About the Author: Rob Schapiro

Rob Schapiro didn’t plan on becoming an author of illustrated children’s books. An international airline pilot with thousands of hours experience inside a Boeing 747 cockpit, his main interests were aviation, home renovation and building fine furniture. But when he saw how much his son Morgan missed him whenever he left on a flight, he tried to remedy that by keeping an illustrated journal of his arrivals and departures for Morgan. The result: “Where Does Daddy Go?” a book that takes readers into a Boeing 747 cockpit and on trips to Alaska and Japan. Because Morgan can’t go along on these business trips, an engaging character called Little Fly goes along to keep notes for Morgan instead.

Morgan liked Little Fly so much that Rob expanded “Where Does Daddy Go?” into an illustrated children’s book series for youngsters aged 6 to 12. In subsequent books, Morgan and Little Fly accompany each other on a series of adventures that are educational as well as a fun method of teaching science to kids.  In “Star Fish and Space Dust”, they visit the South African resort town of Plettenberg Bay, where a vacation soon turns into exciting discoveries about astronomy for kids and what stars and planets are made of.

In “Little Fly Finds Oil”, the family travels to the Pennsylvania town of Tionesta, takes a ride on a steam train and discovers the site of America’s first oil well.

In “Baby Bat and the Ice Garden”, Morgan and Little Fly take a walk of discovery through a preserve called Garden in the Woods in Framingham, Massachusetts. There they learn about bat habits and habitats, the Ice Age and the formation of glaciers.

In “The Green Potion”, their destination is Ireland, where myths of leprechauns and castles are interspersed with facts about viruses and germs.

Rob and his family now live in New York. Rob still flies to Tokyo and travels to interesting places on vacation. He also gives occasional guest lectures  ranging from kindergarteners to college students on subjects including aviation, aviation meteorology, pilot management techniques and Space. He is available for guest appearances in the greater New York and tri-state areas to discuss these topics as well as his own experiences of writing a children’s book series in his hotel rooms while on layovers and what he has learned about publishing them.

Guest appearances and book signings in other areas can be negotiated. Click here to contact Rob.

This book will be enjoyed both by young independent readers as well as parents wanting to teach their children about new cultures (especially if the parents have to go on frequent business trips of their own.)