New Books Network Danna Zeiger, "Rewriting the Rules" (Millbrook Press, 2025)
Sep 21, 2025
Danna Trachtenberg Zeiger, a former biology professor turned children's author, discusses her debut picture book, Rewriting the Rules, inspired by Dr. Kathleen Friel's story. She highlights the significance of representation in literature, particularly for children with disabilities. Danna shares her journey from scientist to writer, the challenges she faced during the pandemic, and her insights on weaving fiction with STEM. Her passion for making science accessible shines as she dives into the art of storytelling while maintaining factual accuracy.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Mentor Who Defied Expectations
- Danna recounts meeting Kathleen Friel as an undergrad and being mentored by her in a Columbia med-school lab.
- Kathleen, who has cerebral palsy, later became a successful scientist and inspired the book's story.
Representation Gap In Children's Books
- Danna saw a gap: few children's books feature main characters with disabilities, especially cerebral palsy.
- She believed Kathleen's story would teach kids about perseverance and hard work.
Career Pivot During COVID
- During COVID Danna resigned from her professorship to homeschool her children and read hundreds of books.
- That period gave her space to pursue writing and led her to take classes and join critique groups.
