Rachel Robertson
Published: 2015
We have had the pleasure of working with author Rachel Robertson on several of her projects and are very excited to launch her newest book, A Teacher's Promise, in September. This special story is Rachel's second children's book (at the time of this writing) and a fun Dr. Seuss-style adventure for adults and kids alike.
Rachel chatted with us about her childhood in Turkey, her move into writing children's books, and her life in San Diego.
What was your journey into education and writing like?
When I was in fourth grade, my family lived overseas in Ankara, Turkey for a year. We did not have access to American television or radio, we rarely saw movies, and cell phones hadn't been invented (we only called home twice during the whole year and it was a significant family event on both sides.) During that year, I read over 100 books. That was probably the year that cemented my love for books, but it began even before that. Some of my strongest memories of elementary school are of the library, the librarian story hour, and a special elective class we had at Groveland Elementary in St. Paul, MN—the book-making center—where we could author, illustrate, and bind our own books. I even won a blue ribbon at the State Fair for some writing I did there.
As I grew up, I began working with children in many settings; my first job was to be an aide at a home day care program. I came after school and woke children up from naps, changed diapers, fed them snack, and played games until their parents picked them up. I didn't know it then, but that spurred my career working with children and the adults who teach and care for them. Currently, I am extremely fortunate to be the VP of Learning and Development at Bright Horizons Family Solutions.
After writing several professional books for fellow educators, what sparked your interest in writing a children's book?
Writing a children's book has always been a goal of mine. I love children's literature and have my own collection. My first book was a non-fiction book for children coping with a loved one's military deployment. The book was written as a resource to support children socially-emotionally through this challenge. My fiction children's books also address children's social- emotional development, so you could say I haven't changed focus, just genre.
What sparked the idea for A Teacher's Promise specifically?
I loved reading stories to my daughters about a mother's love for a child. We had a few favorites like Oh My Baby Little One by Kathi Applet or Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney. I wanted teachers and parents to have the same type of story that they can read over and over to children that will help children know just how special a teacher can be.
You live in beautiful San Diego, so where can we find you on a typical day?
I try to get to the ocean at least once a week. I work from home so I have some flexibility and am in flip-flops almost year round! I also travel a lot for work, so you can often find my in an airport or an airplane. I spend every other moment with my family, especially my daughters: Hanna and Abby.
Learn more and see a full list of titles by Rachel Robertson.