About this Event
Deb Buschman, children's author, brings stories to life off the page! Join us for a reading of her new book, , featuring a live puppet show perfect for kids of all ages. Get ready for an unforgettable adventure filled with laughs, imagination, and a craft where you can make your own puppet to follow!
ABOUT THE BOOK:
A fairy tale narrator is determined to tell a proper story. You know the kind: once upon a time, a brave knight, and a trusty steed. But before he can even finish the opening sentence, he’s interrupted. Again. And again. And again.
Because a parade of unlikely animals keeps bursting into the tale, each convinced they should be the knight’s trusty steed. An armadillo? A giraffe? A shark?! Great galloping horses! With every interruption, young readers will delight in guessing which animal will appear next, and how the increasingly exasperated narrator will respond.
Told almost entirely through lively, comedic dialogue and paired with expressive, humorous illustrations, invites children to actively participate in the story. The pacing, repetition, and surprise make it an irresistible read-aloud, perfect for sharing aloud in classrooms, libraries, and at bedtime.
As the narrator struggles to hold onto tradition, the story gently explores bigger ideas about inclusion, flexibility, and making room for everyone, while never losing sight of the fun. By the end, readers learn that sometimes the best stories are the ones that break the rules.
A laugh-out-loud, dialogue-driven picture book for:
- Children ages 4 through 8.
- Fans of humorous, speech-bubble-style storytelling.
- Interactive read-alouds that invite prediction and participation.
- Classrooms discussing creativity, inclusion, and rethinking “the way things have always been”.
- Readers who love fairy tales with a modern, playful twist.
- fans of The Panda Problem, Unicorn Day, and the beloved Elephant & Piggie.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Deb Buschman was born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Wisconsin. She has always lived near water. She graduated from Carthage College, located on Lake Michigan. Over the years she has held various jobs, including busgirl, waitress (how she met her husband), fashion model, and copier sales person (didn’t last long) to human resources manager for a bank. But by far her two favorite careers have been being a mom to four sons and a children's writer.
Deb has been a member of SCBWI since 2011 and served seven years as their Wisconsin Regional Advisor. Her debut picture book is published by The Little Press and illustrated by Tom Uleau. She and her family can be found on the lake in the summer and on the slopes in the winter.
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR:
Tom Uleau (a.k.a Mr. Tom) is a work-from-home dad in a Philadelphia suburb who runs a small print shop from his home, specializing in digital and textile printing. He’s been screen printing since high school and believes a day without ink on his hands is a day wasted. Tom loves cartoons, comics, and dreams of illustrating children’ s books that spark joy and connection for young readers. You can find out more about Mr. Tom at tom-uleau.squarespace.com
Event venue & nearby stays
Books & Company, 1039 Summit Avenue, Oconomowoc, United States
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