Guest Post: Dr. Sigal Haber

Sigal Haber is a mother of three children with an extensive experience in education and teaching. 
Her love for literature and kids led her to the quest of writing for children.
As a University Prof. Sigal has taught and studied entrepreneurship for many years and had been involved with young entrepreneurs’ educational programs. Creativity and innovativeness, considered the core values of entrepreneurial behavior, are rooted in her thinking and writing. 
In her books she brings her life experience and knowledge in a creative and humours way to create a great reading experience for young readers.

Sigal Haber on facebook

How/why did you start to write?

Reflecting back I realize that I have been writing my entire life; whether for friends and family occasions, family trip diaries, for school purposes and even eulogies. I always found a way to connect the event to some moral in either a funny or serious ways. It has always been a part of me, one which I failed to recognize for a long time even when people around me encouraged me to. Once I started my academic career, I channelled this gift to a more professional aspect in my academic writing

How did you become an author who writes children's books?

I realize it may sound a bit like a cliché but I feel that writing found me and I became a recognized author at the right time of my life.

After a long academic writing career, I felt like I needed a transition in my writing style. I wanted to be able to adjust ideas and life experiences and write about them differently – So I turned it to writing for children. One thing that helped me with that was my own children. As a mother to young toddlers I used to read aloud for them all the time, so much that I have some books and songs memorized to this day. Naturally, the first reader of my work was my youngest son Jonathan, who was 9 years old at the time I started writing for children. He loves comic books and has a childish spirit. I must admit that initially I wrote for my own family, but once I have started to get encouragements from my surroundings, I decided to start the journey of publishing and have become a published author. So far, the responds I am receiving from my readers are incredible.

What was your first published piece?

My first published story was a picture book for children “Chuck The Rooster Loses His Voice”. It was published on Kindle / Amazon on June 2016. 

After many years as a U. Prof., teaching and researching entrepreneurship and management I asked myself how to introduce the concept of entrepreneurship to young children. I wanted to create a way for teachers and parents to discuss with their children what it takes to be a leader and take initiative in a community.And no less than that I wanted to do it in a fun and humorous way. So I wrote this rhyming and funny story about what happens in a farmyard when the Rooster who supposed to wake everyone in the morning became ill. Obviously, life starts to go wrong. In an attempt to deal with the situation, the animals try to find a replacement from amongst themselves, to fill the Rooster's place. So they initiate and organize a singing contest. You’ll have to read it to find out will someone be found to take Chuck's place? How will the Rooster react to the idea? And will there be another "Farm Idol"?

The story highlights how situations seemingly problematic (i.e.: ill and not functioning rooster) can be seen as an opportunity for development of social ideas within a community (i.e.: a singing contest). It shows how leadership and self-confidence can help in promoting an idea regardless the difficulties involved. Furthermore, it shows that even if an initiative is not being completely realized, there are still ways to leverage the knowledge and experience gained during the process in order to improve it or to start a new one in the future. The book is directed to ages 5 and up.

A few months ago I published my second picture book for children on Kindle/ Amazon: “The Bear Barr Wants to Play the Guitar”. It is a cute story about a bear who wants to play the guitar but finds it difficult than he initially thought. The story shows how parents and friends can be supportive and help a child to achieve his goals. Also it illustrates the importance of perseverance for achieving life goals. For ages 3 and up.

Both titles are available on Amazon.

What did you do before embarking on your writing career? Was it an asset to your writing? How?

Before embarking on my writing career I was a U. Prof. studied SME in tourism industry, women entrepreneurs and family businesses. For years I have been active volunteer mainly worked with social and young entrepreneurs, gifted musicians and in my children’s schools. I think that the fact that I always kept writing and at the same time was involved in the community and engaged socially with people, enabled me to develop a creative way of looking at things and write about them.

What inspires you?

I love poetry. I love the way poets use and “play” with words to express feelings and thoughts. Writing is like a puzzle for me. It deals with putting the right words to express your idea and affect the reader emotionally and inspire him. It is a challenge. And I like it!

Please share one of your successful author platform building techniques

As a self-published author I use the social media channels. We are fortunate to live in an era where authors can reach to reader in various ways. Technology plays a huge roll in it.

Tell us more about yourself by answering the following questions:

What is your favorite word? 

Mom

What is your least favorite word?

Impossible

Your favorite pet?

Dogs

What turns you on emotionally? 

My children’s laughs

What turns you off?

Cruelty

What do you in your spear time?

I love playing sports especially bike riding. Biked 600 KM of the Trans Canada Trail and looking forward to the next 600…

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

A Singer and piano player

What profession would you not like to do?

Accountant

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

You did good! How about another round?

Chuck the Rooster Loses His Voice 

Its theme was inspired by my long career as a U Prof and researcher in the field of Entrepreneurship and management. I wanted to be able to discuss with children what does it mean to take initiative in a community and how important it is to help each other in a way that is adjusted to their own world of imagination. 

This is a rhyming story to be read also aloud for your children and adult can enjoy it too (Writing it I recalled myself reading particular stories to my daughter especially those that I could speak with her about their themes, language and keep reading it over and over again.)

Ages : 5 and up 

The Bear Barr Wants To Play The Guitar

Just published on Amazon 

This story is about perseverance and pursuing your personal goals even you encounter difficulties. 

For ages 3 and up. 

Dr. Sigal Haber's Amazon page where you can find more information and reviews

Author links...

Twitter 

LinkedIn 

Facebook 

Amazon author page 

Choosing books for children by Leanne Willetts

(me enjoying a book with a friend)

In this article, I explore my experiences with children's literature both in my youth and as an Early Childhood Educator. I discuss folk tales and some of my favourite picture books.

Literature is a powerful tool that must be used wisely. We must always be conscious of the messages it is sending to children.

The world is not a bed of roses and, if we wish to dramatize this fact through the use of literature, that is our choice. During one placement block, I volunteered at a preschool day care in the core area. These children were socio-economic special needs. Possibly due to their environment, some children had aggressive tendencies. The Director's files recorded histories of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. Cinderella's struggle to find love was a favorite tale for these children.

I, as a child, was entertained by a variety of literature. One book I remember with fear is Sleeping Beauty. Many have described this story as being wonderful, romantic and so on. Seldom is the tale described as a horror story, but to me it truly was. The vision of the innocent babe falling prey to the villainous fairy haunted my dreams. I firmly believed that, as long as I was with my parents, nothing could harm me. Sleeping Beauty told another tale. The innocent babe was attacked and there was nothing that her parents could do.

Graduating from the University of Winnipeg

(Professor's comment:  I'd be interested in seeing you think some more about why you might have reacted as you did to Sleeping Beauty.) 

These two accounts state some of the advantages as well as disadvantages of Grimm (or that genre) fairy tales. Some children are ready for this form of literature. We are told that it helps them work-out problems they may have which are unreachable in reality. Fairy tales, then, give the child a chance to work through the problem with the security that, when he shuts the book, the fictional problem will be resolved.

Some children, however, are not ready for this form of literature. Instead of helping them to deal with realities' horrors, it creates horrors which their mind cannot escape. 

What then is the solution? Clearly it is not to favor one group to the detriment of the other. We, as day care professionals, must remain sympathetic to both groups. 

How?

We must ensure that our libraries contain a wide range of books. Once again, expanding your library takes careful thought. The idea is to attempt to appeal to the widest range of literary taste. 

(Professor's comment:  Should there be no attempt to guide and develop taste?)

It is important to expose children to a variety of literary forms. Books which I would include on this list are as follows:

-Books from the Sesame Street series such as The Monster at the End of this Book. This book creates a fun, joyous reading environment. It's humour is warm and at a level which children can understand.

(Professor's comment:  Both of these statements need some evidence to support them.)

Books written by Robert Munsch such as Love You Forever. This is the story of the special relationship between parents and children. It is a warm loving story. A story which I believe is important to share with all children. Robert Munsch has great skill in storytelling.

(Professor's comment:  This particular Munsch story has always seemed to me to celebrate a particularly manipulative style of parenting.)

Our duty is to collect special stories, then display them in an appealing manner that invites children to look. The final judge should and must be the child.

(Professor's comment:  only?)

Remember, be sensitive to the uniqueness of each child.

I wrote this article on September 13, 1987 for the University of Winnipeg's Children's Literature. The professor's comments are highlighted in red.

More...

Sharing Stories with Children
(an article about my 2015 experience of reading stories to a group of children)

Next week:  I've kept this blog for five years--since October, 2010. I've post an article (or short story) on time, every time--with very few exceptions. With a record like that you might think I could be a journalist. Hmm. Yeah, you might think that. And, in fact, several years ago, I considered a career in journalism. I showed up at the college for the entrance exam--and everything. But... Well, I'll explain what happened after that in a short story that I'll share next Sunday night Monday. Please stay tuned.

Sharing my author journey...

As I've shared in my last post, I'm currently reading this book...

Buy this book

And it has already earned its weight in gold.

In my latest reading, the key word was