An Interview with Author Brian Silbert

SL: How did you find time to write Berticus?
 
SILBERT: It didn’t take me long to write it. The ideas kept flowing once I got started. But I fortunately had my parents to keep me grounded and so does Berticus. Hopefully, kids from 8 to 12 have someone in their family that believes in them and is always their ally.

SL: Berticus is very funny. When you’re writing it, do you know that it’s funny? And does that humor come from your own life?
 
SILBERT: I think it’s funny, but I didn’t know how it would come across. I see humor in so many things. The two chapters people keep telling me they couldn’t stop laughing was when Berticus is in the bathroom and the water starts to overflow from the  toilet, he rolls up his pants, puts the back of the toilet on the floor in the water and stands on it like he’s on a raft, grabs the mop  standing in the corner to use as an oar, swings open the bathroom door and starts singing Ol’ Man River. 

The other chapter is when Berticus doesn’t study for the history test because he thinks they’ll be a snow day. When he wakes up and there’s no snow he realizes that he has to take the history test. Kids are hysterical over Berticus’ answers.

SL: Where do the moments in the book that feel like ADHD is present come from?
 
SILBERT: Probably, from my own experiences. Like when Berticus has to do homework or anything, he procrastinates and eventually finds that he didn’t accomplish much.
 
SL: And how do you overcome that and be able to focus and complete a book like this?
 
SILBERT: ADHD people microfocus. So once you begin a project that you love, you keep going. That’s what Berticus did when created that great project about colonial days. That came straight from my childhood. I did the same thing, and the teacher sat on it by mistake, just like Ms. Vanderbeek sat on Berticus’ project! It was devasting!

SL: Does Berticus have ADHD?
 
SILBERT: He seems to, but it’s hard to say. So many symptoms of ADHD overlap with personal preferences. Berticus is kid who’d rather be some other place, any place, other than school. He’s a creative kid who finds it difficult to fit into the normal school setting. As a result, he fills his mind with outrageous adventures and ideas to help himself get through the day.

SL: What message do you have for children and teens who process differently than public school is designed?
 
SILBERT: Hang in there. Get involved in sports, in the band, in the school newspaper. Find something that you like and look forward to that each day. That helps the years go by. Me personally, I became the matre d’ of the lunchroom, just like Berticus. As my mom always said, once you find what you like, you’ll turn lemons into lemondade just like Berticus.

SL: You ended this book with a nod to “middle school”. Did you know when you started writing the book that there might be a 2nd?
 
SILBERT: We’ll see what happens. I have a lot of ideas swimming around in my  head and if my readers are looking for another book, I’ll certainly think about it.