Sarah Philpott Shares with BookWorthy the Heart and Joy of Her Lift-Flap Book, Wake Up Little Seed

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An Insightful Conversation with Sarah Philpott

This full transcript has been lightly edited for clarity but reflects the full conversation from the BookWorthy Podcast. Grab a cup of coffee, listen, and read along. This post does contain affiliate links. Thanks for your support.

Valerie - Welcome to Bookworthy, where we talk about the heart behind the books your kids are reading. Today, we're talking with award-winning author Sarah Philpott. Sarah is a proud cattle farm wife and mom of four. She shares how she cherishes God's provisions in both joy and sorrow. Sarah is the author of Loved Baby: 31 Devotions Helping You Grieve and Cherish Your Child After Pregnancy Loss, as well as the board book Moo Moo Nap Nap. Her latest children's book, Wake Up, Little Seed, is a lift-flap board book that connects children with real-life plant science. It invites toddlers to engage in the growth process as part of God's detailed plans. Welcome to Bookworthy, Sarah.

Sarah - Thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited to be here.

Valerie - It's fun to have you. I don't know if you remember, but we met at the in-game press conference. I was in Florida a couple of years ago. I thought, wait, I know this person! It was fun to connect in a different place.

Sarah - Yes! It is, it is. It's great to connect the dots again.

A Fun Icebreaker

Valerie - To start us off, we have our random question of the week: What is the most unusual thing you've ever eaten?

Sarah - The most unusual thing I've ever eaten? I will eat almost anything by choice, but the most unusual thing I’ve eaten was something I didn’t choose. While hiking on our farm in Tennessee, I accidentally swallowed a stink bug! It was a total accident, and absolutely horrible.

Valerie - Oh my goodness! They say chocolate-covered crickets are good, but those little legs just don’t do it for me. Stink bugs are called that for a reason!

Exploring Wake Up Little Seed

Valerie - Now, tell us a little bit about your book, Wake Up Little Seed.

Sarah - Wake Up Little Seed is my newest book. It’s absolutely precious and filled with rich details. It’s a lift-the-flap book, so kids will have so much fun discovering what’s behind the flaps. The heart of this book came to me one day on our farm. I’m constantly reminded of the planting, growth, and harvest processes.

My little children often ask how we get flowers like zinnias, even though they see the process firsthand. It reminded me how magical growth is. Children might think you just tuck a seed in the ground, and then days later, a little stem emerges. To them, it seems like magic, but we know it’s part of God’s grand plan. The inspiration for this book is to remind children and parents that it is God who gives the growth.

Valerie - I love that! I’m a bit of a science nerd, and I enjoy gardening with my kids. They ask wonderful questions, and it’s easy to forget what we’ve learned. It’s fun to see God show up in all the little things—little seeds, flowers, and even bugs.

Sarah - Yes, absolutely! From tucking the seed in the ground to watching it grow, to seeing the rain help water the plant, God is in every detail. Most books I’ve read with my children skip over the God part completely. In this book, we break down the process from reading the land with Mr. Farmer and his family to enjoying the harvest around the table. It’s a precious book that I believe children will adore.

The Importance of Patience in Growth

Valerie – I’ve seen some of the lift-flap elements, and I love how you introduce God as the grower. He’s in charge of it all. There are details even when it seems like nothing is happening. The hardest part of growing things with my kids is the waiting time between planting the seed and seeing any signs of life. Those sweet truths you've woven into this book are important for young kids to realize that God is part of it all. He’s part of the waiting and is always working. Even as an adult, I need reminders of this.

Sarah - Exactly! It’s true. Even as a young mom, reading kids' books became some of my sweetest devotional times with the Lord. Those moments of reading to my kids reminded me of simple truths we need to remember. It’s lots of fun.

Transitioning from Devotionals to Children's Books

Valerie - You’ve written both devotionals and picture books. What made you switch between the two?

Sarah - I believe it was definitely God’s plan. When I started writing, I was a former teacher. My oldest child is now 15, and my youngest is five. I’ve been around children’s books for almost two decades. My heart has always been to write children's books. However, God had a different plan. My first book was a ministry for women who experienced pregnancy loss.

I wrote that devotional because God impressed on my heart that it was what I was supposed to do at the time. Then I had another devotional come out, The Growing Season: A Year of Down on the Farm Devotions. That was a wonderful opportunity to minister to women in their daily walks with the Lord. Transitioning to writing for kids has been an absolute delight.

My first children’s book was Moo Moo Nap Nap, which came out last year. It’s a sweet reminder of how important nap time is. We explore the farm and see all the animals napping, and then children can be tucked into bed knowing that rest is part of our life cycle. Writing is similar in that you take a big concept and condense it into a small piece that someone can read and understand.

Valerie - That’s true about children’s books. People think it’s easy, but you have to create a powerful message in just a few words. It’s a challenge to make every word count.

Sarah - Yes, especially with Wake Up, Little Seed. I wanted to guide little readers through the entire growth process. I made a list of every single step, ensuring I didn’t leave anything out. I wanted them to see the bees that help pollinate, the rain, the puddles, and the harvest. What’s wonderful about children’s books is that you have words and illustrations. When the illustrator comes alongside, they create a visual representation of the words. It’s a beautiful symphony.

Collaborating with Illustrators

Valerie - Did you get to work with your illustrator or talk to her about the illustrations, or was that on the other side?

Sarah - It was on the other side. Tyndale House was wonderful. They showed me several different art styles, and I could be involved in the process of what the book might look like. They also asked for pictures to help visualize my ideas. They matched me with an illustrator, and although I never spoke with her, she captured the essence of this book beautifully. It felt like a Christmas surprise when the illustrations and proofs arrived in my inbox.

The Power of Illustrations in Children's Books

Valerie - Illustrations bring the whole story to life. Your imagination can do many things, but a children's book puts it right in front of you. You can sit and stare at it for a long time, finding little bees, bugs, and raindrops. That engagement is why children's books are so powerful.

Sarah - They truly are! Here’s a funny story: Tyndale House had debates about whether a worm in one of the lift-the-flaps should have eyes. Should it be cartoonized a bit? We went back and forth on that. It was fun to be part of the process, showing how much attention to detail goes into creating a book. Everyone involved wants it to be as spectacular as possible.

The Heart Behind Publishing

Valerie - Publishers sometimes get a bad rap for being all about business, but there is a lot of heart behind every page. I love that about Tyndale House. Now, Sarah, you mentioned you were an educator. Did you ever want to be an author? Was that ever in your plan?

Sarah - It wasn’t something I ever dreamed could be achieved. As a child, I always wrote stories. My fourth-grade teacher, Miss Green, wrote sweet notes in the margins about my stories. Those little encouragements helped me keep going. In my small town, we had Young Authors Conferences where real authors came in. I was always more impressed by the authors than any sports figure. It seemed magical, something I never thought I could attain.

As I grew up, I became a teacher and did some academic writing. I decided to try my hand at publishing a book, and somehow, the dream came true. I’m so excited to be here as an author today.

The Journey of a Writer

Valerie - That’s exciting! It’s amazing how God moves us through life and gives us hints about what we should be doing. I know my journey has included similar side steps. God is good at communicating with us, just like we have to be patient with little seeds.

Sarah - Exactly!

Valerie - When did your writing journey begin?

Sarah - I’ve always been a writer. I’d like to share my first rejection story, which is a true tale of a writer. I submitted a poem to Highlights Magazine as a kid and received my very first rejection letter. I was so excited to get a letter from them, thinking they would publish my work. But it was a rejection letter! I was around eight or nine. I kept writing and pressing forward.

I earned my PhD from the University of Tennessee after teaching for a few years. I had an amazing professor who mentored us in academic writing. He helped us learn how to write for scholarly journals and textbooks. I fell in love with writing again, which led me to write my first book for women who experienced pregnancy loss. It was serious but filled with hope and God’s love. His mentorship reminded me of my passion for writing and helped me learn how to handle rejection and the editing process. My writing journey is ongoing, and I’m constantly thinking of new projects.

The Continuous Learning Process

Valerie - You never stop learning as a writer. Whether you have that author tag or not, you’re always working on what you love, and that’s half the fun. So, Sarah, what is your favorite book?

Sarah - That’s a hard question! If you were in my house, you’d see I have hundreds of books. One of my favorite books as a preteen was The Secret Garden. It took me into another world, and I loved the secret garden that the main character was part of.

Valerie - That’s neat! Funny side note: I’m currently listening to that audiobook on my walks with my dogs. I’ve watched the movie but never read the book. I’m enjoying it!

Sarah - Doesn’t it make you want to have hot tea and go out to clip the roses?

Valerie - Yes! What has been the most impactful book in your life, other than the Bible?

Sarah - Oh, the Bible is a given! The most impactful book is usually the one I just read. I love reading, and whatever I’ve recently finished stays with me for a while. Randomly, my last read was a biography of Fleetwood Mac. I love biographies because they remind you that people often start with a dream and, with perseverance, achieve amazing things.

Valerie - Very interesting! One of the only biographies I’ve read is Michael J. Fox’s. It was fascinating to see another side of someone I grew up watching.

Sarah - Exactly! We recently started watching Family Ties again. I introduced my 15-year-old to it, and it’s fun to revisit the 80s.

Valerie - Yes! Life was simpler with 30-minute episodes. We just started watching Home Improvement with our boys, and it’s been a lot of fun.

Sarah - That’s a great one! I’ll have to add it to my list.

Looking Ahead

Valerie - What can we expect next from you?

Sarah - Right now, I’m just excited for Wake Up Little Seed to be released. I can’t wait for people to hold it! After that, I’m not sure what will unfold in the publishing world, but I’m thrilled about this book. I believe reading is one of the most significant things we can do as families. Cuddling with our children and reading great books is so important. You can expect me to be extremely excited about Wake Up Little Seed and to participate in events to read Moo Moo Nap Nap to readers.

Valerie - It’s fun to be part of little kid books and reading at schools. There’s a quote that says readers are made in the laps of those who love them. It’s a sweet memory to read to our kids. We only recently stopped read-alouds because my kids are teens. I kind of want to go back to that, but they’re like, “Mom, I’m already reading my own stuff.” It’s a new season!

Sarah - That is a new season. I’m teaching American history at the high school where my children attend. Yesterday, I brought in a historical picture book and read it aloud to the class. You can find topics they’re studying and read them aloud.

Valerie - Yes, that’s the trick with teens! You have to find something interesting they want to learn about.

Connecting with Sarah

Sarah - Yes! You can check my website, www.allamericanmom.net. There, you’ll find links to my Facebook page, Sarah Philpott Writes, and my Instagram, Sarah L. Philpott. You can see behind-the-scenes looks at our farm. I recently posted videos of our llamas running around. I’d love to connect with readers and fellow book lovers, whether you read my books or others. It’s always a joy to connect with those who love the craft of reading.

Valerie - We’ll include those links in the show notes so people can find you easily. Thank you so much for being with me today, Sarah.

Sarah - Thank you for having me, Valerie.

Valerie - And thank you for joining Sarah and me on this episode of the Bookworthy Podcast. Check the show notes for any books or links we discussed. Let us know in the comments what is the most unusual thing you’ve ever eaten. Be sure to like and subscribe to discover more great books together.

Happy reading!