Popina & Slumberina follows a young princess who is attached to her favorite blanket as she learns what it means to become more independent. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

I was inspired by life itself. When my daughter was born she received a blanket as a gift, and it was love at first sight. As soon as she touched it and smelled it, she calmed down. There was a real connection between my daughter and the blanket. It really made her feel better.

As my daughter grew up, she named her blanket Bibi and took it everywhere. When she started preschool, she brought Bibi along, keeping her close throughout the day. I remember the preschool teacher telling me that because of the blanket, my daughter wasn’t making new friends or participating in activities. As a parent, I wanted to help my daughter open up to the world, meet new friends, and feel secure even without relying on a comfort object.

Since I am a great believer in the power of words, I decided to write her a story that would illustrate the situation she is in and the great benefits that can be had in releasing the blanket and discovering the inner powers that exist in her.

Writing the story was not easy. Since I wanted the story to be written in rhymes, and convey the message in a fun, non-didactic way. To my great joy, I rose to the challenge. After my daughter had heard the story several times, she asked to leave Bibi in bed, and then I knew I had accomplished the task successfully.

Do you have a favorite scene in your story? One that was especially fun to write?

My favorite scene is the one when the guests arrive at the party and give Popina gifts, some of which are magical. I tried to think of gifts that would excite children and put a smile on their faces. I believe that all children would love to receive a rainbow in a cloud or candies in all flavors as a gift.

An amusing anecdote regarding the scene with the presents happened when I read to my daughter the part where Princess Popina receives a shell from the juggler Sanil that she could hide in very well. My daughter insisted that I bring her a shell exactly like the one in the book. I had to explain to her that such a shell doesn’t exist, which was an answer she did not like to receive.

The artwork in this book is wonderful. What was the art collaboration process like with Anat Davis?

Thank you, I’m so glad you liked the artwork in the story! It was wonderful to collaborate with Anat on the illustrations, not only because she is my sister and I love her, but also because I knew she understood the essence of the story (her eldest daughter also had a blankie) and had the talent and sense of humor that fit the story perfectly.

Our cooperation was seamless. When illustrating a story, the possibilities are unlimited, so we discussed the general style and came up with ideas for the illustrations together. Seeing the story come to life through my sister’s illustrations was a truly moving experience.

Can young readers look forward to more books from you soon? What are you currently working on?

In recent years, I have written several stories for children, each at different stages of development. I invest a lot of time and effort in my stories, carefully selecting editors and illustrators, so the publishing process can take some time. But yes, there is definitely something to look forward to.

In the near future, a book will be published featuring Cecilia, a mouse who goes to the dentist for the first time. This book aims to give children a positive perspective on dental treatments and will include tips from an expert in pediatric dentistry.

Another story I wrote is currently in the illustration stages. It explores the natural cycle of life, depicting the transformation from seed to tree and the perpetuation of this cycle.

Finally, another story I wrote, which is currently in the final stages of editing, follows a sprite named Dwight and his journey to fulfill his dream of winning the Sprite Champions Race.

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