Channing Tatum Talks Parenting and the Release of His New Kids Book

Actor and director Channing Tatum just released his second children’s book, The One and Only Sparkella Makes a Plan, filled with hidden parenting advice and plenty of sparkles. The picture book is the sequel to the best-selling The One and Only Sparkella, which he dedicated to his 9-year-old daughter Everly and is set to become a live-action movie starring Tatum.

The One and Only Sparkella Makes a Plan focuses on Sparkella and her dad working together to create a glitter-tastic castle ahead of her first sleepover with her new friend Tam. Along the way, Sparkella encounters challenges and learns the importance of patience and figuring out creative solutions.

In a recent interview with People, Tatum talked about how the book was inspired by a recent experience building a birdhouse together. “She wanted to make a birdhouse, which is the most dad-daughter thing you can do. But she didn’t just go, ‘Dad, I want to make a birdhouse.’ She’s like, ‘I know how to make the birdhouse.’ And I said, ‘Are you sure? I could help.’ And she said, ‘Yeah no, just help me make it, but I know how I want it to be.’ And I was like, ‘Hmm, all right,’” Tatum recalled.

“And as we started to make it, there was no version of her plan that was ever going to work. But I did respect and love that she planned something and she loves designing stuff and creating things. We got there in the end, but it was a really long journey of watching and not being able to tell her, because she’s a really strong-willed child, what was and what wasn’t going to work. I had to just let her find it,” said Tatum

Embracing creativity and letting children figure out their own solutions isn’t the only parenting advice Tatum’s new book offers.

“There is one secret thing that I’ve weaved into the story, which I don’t know if it will work with every parent, but it can be a very Jedi [mind] trick in the best possible way,” Tatum explained. “Evie loves to teach me things. She loves to know that she’s got one over on me or she’s in the power position, and so we wove it in very subtly, where Sparkella helps her dad sparkle-fy his motorcycle.”

“It is a thing that I use a lot with Evie, I’m like, ‘I don’t know how to do this. I need help.’ And she really steps up when she thinks she can be helpful,” Tatum added.

A beloved #girldad, Tatum has previously posted about all the activities he and his daughter enjoy doing together, including getting pedicures and wrestling. While the Magic Mike actor and Dog director has several ongoing projects, he says his absolute favorite role is being a dad to Everly.

The One and Only Sparkella Makes a Plan, illustrated by Kim Barnes, was released May 31 and is now available.