Shoshana Kent
Poet and Author
Background Story
Shoshana has been writing poetry since she was eight years old. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Shoshana moved to Canada at the age of seven and then to Israel a few years after getting married. She previously published "Educating Vancouver's Jewish Children: The Vancouver Talmud Torah, 1913-1959 and beyond." under the name Rozanne Feldman Kent. I Don't Know Age is her first children's book.
From the age of 10, Shoshana knew she wanted to be a teacher. She started teaching elementary school in 1986 in the First Nations community in Bella Coola, Canada. She also taught French immersion in the British Columbia public school system.
Shortly after receiving her MA in Education, she and her husband, Yonatan, immigrated to Israel where they have lived ever since. Shoshana is a high school English teacher and the mother of two beautiful children, Noam and Yael. She loves Zumba and other fitness classes, cleaning the beaches, cats and dogs, reading, laughing and learning new languages.
I Don't Know Age is a modern fable about four 'trapped' animals and the birds who help free them. The book explores the themes of freedom, kindness, cooperation and acceptance.
Click on the book cover for the link to Amazon.
Book Reviews
This poem truly touched my heart! Wow! How beautifully written. Every single page made my heart stir. Such a simple and true story of equality. We are all sharing this space in time. I could read this over a thousand times!
JNCVWF
A lovely and meaningful book that is for children and adults. The poem is beautifully written. It contains themes of friendship and acceptance, and the discussion questions at the end of the book will help facilitate powerful conversations with children. It was so enjoyable to read. I highly recommend this book for home or school.
This was a well thought-out book with a very powerful message for children and even adults. The author was brilliant with the storyline and the illustrations were beautiful. Love the poem. Great work. I would highly recommend.
Books I Love: I Don't Know Age
by Jaime Steer Rippey
The other day, someone told me the three greatest anchors in life are ignorance, comfort, and entitlement. He used the metaphor of sitting on an anchored boat, close to shore, moving and rocking in all directions but going nowhere. It feels like you’re moving but it’s an illusion, you’re not actually making progress and you are allowing any one of the three anchors to hold you back.
This idea reminded me of a beautiful children’s book, “I Don’t Know Age.” The characters in the book discuss the anchors in their lives which are holding them back and causing their unhappiness. The author writes about a complex and profound idea with the eloquence of simplicity that a child can understand but that an adult can fully contemplate. I can’t stop thinking about it and applying it to an analysis of my own life. It’s a story of friends helping friends. The friends who live their lives on their terms, help their friends who feel trapped. I love that the idea of friends pulling up anchors can enter a child’s subconscious at a young age and they can carry the knowledge with them, throughout their lives, and retrieve it when they need it.
Another thing I love about this book, and please excuse me while I geek out, it is so poetic. When you major in English, you learn that poetry is top tier in the world of literature. I loved writing my books in rhyming verse because I wrote when mine were little and they have a connection with rhythm at that age. However, verse is different than poetry and this book has a wonderful, poetic flow that sweeps you up and carries you through the pages like a bird gliding through the air. It is a truly great experience. One more thing, the author has an amazing story too but I feel like I’ve taken up a lot of time so be sure to check it out when you order her book. I will say she has lived all over the world and it is apparent, this book has a worldly, larger-than-life feel. Order your book today and happy reading!
Author's Note: Check out Jaime’s children’s books at https://littlemonsteradventures.com/
Songs
"Rebecca"
"Rebecca" was inspired by a Grade 4 classmate of mine whom I reconnected with decades later. The song is about friendship and the choices we make in life. Thanks to Trystan Matthews and his wonderful team at Demomysong for helping make my dream of having a song come true.
Lyric: Shoshana Kent
Music: 5050songs
Singer: Liz Halland
Click on the links to preview the song.
Coming Soon
My next book is almost complete and ready to be sent off for publication. It is an illustrated collection of poems from age eight to the present.
I Don't Know Age - the song
Activity pages for kids
Contact Shoshana
I would love to hear from you. Drop me a message.
