Great Neck resident Lillian Rokhsar is proud to present her first book, Babytionary. Babytionary tells the tale of a lovable, furry monster as he encounters hilarious trials and tribulations while facing the biggest challenge of all, caring for a one-year-old baby girl. The friendly monster has a babytionary, a device that translates the baby’s cries and babbles. So taking care of the baby is easy-peasy. But then the babytionary breaks and the monster is on his own to figure out what the baby wants, “and that’s when the silliness ensues,” says Rotkhsar. And, in addition, the bonus section at the back of the book discusses speech-language developmentaql milestones and reading tips.
Lillian Rokhsar, MA, CCC-SLP is a New York State licensed, ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist, and “a loving mom” She received her Bachelor’s degree in Communication from Cornell University and her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology from New York University. Babytionary, her first children’s book, is a marriage of her passion for writing, her knowledge of child-language, and her experience with raising babies.
When asked what inspired her to become a children’s book author, Rokshar said: “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!”
Today, with two young children of her own, it is her greatest pleasure to watch them grow. “It seems that all roads were leading to my 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” she said.
Continuing, Rokihsar said that “Babytionary, in particular, was inspired by my children … I had just given birth to my son a few months earlier, and my daughter was two-and-a-half-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!
And now, the author believes that children benefit “socially, emotionally, cognitively and academically from reading and being read to.” Shesays that 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.” For Rokhsar, her new book is especially 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.
Does she have anymore 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.”
The book has already received the StoryTime Jam Award.
Lillian Rokhsar hopes that her book “eaches my children to pursue their dreams and shows them that with hard work and perseverance, they can achieve!”
Babytionary, written by Lillian Rokhsar, and illustrated by Liesl Bell, is published by Begoo Books LLC. It is available at amazon.com and at www.babytionary.com
