Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Brent Suter is celebrating the release of his first children’s book, a tale that focuses on his beloved pup and pacifier thief, Wally.
The Binky Bandit‘s main character is Wally the Doodle, inspired by Suter’s mini golden doodle and master of binky banditry. The story follows his wild adventures as his household grows with the arrival of a new baby boy.
Wally must balance his jealousy with the temptation of stealing the pacifiers belonging to Suter’s son, Liam, while discovering that individual choices can make a great difference. The book is based on a true story, with an exaggerated twist to encourage readers to help protect the planet, a cause near and dear to Suter.
“What started as a funny, personal story I wrote about our mischievous dog who was destroying four or five of my son’s binkies each day, turned into an idea for a children’s book that follows Wally’s playful adventures while reinforcing simple ways we can protect our planet,” Suter said. “This has been a really fun way to use my personal experiences to connect with kids, talk about the planet and share some laughs about our silly dog.”
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Suter graduated from Harvard University with a degree in environmental science and public policy. He is an outspoken advocate for conservation efforts with Players for the Planet, an organization of professional athletes who aim to make positive environmental change.
The Binky Bandit is published by Orange Hat Publishing, a family-owned and operated independent publisher located in Waukesha. Books are available for purchase at the Brewers Team Store at American Family Field, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and orangehatpublishing.com. Autographed copies will be available at the Brewers Team Store, starting June 6.
Suter recently told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that a deal for the book came about after he talked about his then-unpublished work in a Milwaukee Magazine interview.
Suter and Wally will join a local classroom on June 6 to read from the book. Also on June 6, the pair will host a sold-out reading at American Family Field while seated atop the visiting team dugout.
On the field, Suter led the majors with 12 relief wins in the 2021 season and remains an important cog in the Brewers stellar bullpen. Suter, 32, is in his seventh season with the Brewers. He has a 32-16 career record with a 3.47 ERA.
Suter returned to the team earlier this week from a brief paternity leave after his wife, Erin, gave birth to their second son, Layton Lee.
