Local Author Achieves Dream of Publishing Children's Book

Publishing a children’s book has always been a dream for Jill Rivkin, a Deerfield mother of two.

The project was years in the making. But ever since it was completed last summer, the book’s premise has instilled a good chunk of confidence in not only her own children (one of which is portrayed as the main character), but for elementary school children at schools throughout the greater region.

“Writing a children’s book was an idea I always had, but I’d only work on it once in awhile, tuck it away and come back to it later,” says Rivkin, who has been a writer and editor for magazines covering topics in the food and beverage business for 16 years and a freelance business owner. “But I had a moment in 2014 when I decided I was going to accomplish this dream.”

Soon after that “moment,” the dream had been accomplished in the form of Crazy Hair, a kids’ book about a little girl with wild and crazy hair that makes her feel self-conscious. But in a fine lesson of confidence, the girl (based on Rivkin’s daughter, Meredith) works through the difficult situations with her mom, begins to recognize differences and eventually comes to love her hair.

That message of confidence has been spread not just to those who have purchased the book, but to students at several elementary schools she has visited since it was published in August 2014.

Rivkin says her “book tour” has included stops locally at Walden Elementary School in Deerfield and Braeside and Oak Terrace in Highland Park as well as some schools in suburban Detroit, where the author grew up.

“I also did a community-outreach program as part of a K-Prep program for SEDOL in Lake County, which reaches a large Hispanic population as the parents ramp up for kindergarten,” Rivkin says.

She always signs her book with an encouraging phrase such as, “Be Confident.”

Rivkin hopes to add to that list of schools this fall, looking forward to sharing her message with even more young minds. The book’s message is a good one for preschoolers and elementary students of all levels, she says.

“In preschool the message is how everyone looks different and to notice the differences when you look around at your friends,” Rivkin says. “With second and third graders, we talk about the confidence message.”

During her visits, Rivkin answers the students’ questions about writing - a skill she has been connected to even since she was a middle schooler. She began short story writing in seventh grade and later became editor of her high school news magazine. She wrote plenty earning an English degree at the University of Michigan and again earning a Masters in journalism at Medill at Northwestern University.

While Crazy Hair has an important message any child would benefit from, it is a personal tale for Rivkin.

To create the book, she hired an illustrator to draw based on photos of her kids - Meredith, 7 and Jacob, 4 - in their natural state: playing at home, around the block and out in the backyard. Once published, the book was only sold to Rivkin’s friends and family, but was liked so much it became a hit on Amazonand has seen buyers throughout the United States and internationally.

“It’s all about going after your dreams, feeling confident about who you are and going out there and accomplishing it,” Rivkin says.

Find Crazy Hair on Amazon

While Crazy Hair is focused on Meredith as the main character. It’s only fair that Jacob would get to be the star of another one.

Rivkin is shooting for late fall of 2015 to release her next book, ”It’s Just A Potato.” That story will also have a special message for both parents and children.

“It will focus on him as a particular eater, and how exploring new foods and trying new things are important. It’s an age-old issue for parents.”

Buy the Book

To buy the book, you can email the author directly at crazyhairbook@gmail.com

Check out Crazy Hair on Facebook here.