Local author pens first children’s book

Dani Ben-Ari is no stranger to seeing her writing published. The first time it happened she was still a student at Baldwin High School. Now, the lifelong Baldwinite has released her first children’s book called “Webina.”

“Webina” is the story of a Native American girl who must overcome a series of trials before she can find redemption through the love of others and a way back home. Ben-Ari, who is part Native American herself, wanted to write a story with a Native American protagonist for a long time, adding that they idea for the book came to her about five years ago. The book was released in May.

Eclectic is a good word to describe Ben-Ari’s writing. She has published several books that deal with everything from car ownership to wood stove and fireplace cooking. She writes five daily columns for Examiner.com that each deal with something unique. Two are health and wellness-related, then there are columns about automotives, motorsports and animal issues.

Writing about automotives is one of her main interests. She was once the associate editor of a magazine that covered just that and was published in Baldwin.

Ben-Ari, who attended Lenox Elementary School, Baldwin Middle School and BHS, has been the foster parent to five Native American children and said she enjoyed writing a children’s book rather than a non-fiction guidebook.

She said she would like to do more work like “Webina” in the future and already has a few ideas lined up.

Strategic Book Publishing & Rights Agency published the book, which is available for purchase on its website, in addition to Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.