Reviewing: “Florie Did a Tap Dance” by Nicky Schur. Self published. 2020. Hardcover. 52 pages. ISBN-13: 978-1734911008.
“When I Hug You” by Nicky Schur. Self published. 2020. Hardcover. 32 pages. ISBN-13:
978-1734911039.
Teaneck resident Nicky Schur recently published two children’s books, “Florie Did a Tap Dance” and “When I Hug You Again.” As a mother and grandmother with a background in fine arts, Schur wrote both books with creativity in mind and plans to continue publishing books in a similar style.
Schur, a Chicago native, majored in fine arts in college. She began her career in marketing photography, allowing her to work in the creative field she so loved. Her professional journey eventually led her to a different industry, but her passion for the arts and writing never subsided, often meshing seamlessly with company projects.
As a children’s book author, Schur began her writing journey after her father passed away at a young age. It was then that she decided to write her first book, entitled “Zadie Pup Loved to Drive,” written in chronological order as a metaphor of the cars her parents owned throughout their life. Schur used this book as a means of sharing stories about her father with the rest of her family. The art of storytelling inspired her and she knew she would continue down that path.
Schur has always enjoyed the imaginative minds of children. She frequently engaged in make-believe games with her children and grandchildren, and often attempted to match their creativity. This led her to express her artistic side through children’s books. She noted that she likes to “relate to others simplistically” and this art form allows her to do so. Schur shared that one of her hobbies is reading, and that she believes an imaginative and image-oriented mind is the key piece to her work. She enjoys books that have messages beyond what is written on the page, and made an effort to channel this into her books through the imagery itself; most pages have clues hidden in the pictures that indicate the sequence of events that are to follow.
As various events continuously inspired her in her life, Schur had the desire to publish a children’s book. She initially got the idea for “Florie Did a Tap Dance” on a Shabbat afternoon. She was taking a walk and noticed a little girl who refused to walk up a hill with her mother. In that moment, Schur noted to herself that she would have attempted to have the child picture that something amazing was waiting for her at the top of the hill. That moment of creativity led to the plot for “Florie Did a Tap Dance” and allowed Schur to create art from an otherwise mundane event.
Her other new book, “When I Hug You Again,” was written during the COVID-19 pandemic. It includes characters based on her daughter and grandchildren and was inspired by her yearning to hug her grandchildren during that time when it was not possible to do so.
As the independent illustrator for “When I Hug You Again,” colors were important to her, and she ensured that both books included a vibrant color palette to appeal to children of all ages. In keeping with her passion for books with a deeper message, she made sure that both books held a deeper meaning interwoven into the simple words which are ideal for a bedtime story.
“I’ve always loved children’s picture books that are written with humor and that possess an element of surprise,” Schur shared with The Jewish Link. “For me, there is nothing more enjoyable than hearing children giggle and seeing the wonderment in their eyes. Those are the times I treasure and what happens inevitably when sharing a good picture book.”
Schur is currently working on publishing two other books written in a similar style, titled “Flying Fig” and “Funny Sunday.” Her current books can be purchased on Amazon or on her website at nananickysbooks.com.
Hannah Kirsch was the intern coordinator at The Jewish Link last summer and is a senior at Binghamton University.
