Children’s Book: Babytionary by Lillian Rokhsar (MA, CCC-SLP), Ill. by Liesl Bell

Disclosure:  Compensated post.  I also received a book to facilitate my review as part of our holiday promotions.  My opinion is honest and not influenced by compensation.

What inspired you to become a children’s author? Since I first put pencil to paper, as a child, I had a passion for writing.  I enjoyed writing stories and poetry.  It was a wonderful way for me to express myself and a great outlet for my creative energy.  It was fitting that I eventually became a speech-language pathologist, a profession that allows me to give the gift of self-expression to children and adults.  I worked primarily with children, and loved it!  Now, I have two young children of my own, and it is my greatest pleasure to watch them grow.  It seems that all roads were leading to me becoming a children’s author, as writing Babytionary was truly a marriage of my passion for writing and creativity, my knowledge of child language, and my experience with raising babies! Babytionary, in particular, was inspired by my children.  I had just given birth to my son a few months earlier, and my daughter was 2 1/2 years old.  My little guy was crying and my daughter was helping me to soothe him.  I thought, wouldn’t it be great if there was a device that could just tell you what babies are thinking and feeling in their cute little heads?  And that’s how Babytionary was born! What do you hope your book will accomplish? Children benefit socially, emotionally, cognitively and academically from reading and being read to.  So quite simply, if a parent curls up with his or her child to read Babytionary, then I have already accomplished something.  I want reading to be a fun and rewarding experience for both the child and the parent/caregiver.  I think Babytionary is particularly well-suited for young children, new siblings and new parents.  The story and illustrations are engaging for young children as they learn what makes babies tick. And parents will be able to relate to the trials and tribulations of caring for a pre-verbal child.  I also included a bonus section in the back of the book that educates parents/caregivers about speech-language developmental milestones and also gives tips for reading to children. Furthermore, I hope that my book teaches my children to pursue their dreams and shows them that with hard work and perseverance, they can achieve! Do you have other books planned? Oh boy, do I!  I’m currently working on my next book.  And I have lots of ideas bouncing around in my head.  I can’t wait to put them to paper. What is your favorite children’s book? It’s so hard to choose just one as there are so many great children’s books out there.  But these days, my children and I are loving: The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister The Pete the Cat series by James Dean and Eric Litwin And pretty much anything by Mo Willems What else would you like our readers to know about you? People tell me all the time, “I have an idea for a great children’s book.”  And I tell them, “Then you should go for it!”  Every day is a gift and we have the opportunity to constantly reinvent ourselves.  I wake up and ask myself – Who do I want to be and what am I going to do today to get myself one step closer to achieving my goals?  And then I go for it!

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