Holidays and new babies are both worth celebrating in this two-fer interview.
Dara Henry is a former elementary school teacher. She is the author of picture book HANUKKAH PAJAMAKKAHS about the Jewish holiday tradition of wearing pajamas, and the board book MAZEL TOV, BABY! Dara currently lives in California with her husband, three children, and a cat. You can learn more from her website or follow her on Instagram.
HANUKKAH PAJAMAKKAHS is a picture book all about Ruthie and her amazing new pajamakkahs. She loves them so much, she doesn’t want to take them off. But she promises to keep them clean all eight nights of Hanukkah. Unfortunately, they become splattered, glittered, and all sorts of messy you can imagine.
MOZEL TOV, BABY! is a concept picture book for the youngest readers full of flaps, peek-a-boos, and surprises all celebrating what makes babies special.
Welcome Dara!
Me: Can you tell us a little bit about your writing journey? How has that brought you to these books?
Dara: When I was growing up, while I did write stories as a child and poetry as a teenager, I didn’t necessarily know that writing was something I wanted to pursue. It was during graduate school, while I was in the process of getting my master’s degree in elementary education, that I began to rediscover my love for children’s literature. It was at this time that I also decided that I wanted to work more on writing. I began to take creative writing classes and found myself becoming more drawn to the creative process.
Storytelling is a special kind of art. I love that stories help readers learn more about themselves and about other cultures, build connections, foster empathy, and promote imagination. Children’s literature holds a special place in my heart, specifically picture books. Everyone from infants to seniors can benefit from reading and listening to picture books.
In my debut picture book, Hanukkah Pajamakkahs, as I was writing about the main character, Ruthie, I wanted her to reflect something real and relatable that children could genuinely connect with. Ruthie loves her holiday pajamas so much, she wants to wear them all eight nights of Hanukkah. Pretty soon, her special pajamas start to get dirty. As a parent of three kids and as a former elementary school teacher, I’ve seen first-hand how messy kids can get. But Ruthie is optimistic. She doesn’t let the mess stand in her way of enjoying Hanukkah. I hoped to convey the message that even when things don’t go according to plan, you can be flexible and resilient. After all, life isn’t spotless, but you can still have fun.
When I wrote Mazel Tov, Baby! a main goal was to create a joyful and lively experience for little ones and caregivers. Back when my kids were younger, I especially looked forward to reading books that were action-oriented and provided a hands-on experience. If you’re looking for an engaging book with lift the flaps, perfect for little hands, and fun for the whole family, this book is for you. It makes the perfect baby shower gift or birthday gift for even the youngest reader.
Me: Both of these books have such sweet characters. What gave you the ideas for both of them?
Dara: Hanukkah Pajamakkahs was inspired by my children. The idea came to me one morning, as my children wore their Hanukkah pajamas after the holidays had passed, in mid-January. I (unsuccessfully) encouraged my children to get dressed. That’s when a title popped into my head: “HANUKKAH PAJAMAKKAHS.” I quickly checked online to see if the title had been used, and to my surprise, it had not. I jotted some notes down and got to work. The main character, Ruthie, comes straight from watching my kids handle sticky situations with positivity and optimism.
Reading with my children has always been one of my favorite daily routines, even now as my kids are getting older. When they were little, our favorite stories involved books that we could interact with together. At one point a few years ago, I was sifting through old photos. It got me thinking back to those moments, years earlier, and that became my inspiration and shaped my goal when writing Mazel Tov, Baby! I hoped to create a book that would help facilitate shared play and connection between young readers and caregivers, while also celebrating milestones.
Me: The first book is a picture book with a traditional arc (i.e., problem with a solution). The second book is a concept board book with flaps. Both are so different from each other, yet each one flows effortlessly from beginning to end. Was one format easier to write than the other? Were there many revisions for each to reach these final states?
Dara: Yes, both of these books are very different from one another. Sometimes, when I first come up with an idea, the format is clear. In both Hanukkah Pajamakkahs and Mazel Tov, Baby, that was the case. The format and style aren’t always clear from the beginning though. Sometimes I have to explore different approaches to determine the best way to tell a story. I wouldn’t say that one format is necessarily easier than another. They’re just different.
Me: What is one thing that surprised you in writing either story?
Dara: Hanukkah Pajamakkahs and Mazel Tov, Baby were my first two books published. One thing that really surprised me in writing both stories was learning about the process of publishing. Until that point, I didn’t realize just how many people, steps, and different roles go into creating books.
Me: The illustrations by Olga and Aleksey Ivanov for HANUKKAH PAJAMAKKAHS are delightfully detailed. Ruthie’s curly hair is incredible! The illustrations by Varda Livney for MAZEL TOV, BABY! are so adorably baby friendly. Were there any illustration surprises for you? Any favorites?
Dara: I feel so fortunate to have worked with such talented illustrators. I loved Ruthie and the illustrations Olga and Aleksey Ivanov created for Hanukkah Pajamakkahs from the moment I saw the first black and white concept sketches. Ruthie is so adorable, and her curly hair fits her character perfectly. Olga and Aleksey did a fantastic job capturing the warmth and joy that I had imagined when writing this book.
Varda Livney is also such a talented artist. Her illustrations are bright and engaging and bring a whole new layer of magic to MAZEL TOV, BABY! I know families will love her illustrations as much as I do. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the lift-the-flaps in this book.
Me: Any advice for other new picture book writers?
Dara: I always tell new picture book writers to keep at it. Join writing groups such as SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) and/or the 12×12 Challenge. Connecting with others who are doing what you aspire to do makes writing, publishing, and promoting even more meaningful and fun.
Me: What’s next for you? Are there any other picture books we can look forward to reading from you?
Dara: My next picture book, A Together Place, comes out on February 2, 2027. I can’t wait to share it with children and families. Samantha Kallis, the illustrator, did a wonderful job. Her illustrations are gorgeous. It’s like a stained-glass window on every page. I hope A Together Place is a conversation starter about places where communities gather. I also hope this book helps to create opportunities for people to have meaningful conversations about the beauty in every culture and how we can celebrate our differences while embracing what makes each culture unique.
I’m working on a couple of other projects that I can’t speak about quite yet, but I’m looking forward to sharing more about them when the time is right.
That’s wonderful news. Congratulations Dara! And thank you for stopping by my blog today.
Dear readers, both of these books published within the last few years. If you haven’t read them yet, I highly recommend tracking them down. They’re both incredibly fun reads; one celebrates the chaos of the holidays, and the other celebrates the joys babies find. Trust me when I say, you won’t want to miss them.