I only heard one word come out of Biden’s mouth toward Trump that was “name calling” and it was mild (and fitting). I saw him try, desperately, in various ways, to get past the barrage of interruptions he knew was going to come. We’re in a very sorry state 😦 BUT…how lucky we are to have WONderful books all around and this is BOUND to be a hit! ❤ ❤ ❤
What a really fun and expressive cover with a great title! Love the theme of your book! So very appropriate. Agree with you about the bad language and name calling kids are hearing on TV. We have to be better than that. Glad publishers are really releasing so many great titles that emphasize kindness, respect and compassion! Look forward to your upcoming book!
Agreed! ❤
Yes! A needed book showing good behavior and modeling to children! I heard Pam Allyn say she believed that if we can get to children early enough, and show them through books, what “proper” and acceptable and compassionate behavior looks like, that we have a chance to affect their views and behavior positively. I have always thought that. This book will do that for sure! This is the same reason I am so passionate about writing songs for schools and also kidlit. The more Ss read & sing about kindness,empathy, bullying prevention, nature conservation, the better off the world and future generations will be. Can’t wait until this comes out! Illustrations look amazing and inviting too! Oh, and I would be remiss, Robin, if I didn’t throw out the obvious fact that DON’T CALL ME FUZZYBUTT is a super, fun and memorable title for a kidlit song. But you write the lyrics, ok? LOL. Congrats to all and stay well all!
What a fun book title and cover and such a great topic too! Love this! Congrats Robin 🙂
This book sounds terrific. I am going to have to check it out. Thanks for the heads up.