About the Author
Debra Pehrson Haun
Author Info
Debra Pehrson Haun is a Kirkus Reviews award-winning author and illustrator for her debut picture book, TWITCH. Her education degree plus her passion for art helped her create her own niche in the literary and artistic field of children’s picture books where words and illustrations dance together seamlessly.
Drawing inspiration from nature, life experiences and her many interests are reflected in the rich tapestry of her work. Rescue Clickity Clack, her most recent picture book was inspired from the rescues she has performed on children and adults. Whether weaving tales for children or the many textural layers of her whimsical collage illustrations, her distinctive voice gives the reader the wonderful surprise only picture books can-- turning the page. Debra brings a distinctive voice and visual flair to every project.
Debra has received numerous honors and awards for her delightful whimsical illustration style. She was thrilled when her artwork, “The Pond’s Life,” was chosen for the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in Palo Alto, California. Another highlight was being selected as the illustrator/designer/educator for the Artist-in-Residence/Build-a-Book school program for the Scottsdale Unified School District.
When not immersed in the world of storytelling, you can find Debra strolling through the timeless beauty of nature, blowing bubbles, taking pictures of life's sweet surprises and/or traveling with family and friends. This diverse range of experiences enriches her creative well, ensuring a constant flow of inspiration for future literary and artistic endeavors. As Debra looks ahead, the commitment to crafting captivating narratives and visually stunning illustrations remains unwavering. She lives in sunny Arizona with her family and their diva-doodle, Gigi.
News
Silent Book Club NYC chose Rescue Clickity Clack to be featured by its members for its joyful, interactive approach to storytelling, hands-on reading experience while fostering curiosity about marine life and supporting early learning and cognitive development.
Events
WHY INTERACTIVE BOOKS ARE THE “SECRET WEAPON” FOR RELUCTANT READERS?
Written by Debra Pehrson Haun/Sabrine Publishing
Can you find the word “clack”? Did you see how quickly your mind turned to a different kind of thinking or reading? It was not just a word it was a call for action and that’s exactly why interactive books are the “secret weapon” for reluctant readers.
Interactive books are a multisensory experience that engages all learning styles, increases cognitive development, teaches cause and effect while adding a sense of accomplishment which builds confidence and encourages social interaction. When you add rhyme to this list you have a bonanza of benefits to all readers no matter their reading skill which Rescue Clickity Clack provides.
- Active Engagement & Play: Instead of passively scanning words, children interact with the pages which keeps them physically and mentally engaged, turning reading into an immersive experience.
- Reduced Reading Anxiety: Interactive elements lower the anxiety for reluctant readers because it makes books less intimidating and more fun.
- Multisensory Learning: These books stimulate the brain through touch, sight, and sound, enhancing comprehension and language skills, particularly for younger readers.
- Increased Comprehension & Memory: Action words that require children to help keeps them focused on specific elements, which improves comprehension, while the interactive nature helps them remember the story.
- Sense of Accomplishment: Interactive books often provide a sense of achievement when tasks are completed (e.g., following instructions in the story), which builds confidence in struggling readers. This would have been very helpful in my years of being a non-reader in my elementary school.
- Encourages Social Interaction:Many interactive books promote dialogue between the reader and the child and adult (e.g., asking questions and predicting), building communication skills and shared reading enjoyment. This promotes building a community which creates stronger bonds between the reader and the audience.
One of the biggest benefits, I believe, and why I love interactive books is that they teach the power of cause-and-effect which all children and adults can relate to. The physical actions—like wiggling, popping, and/or rocking—has a direct result to the visible change on the next page. This hands-on, immediate feedback loop, found in books like Rescue Clickity Clack helps children understand that their actions have consequences and strengthens cognitive connections. Physical interaction to a logical outcome, active engagement with narratives, immediate visual feedback and visualizing chain reactions are all emphasized in interactive picture books.
- Physical Interaction = Logical Outcomes:Children tap, wiggle or pop on pages to make things happen in the story (e.g., waving to make a breeze makes a crab fly higher), reinforcing the direct rel
