Highlighting: “From Me to You,” by Melissa Papir. Independently published. 2023. English. Paperback. 30 pages. ISBN-13: 979-8397417310.
Teaneck resident Melissa Papir Kolb recently published a children’s book titled “From Me to You,” discussing the love a parent has for a child through the lens of infertility. As a mother, dietician and frequent writer for the Jewish Link, Papir Kolb had always dreamed of writing a children’s book and decided to include some of her personal struggles in her work by normalizing an often taboo topic, and creating a way to discuss infertility with a child.
As a child, Papir Kolb would often write her own stories, which continued into motherhood. She now enjoys sending her daughter to school with love poems. Authoring a children’s book was a bucket list item for her, which resurfaced after a casual conversation with a colleague. She immediately discussed the idea with her husband and decided she was finally going to do it.
As the two discussed a specific topic for her book, it was her husband who suggested her infertility journey as a potential starting point. From there, the story took off. In December 2022, Papir Kolb worked with Amazon on the editing, illustration and sales, and quickly propelled the idea into a final product early last month.
The book itself consists of a simple rhyming scheme and is appropriate for children ages birth to 5 years old. It gently explains to the reader/listener that their mother worked hard to have them. With the challenge of loneliness and through immense effort, the mother in the story ultimately wouldn’t have it any other way because it brought to her the child she is now so happy to have in her life.
On a more personal note, Papir Kolb shared her reasons for wanting to get this particular story published; she personally has struggled with infertility. After many years, she ultimately had her daughter through a third round of IVF. Currently attempting to expand her family, she had two IVF miscarriages this past year and recently discovered she has a genetic mutation for blood clots that causes miscarriages. She is now receiving treatment for that and, with God’s help, hopes this will assist her in having another child.
One of the main goals of the book, Papir Kolb said, is to open a dialogue on a topic that is not talked about enough in Jewish culture. The book conveys the struggle of infertility lightly in an attempt to create conversation between a parent, who either dealt with infertility or did not, and a child, or even between two adults. Ultimately, this book’s purpose is to “normalize it, there is no shame in what you go through because you didn’t do anything wrong,” she shared.
“From Me to You” is now available for purchase on amazon.com.
Hannah Kirsch is the summer intern coordinator at the Jewish Link and a rising senior at Binghamton University.
