Yael Feder's Journey in Child Safety Education and Literature

Fostering Crucial Conversations Through Stories.
A Dive into Feder's Impactful Work and Vision

PHOTO: Yael Feder, acclaimed children's author and advocate for child safety education,
uses storytelling to empower young minds and initiate essential conversations.

Bestselling international author and producer whose child safety awareness program has reached a million children worldwide, brings a set of picture books to guide families and educators in discussing important issues with young readers.

Yael Feder is a social worker, writer, actress, director, and composer whose formative My Body Belongs to Me children’s programming of theatre shows, movies, books, and lectures for parents and educators has been praised worldwide in the child safety arena. Now, her four-book children’s collection, Big Concepts for Little Ones, provides tools for families and educators of young children to open a dialogue on topics of body privacy and other important life issues. 

A nationally bestselling author from Israel, Feder’s programming has reached more than one million children all over the world and is highly recommended by the Israeli Department of Education. The programming and her mission, to raise awareness about child sexual abuse prevention, is extended to her four-book series for kids which provides a language for parents and educational staff members to use with children when dealing with safeguarding issues. Through this, children are empowered with the knowledge and tools that will help protect them.

Children’s author Yael Feder has been developing educational content for children for many years, particularly in the area of body safety. Also a social worker, actress, director, and composer, her successful kindergarten show in Israel has been running in schools for nearly twenty years and is highly recommended by the Israeli Ministry of Education. The success and evident need for this content motivated her to write her praised children’s book, My Private Parts Belong to Me, which later spawned additional educational stories as part of her Big Concepts for Little Ones book series. 

Yael’s signature way to tackle these important discussions is through gentle storytelling, of a mother talking to her children. Her books, which also address how to determine good secrets from bad secrets (I’ve Got a Secret), how to behave around strangers (The Safety Book: Strangers and Dangers), and the diverse compositions of loving families and how children are born (Born With Love) are used by parents and educators as a guide to invite discussion on these topics and other childhood dilemmas.

Yael believes that a great book is one that is able to clarify complicated topics to children and their parents. By presenting material in a delicate and non-threatening way, her books empower families with knowledge and tools to grow and thrive safely. She hopes her young readers come away from her stories feeling secure and confident, and that it stays with them long after the book is closed.

Hailing from Israel where she lives with her husband and their four daughters, Yael is also a producer of educational videos for children, and an instructor in workshops and lectures for parents and educational staff. Her Big Concepts for Little Ones series are available to families, educators, and librarians.  

PHOTO: Yael Feder's 'Born with Love' celebrates diverse families and
gently explores the beautiful journey of how children come into this world, fostering understanding and love.

What’s the last great book you read?

Accidents by Yael Hadaya 

What genres do you especially enjoy reading?

I like to read prose, mainly romance (but quality ones) and thrillers. I like very much local writers (Israelis) 

Who is your favorite fictional hero or heroine?

Jo from “Little women” by Louisa May Alcott 

What books and authors have impacted your writing career?

David Grossman is my favorite writer, Meir Shalev, Jorje Amado, Zruya Shalev, Nicole Krauss and more

What kind of reader were you as a child?

I was what you call “bookworm”, I read all the time and there were many books I read over and over again.

If you could meet any writer, dead or alive, who would it be? And what would you want to know? 

I would have loved to meet David Grossman and I would love to learn more about his creative process.

Which writer would you want to write your life story?

Zeruya Shalev

What books do you find yourself returning to again and again?

In contrary to my childhood as an adult It is quite rare that I return to books I have already read. There are so many books to read so I prefer to read something new to me. But there is one book which I have returned to, which is “To the end of the land” by Grossman.

What do you plan to read next?

I started yesterday to read "Ima Vezahu” (“Just a mom” – in free translation) by Yael Mishali and then I plan to read the new book of Eshkol Nevo, “Hungry Heart”

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