Debi Pearl is best known for her collaboration with her husband, Michael Pearl, on the controversial parenting book To Train Up a Child, published in 1994. The book suggests disciplinary methods that have sparked significant debate and criticism, as some of these methods were linked to several high-profile child death cases.

The book gained further attention through its endorsement by the Institute of Basic Life Principles. Despite the controversies, Debi Pearl remains a notable figure in the realm of independent Baptist parenting advice.