Arts & Entertainment
Self-Help Books For Kids
Former Detroiter creates series of e-books for young children ages preschool and up.
Suzanne Chessler
Special to the Jewish News
Gendelman, who trained as a hairdresser
and worked at that profession for 10 years
in Chicago.
xperiences raising five children
"My first book, Expecting Etiquette, was
enter into a book series devel-
meant to be funny. It was for husbands,
oped by Patrice Gendelman, but
explaining what they should and should
the absence of experiences due to the still- not say while their wives are pregnant.
birth of another inspired the books' main
"Then, I started writing screenplays. I've
character.
completed three that are off for marketing.
Hannah Rose Knows, a series that
I started the children's series a year ago
addresses issues faced by youngsters
this past summer."
between the ages of 3 and 10, is available
Each story, which runs six to eight
through printable e-books in picture and
pages, is illustrated by Israeli artist Darrell
coloring book formats.
Mordecai.
Hannah Rose, the character named after
"I went on a Web site that helps
the author's stillborn infant, and Hannah
people find any type of artist," explains
Rose's friend Tyler explore responsibility,
Gendelman, who became a bat mitzvah at
values, divorce, illness, death and other
Temple Kol Ami in West Bloomfield.
topics raised in the Gendelman home.
"All through e-mail, I did interviews
"I looked at the millions of self-help and by explaining the two main characters
motivating books flying off the shelves for
I was seeking and asking illustrators to
adults and felt that there are subjects we
send me their drawings. The illustrator
really need to teach children as early as
I chose really loved working with these
they can speak:'
characters, and it
says Gendelman,
was three or four
who grew up in
weeks into it that
Oak Park and
I found out he
HANNAH ROS E KNOWS..em
West Bloomfield
lived in Israel."
You Should Only Talk Down To Those Shorter Than You
and now lives in
As each book
(A book abott respecting others)
Denver, Colo.
is finished,
"Right now, I
Gendelman tests
have 22 books
it on a group of
available on
children. If she
my Web site,
senses there
www.han-
are words or
nahroseknows.
ideas that are
com, and I'm
not understood,
waiting for
changes are
illustrations for
made.
more.
Before a proj-
The books,
ect is completed,
Written by Patrice Gendelman
which sell for
it is discussed
Illustrations by Darrell Mordecai
$4.99 as picture
with a therapist
WistbdtAiekultitgAtIOWS,COO1
books and $2.99
or someone
as coloring books,
with expertise
can be reprinted
in the subject.
as many times as
For example, an
Subject matter in the Hannah Rose Knows
wanted by each
upcoming book
buyer. Gendelman, series ranges from serious issues such as
cautioning about
44, made this pro- death, divorce and illness to lighter topics
talking to strang-
including telling the truth, giving to others
vision to accom-
ers was shown to
and
believing in yourself.
modate teachers
a police officer.
working with
"The book
groups and parents who find that young-
I always wanted to write was Nobody
sters have damaged their copies.
Should Touch Your Private Parts But You:'
"I always loved writing and started out
Gendelman says. "One in four girls and
with a self-published book in 1998:' recalls one in six boys are abused before they
E
Patrice Gendelman: "There are subjects we really need to teach children as early as
they can speak."
are 16 years old, and those are only the
reported cases.
"Abuse of young children is too often a
hidden problem that continues because
kids are terrified to tell someone. In this
story, Hannah Rose and Tyler give the
simple tools to empower children to say
`no' and tell someone."
How to Make Angry Feelings Go Away
calls upon adapted deep-breathing and
visualization techniques. The Best Presents
Are the Ones You Give introduces the con-
cepts of helping others through charity.
Parents can further open the lines of
communication by using the "topics for
discussion" at the end of each e-book.
The author, married to a portfolio man-
ager and raising youngsters between the
ages of 7 and 15, gets up at 3:30 a.m. and
writes until 5:30 a.m., when the family
starts waking up.
"When a subject comes up, I'll write
down some notes and talk to the kids:'
she says. "When I'm writing, I'm fully
focused."
Although there is no way for buyers to
preview her books, Gendelman is willing
to give a complete refund to those who
are not satisfied.
Her marketing started with e-mails to
people in her community, social workers and
pediatricians. She has since hired a public
relations firm to promote the Web site.
A customer suggested one of three
upcoming subjects — an explanation of
why mom and dad both have to work. The
others are about Down syndrome and
surrogate mothers.
The author's interest in children
spreads to children's charities, and she
designates a percentage of her proceeds
to the Joshua School, a nonprofit center
for those with autism in Denver, and
Tumaini, a home for orphaned children
in Kenya,
"We will increase the number of chari-
ties as we increase the number of sales:'
she says.
Gendelman, who finds relaxation by
practicing yoga, tries to visit Michigan
about twice a year. Her parents, Elaine
(Cookie) and Victor Koblin, still live in
her West Bloomfield childhood home.
"E-book technology is available and
growing in popularity, but reading or
listening to books on the computer isn't
practical for the age group I'm address-
ing," says Gendelman, excited that her
books also are offered in Spanish. "I think
it's important to see where technology is
going and keep our children reading." I I
For more information and to
purchase e-books, go to
www.hannahroseknows.com .
December 24 • 2009
29