In the April Author Spotlight ...
David and Seth Bier,
Authors of
Bedtime with Rollo the NightSpryte

 

When authors David and Seth Bier were little boys, both went through the typical "monster" phase. As adults, they began to research childhood bedtime fears. While the “experts” differed on many things, there were three steps they all agreed on. These three steps are what they used to create Rollo the NightSpryte and The Sweet Dreams Gift Set.

"When we started to do the research on bedtime fears and anxieties we learned that nearly 50 percent of children ages 2 through 8 go through this phase," David explains. "With it being so prevalent we were surprised to find that it had never been properly addressed through any children’s entertainment property so we knew there was a large audience out there that might be in need a NightSpryte."

The first step is to empower your children. "Never dismiss your child’s fear of monsters as silly or stupid because it tends to make your child feel silly and stupid, says David. "The child is already afraid; humiliation is not going to help. These fears are real to the child and simply telling them that there are no such things as monsters does nothing to alleviate the stress they feel at bedtime." 

The second step is to create a soothing bedtime ritual that includes a fun bedtime story. This is where the book, “Bedtime with Rollo the NightSpryte” comes in. "The book introduces Rollo the NightSpryte, a professional monster masher who helps two young twins, Gabby and Leon, get over their fear of monsters by debunking the myths about monsters being dangerous," David says. 

David and Seth tried to figure out the best way to present their idea so they went back to their experiences. "When we were little," David explains, "our Mom would always read us Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein books before bed and the poems have stayed with us to this day. I am in no way trying to compare us to those men but they did have a lot of influence on us and kind of shaped what we thought a children's book should be, fun." 

The third step is to leave your child with a comforting object. This is where the Rollo the NightSpryte soft sculpt comes in. "We already knew that all Teddy Bears and stuffed animals provided a sense of security for children so the template was already there", David says. "The same vivid imagination that allows children to come up with the idea that something horrible is under their bed or in their closet also allows them to believe in the power of a plush toy or a blanket to protect them from their fears so a character specifically designed to scare monsters away just made sense. Parents will sleep well knowing their little one is in the capable hands of a professional monster masher, Rollo the NightSpryte."

Rollo and the NightSprytes were designed to be everything monsters are not. They’re small, cute, colorful, sweet, and very brave. "Telling children that monsters are afraid of these little creatures makes the monsters seem much less scary to children and makes The NightSprytes extremely empowering because these are the same qualities the children have and therefore can relate to," he says.

To purchase your copy of Bedtime with Rollo the NightSpryte, visit
http://www.atlasbooks.com/marktplc/02509.htm
 

For more information on the Rollo, the NightSprytr,
please visit http://www.nightsprytes.com

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