Picture Books at an Exhibition

In just under three weeks, the Holon Institute of Technology will be hosting my first ever children’s book exhibition. I am excited!! 

The exhibition features ten of my children’s books (I have written dozens) in both Hebrew and English. 

The curator of the exhibition is Michal Chill. She loves children’s books and is an expert narrator. In preparation for the exhibition, she narrated seven of my stories. 

Ten years ago, I wrote the Dr. Cluck trilogy. Animals with unique problems get sage advice from a wacky doctor-rooster who receives his patients while standing on his head. It really helps with the diagnosis!

His first patient was Tim the porcupine (Bentsi in Hebrew), who woke up one morning to find that his quills were on backwards. Here is the narration (in Hebrew, sorry). Here is the story in English: 

http://www.ourboox.com/books/tim-the-porcupine-meets-dr-cluck/

Rotem Omri is the illustrator of the Dr. Cluck series. She has illustrated many of my other books too. Half the books in the exhibition were illustrated by her.

The second in the series was Kenya the Can’t Garoo. Kenya was originally a male kangaroo, until someone said to me, “Mel, you’re a biologist. Have you forgotten that only the females have pouches?”   Oops, I just gave the pouch line away. 

http://www.ourboox.com/books/kenya-cant-garoo-meets-dr-cluck-html/

The third in the series was Gloomeris. The serious laughing hyena. 

In Hebrew, there is a word for hyena, but they don’t have the term “laughing hyena”. Kind of takes the whole point away. That is why no one has translated it. So the next video is in English. 

I would love to write more books in the Dr. Cluck series but haven’t found any more animals with challenges worthy of the great doctor’s time. I’m still pondering, though!

http://www.ourboox.com/books/gloomeris-the-serious-laughing-hyena-meets-dr-cluck/

 I met Harriet Goitein through Ourboox. I fell in love with her illustrations. Since then she has illustrated “Why I Love Yogurt”, which is my best read story on Ourboox, and is at the very top of Google search (you can try for yourself!). One more book illustrated by Harriet is almost finished. I’ll tell you when it’s ready!

It’s in English. Enjoy!!

http://www.ourboox.com/books/why-i-love-yogurt/ 

 I spent so many years as a researcher in the Dental School of Tel Aviv University that many people assume (wrongly, I assure you) that I am a dentist. I am not. But I do love writing children’s books about teeth. 

My personal favorite is “Where the Teeth Go”. I hope you enjoy it too! 

http://www.ourboox.com/books/teeth-go-html/

 I teach children’s book writing at HIT, together with Naama Benziman. Last year, during a class with the students, I was inspired to write “The Football and the Tree”.

It is a story about learning to deal with loss. Fifty years ago my Dad brought me a present back from the Soviet Union and someone stole it. I never got over it. But I try. 

The video is in Hebrew. Here is the English version: 

http://www.ourboox.com/books/the-football-and-the-tree/

 In England, bad breath is often called “Dragon Breath”. I think that is what me going here. I really like this story. I laughed out loud while I was writing it. That’s a good sign. 

The book in Hebrew was printed two years ago, with scratch and sniff technology. You can smell the garlic and ice cream. Lots of fun. Here is the video, sans smell. Sorry about that.

http://www.ourboox.com/books/smell-dragon/

 Another Ourboox collaboration was with the professional artist Yael Radushkevitz. She illustrated “The Early Bird” with love and humor. It’s evident on every page. 

http://www.ourboox.com/books/the-early-bird/

 My first children’s book (and bestselling one) is “Bacteria Galore by Sunday at Four”. It was illustrated by Tali Niv-Dolinsky whom I met at Tel Aviv University. Tali illustrated two of my books, and then became busy with her graphics design office. 

I hope she goes back to illustrating children’s books someday. She is so talented. 

http://www.ourboox.com/books/bacteria-galore-by-sunday-at-four-illustrations-tali-niv-dolinsky/