About

I grew up in a single parent household. My mother was a social worker during the day who also worked part-time jobs to make end meet. (I was a latch key kid when I was old enough to be one.) I was born in Boston, but we moved to a rent-controlled apartment in Brookline when I was little for the schools. We lived on the corner or Babcock Street and Commonwealth Avenue. A short stop to the b-line and Fenway Park. (Go Red Sox!) What I remember growing up was being a kid. I remember stickball, baseball, basketball and football. No brothers, no sisters, but lots of good friends. We walked to school, rode our bikes to the park, and collected baseball cards.

I grew up in a Jewish household and at A LOT of Jewish food growing up – I LOVE matzo ball soup and karsha varnishkes – and, although I was not particularly religious, I celebrated Passover after the 45 minute drive to Marblehead, MA, where my grandmother was the early childhood director at the local Jewish Community Center. Many of my birthdays were at this very place, of which I have fond memories. To all of the people there, I was always “Bea’s grandson.”

Early on in my life I was a Big Brother and I always remember wanting to work with kids. While it wasn’t until later in my life that I realized that it was my mother’s and grandmother’s child advocacy that was part of the child advocacy seed, this desire to help children. This desire to advocate for children continued after college when I worked at a school for kids with varying disabilities and has brought me to be a children’s book author.

I have studied and practiced legal advocacy, but it was one day a few years ago I was watching TV and worried that who my kids are, their brilliance, uniqueness, empathy, history, power and strength was not being reflected in many dominant narratives in society, that I decided to write them a poem. It is this poem, that turned into my first children’s book, Have I Ever Told You?.

Thinking back on my life, starting with my mother, many people have given me a “wink” and supported me throughout the way. My high school math teacher, to my high school football coach, to my law school mentor, I have many people who told me not what to do, but they would support me whatever I happened to do. I write because I can. I write because I want all children to know that they are brilliant, unique, empathetic, powerful and strong.

I am most fortunate to be a dad to two wonderful children and an amazing wife. I am also incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to empower children through literature.
You are brilliant, you are unique, you are empathetic, you are powerful and you are strong.

In solidarity,
Shani