It is the best feeling when one can combine being academic and practitioner at the same time, when one can engage in theory and research while also working actively in the field. I had that experience when I was a doctoral student of early childhood education while simultaneously working full time in an early childhood school. The matches and mismatches that I encountered between practice and theory were nothing short of exciting revelations as my understanding of the field deepened and expanded. I studied all about early years care and education while I was working with young children.
Ever since those graduate school days I wanted to create books for children. That wish however was put on hold as over the years I completed my doctoral research, wrote up my dissertation, and started a career in academia. The years were spent navigating the "publish or perish" pressures by publishing what seemed to be an endless stream of academic books and articles to clear tenure and all my promotions. And then came the pandemic stay at home and work from home era. No longer feeling the academic pressure to publish as a full professor I was able to turn my attention to more creative passions. With not being able to travel anywhere the summer of 2020 gave me that precious time to work on my very first children's picture book. It was a new project with a steep learning curve for me but finally it published by the end of the summer. The paperback is now available on Amazon worldwide:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08JF17HHX/ref=nav_timeline_asin?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1#customerReviews
Book Description:
"This picture book is about a boy named Max who lives in a large city and who loves to take walks in his neighborhood. During one such walk Max encounters the many different sights and sounds that can be commonly seen and heard on city streets. The text and illustrations serve to paint a cityscape in all its exciting diversity. This book was inspired by life on the Upper West Side of New York City during the 1990’s. It will be relatable to any child living in a city environment as it highlights everyday city sights and sounds. And for children living in rural areas and suburban neighborhoods this book will introduce the exciting diversity of a cityscape. This book may also be used to introduce children to practices like silent sitting and mindful listening by focusing closely on sounds around them."
