Interview with Denette Fretz, Author of ‘I Want Your Smile, Crocodile’ & a Giveaway!

35 Replies

If the clever title of this new release from my friend Denette Fretz doesn’t grab your attention, then the cute cover certainly will.

I Want Your Smile, Crocodile is the latest release from the author who brought us Pirates on the Farm and Conrad and the Cowgirl Next Door. When you read titles like that you know you’re in for a treat, and Denette’s latest book does not disappoint.

Meet Jack, the meerkat, who shares a distinctly human trait: he’s not happy with the way he looks. Now who can’t identify with this…

Surely if Jack could have crocodile’s smile, or porcupine’s spines, or elephant’s snout, he would be happier? Written in playful rhyme, I Want Your Smile, Crocodile follows Jack’s humorous journey to discovering a wonderful truth… he is perfect just the way God made him.

I was thrilled when Denette agreed to participate in an author interview and even more thrilled when Zonderkidz, her publisher, offered to host a giveaway of the book.

Read on for Denette’s responses to my questions, and enter to win this adorable new release…

Denette, It’s so good to welcome you back to my blog! Let’s get the formal introduction out of the way. What does the bio on the back of the book say about you?

“Denette Fretz is the critically acclaimed author of two books in ‘The Next Door Series’ – Pirates on the Farm and Conrad and the Cowgirl Next Door. A perpetual doodler and songster, Fretz teaches elementary art and music in Medford, Oregon.”

Okay… now for two interesting and quirky facts about you that we won’t find on the back of your books…

  1. I talk to a volleyball. I rescued Cheesy Bob from a school closet about 11 years ago, and he has been a classroom mascot and rule-teaching scapegoat ever since. (“If Cheesy Bob paints his neighbor instead of his paper, then…”) The kids love him. Cheesy Bob’s beach ball cousin, Cheddar Jack, is currently visiting from Monterey.
  2. Skip the birthday cake and bake me birthday pie. And make it blackberry. Please.

MEET CHEESY BOB!

Haha Denette, I love Cheesy Bob! Okay, what inspired you to write I Want Your Smile, Crocodile?

When you see God’s handiwork in someone you love, but he or she wishes to be someone else, it kind of breaks your heart. And I wonder how The Potter−who molded the clay for a purpose−feels. (See Isaiah 64:8 and Ephesians 2:10.) Jack’s struggle is everyone’s struggle: embracing whom God created each of us to be and praising him for it. (See Psalm 139:14.) This struggle is fiercer in our social-media-comparison era. In I Want Your Smile, Crocodile, I was inspired to write fun characters and pointed humor to convey to children that “God’s great heart designed each part” of them.

I love that Denette! Your two previous books, Pirates on the Farm and Conrad and the Cowgirl Next Door were written in prose. What made you switch to rhythm and rhyme for this title?

Once I had the rhyming title, “I Want Your Smile, Crocodile,” I researched more three-syllable zoo animals and correlated rhyming attributes such as, “Give me your swish, Jellyfish,” or “With spikes so fine, Porcupine.” When these characters were established, it was natural to hear protagonist Jack’s voice in rhyme−with a few short “prose breaks.” Also, I’m a singer, which helps with rhythm and rhyme. I’ll often lie in bed with “BAH dah-dah DAH dah” rhythms bothering my brain. (Hmm…that seems like a candidate for the “quirky facts” question.) Some of my first writing successes, way back in fifth and sixth grade, were in rhyme.

As someone who also loves to write in rhyme, I can identify with those ‘rhythms that bother the brain’! The illustrations by Jackie Urbanovic complement the text perfectly. Did you have any say in those?

Because I Want Your Smile, Crocodile has humor that is created when pictures and text are opposed, illustration suggestions were submitted with the original manuscript. Otherwise, some of the content would have been lost. For example, Jack’s words say:

“I want your smile, Crocodile.

Kids love your pointy chin.

If it were mine,

they’d stand in line…

and wait for me to grin.”

However, I didn’t want the corresponding illustration to show happy kids standing in line, so I proposed it show zoo goers scrambling away from Jack the Meerkat who is sporting a crocodile smile.

Another example of my illustration input would be the zookeeper. Just as Christ pursues us, I wanted the zookeeper to chase after Jack…and get a bit ragged in the process. Jackie’s execution of this is marvelous, although her zookeeper looks nothing like my mind’s original image. Her portrayal is far better.

For each of my three picture books, I have noted that my illustration suggestions are “a springboard and not a box.” Boy, did Jackie “spring!” I could not be happier with her humorous additions, text interpretations, colors, creative scene transitions, and her character creations. I especially love her portrayal of spunky Jack.

I couldn’t agree more, Denette… her illustrations are wonderful. Finally, what’s next from the pen of Denette Fretz?

Much of what I have written lately has been work related. I recently wrote the script for a Bible-themed musical and then directed it for 112 kids, ages three to six. I am back to penning prose in a simple, humorous manuscript…involving a cat. Also, I am optimistically writing more adventures for Jack, in hopes that readers love him as much as I do.

Well I’m sure they will Denette. Thank you so much for joining me today!

And now for the exciting part! Zonderkidz are offering a giveaway of  I Want Your Smile, Crocodile. To enter all you have to do is leave a comment on this post, telling me who you would read the book to. This giveaway is open to USA residents who have a physical street address (no PO boxes.)

If you share this post on Facebook, just let me know and I will enter your name twice. One random winner will be chosen and announced on Monday April 30th. Good luck!

UPDATE! AND THE WINNER IS.. JENNIFER CRUM!

Watch the book trailer.

Plan to visit the next stop in the blog tour at Laura Sassi Tales where Denette will be sharing some extension activities to accompany the book.

Connect with Denette Fretz.

35 thoughts on “Interview with Denette Fretz, Author of ‘I Want Your Smile, Crocodile’ & a Giveaway!”

  1. Pingback: Blog Stop 1: Interview with Glenys Nellist | Denette Fretz

  4. Joanne Lockard-Hawkins

    I cannot wait to read this story to my two favorite members of a captive audience, G-buddy and Miss K! Please keep these character supporting stories coming!

    Reply ↓
  7. Tena

    I can’t wait to see this! Jack is a great name for a cat, or meerkat. 😉 This would be a great addition to my classroom library.

    Reply ↓
  11. Kate Robbins

    This is so on point! I would read it to kids in my Sunday School class…. although they are older than the intended audience, they sometimes get a kick out of having younger books read to them. And, I’d keep the copy in our new ‘Worship Wagon’, in the sanctuary, so that any kiddo can read it during worship.

    Reply ↓
  16. Ivy Wilson

    I am so encouraged by authors like yourself. I would share this with my son, who is about to turn 4. His name is Patrick & I know his friends would love it too!

    Reply ↓
  17. Lori

    I would read it to my grandchildren but especially to my two grandsons who sometimes don’t realize how wonderful and amazing they really are ❤️

    Reply ↓
  18. Megan Crop

    I’d read this to my 8 year old son (or have him read it to me) with glasses and adhd. He struggles with being different from his peers.

    Reply ↓
  19. Caulene Rogers

    I have a couple kids at church who are really struggling with self esteem issues. One in particular whose parent is considering homeschooling for to the severity of the issue.

    Reply ↓
  20. Jennifer Crum

    I would love to share this with one of the sweet little boys at our church who had serious struggles with self esteem. Then I would want to keep it on the shelf in our classroom so others could ready it as well.

    Reply ↓
    3. Denette Fretz (@NextDoorSeries)

      Congratulations, Jennifer! I hope you and the children at your church enjoy, “I Want Your Smile, Crocodile.” I especially pray it is encouraging and meaningful for “the sweet little boy” who struggles with self-esteem.

      Reply ↓
  22. Kala S.

    I’d read it to the elementary school kids when I visit the class as a guest reader!!! What a sweet book it sounds like and Denette’s pirate book is already a favorite!

    Reply ↓

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.