Local author and business owner Sarabeth Holden releases her second children’s book, Benny The Bananasaurus Rex – Beach Metro Community News

By KATIANNA MANAKIS

Sarabeth Holden is a children’s book author, business owner, mother, wife, and activist.

She’s also kind and funny and a great person to talk to.

Early in her career, Sarabeth worked for the Canadian government as a project manager, so the transition to writing children’s books was a big change. But she said she wanted to try something different.

“It was a very different turn but I always had this desire for something creative in my life,” she said in an interview with Beach Metro Community News.

So, drawing inspiration from her own life with her husband Sean and their children Jack and Ray, she wrote her first book, Please Don’t Change My Diaper.

Sarabeth’s latest book, Benny The Bananasaurus Rex, was inspired by her son and his obsession with bananas as well as his family.

Benny The Banansaurus Rex is illustrated by Emma Pedersen, who also illustrated Sarabeth’s first book, and tells the story of a boy named Benny who loves bananas. Sarabeth is Inuit and uses part of the Inuktitut language in the book.

“We are not constantly surrounded by our language. We don’t have Inuktitut conversations, we only use certain phrases,” Sarabeth said.

“My kids and I have always called Sean and I, my husband, Anaana and Ataata. And I thought you knew what? Anana rhymes with banana.

Benny The Bananasaurus Rex talks about dreaming big, a common thing in the stories Sarabeth tells her children and a daily practice in her life.

As well as being an author and mother, Sarabeth and Sean also own The Red Tape Brewery on Main Street south of Gerrard Street East.

She has also worked extensively with Indigenous communities across Canada. Sarabeth is co-founder of the Toronto Inuit Association, which supports the local Inuit community.

She admitted she was busy but said she was still able to center herself and focus on what was important.

“Sometimes you get stuffed and it gets completely overwhelming. And the important thing is to step back and look at it. People are always going to have opinions about what you should do and what you shouldn’t do,” Sarabeth said.

Her tone of voice changed when she started talking about her children. August and September have been busy months for the family, with work and with her sons going back to school.

“I thought I was going to dread making him lunches every day, but I love it! And it inspired me to take better care of myself. She laughed. “It’s about taking better care of self.”

Looking ahead, Sarabeth said she has two stories in the works inspired, once again, by her sons.

“So far all of my books have been inspired by my kids and what they do and what they do that makes me think.”

For more information on Benny The Bananasaurus Rex, including how to purchase, please visit Inhabit Media at https://inhabitbooks.com/products/benny-the-bananasaurus-rex