Michelle Ferguson-Cohen

Ferguson-Cohen wrote, illustrated, and published the first commercially available children's books for military brats[https://web.archive.org/web/20170902232301/http://www.bookcatcher.com/news/news-123106-01.php Bookcatcher Books for Brats Marks 5 Years Helping Children Cope With Deployment] and the first children's picture books for children coping with deployment.{{cite news |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/545259611.html?dids=545259611:545259611&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Feb+15%2C+2004&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&edition=&startpage=7&desc=Books+help+military+%60brats%27+soldier+on |title=Chicago Tribune, Books Help Military Brats 'Soldier' On (lack of books explaining deployment) |publisher=Pqasb.pqarchiver.com |date=February 15, 2004 |accessdate=December 12, 2011 |first=Stephanie |last=Heinatz |archive-date=October 25, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081025113206/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/545259611.html?dids=545259611%3A545259611&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS%3AFT&type=current&date=Feb%2015%2C%202004&author=&pub=Chicago%20Tribune&edition=&startpage=7&desc=Books%20help%20military%20%60brats%27%20soldier%20on |url-status=dead }}[https://web.archive.org/web/20080318234318/http://www.fayobserver.com/article?id=254810 Fayetteville Observer] She has been called the "Dr. Seuss for Military Brats" in a Washington Times article that was laudatory in tone about her books' ability to help children understand about their parent's military deployments.[https://web.archive.org/web/20080318150927/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb5244/is_200509/ai_n19619671 The Washington Times; Military children's story told, Books explain 'hero' parents]

Ferguson-Cohen established Little Redhaired Girl Publishing to publish her books as part of a series she entitled Books for Brats to encourage pride in the term "Military Brat" outside the military community. Ferguson-Cohen's goal was to create material that would appeal to all children and introduce their military family neighbors. Though self-published, her titles "Daddy, You're My Hero!" and "Mommy, You're My Hero!" have reportedly reached hundreds of thousands of youthful readers{{cite web|url=http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,Stuff,00.html |title=Eyewitness in Iraq |publisher=Military.com |accessdate=December 12, 2011}} through both targeted and broad based marketing. They were first published in 2001 and are now in their 3rd edition. The books have also been used in the classrooms as material to promote tolerance and understanding amongst peers, and distributed to both commercial and civilian outlets.:de:Amerikanische Kinder- und Jugendliteratur

Books for Brats were early to recognize and service the "suddenly military" families of the National Guard and Reserves.[https://web.archive.org/web/20170902232301/http://www.bookcatcher.com/news/news-123106-01.php Bookcatcher] During the first deployments of the Iraq War, Ferguson-Cohen worked with Family Readiness Groups nationwide to host readings.[http://lifetransformed.org/publicity.aspx Life Transformed] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080104172724/http://lifetransformed.org/publicity.aspx |date=January 4, 2008 }}[http://www.bragg.army.mil/AFVC-A/FRG/DeploymentResources.doc Ft. Bragg Deployment Resources] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070507210238/http://www.bragg.army.mil/AFVC-A/FRG/DeploymentResources.doc |date=May 7, 2007 }}[http://www.moguard.com/FamilyReadiness/modules/DownloadFile.asp?DocITEM=190 Resources for FRG Deployment] {{dead link|date=May 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}[http://4h.missouri.edu/go/programs/military/manual/communitypartnersguide.pdf OMK Hero Packs] {{dead link|date=May 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}[http://www.yuma.army.mil/garrison/sites/directorates/mwr/acs-deployment-readiness.htm Yuma Deployment Readiness] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080318141912/http://www.yuma.army.mil/garrison/sites/directorates/mwr/acs-deployment-readiness.htm |date=March 18, 2008 }} She was able to obtain recommendations by many educational, medical, and child development experts{{cite web|url=http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,Stuff,00.html |title=Military.com |publisher=Military.com |accessdate=December 12, 2011}} suggesting that her books could be utilized to explain deployment and convey coping skills to children facing separation from a parent.{{cite web|url=http://www.americanpressinstitute.org/content/1604.cfm |title=American Press Institute; Sources for Parents to Explain War |publisher=Americanpressinstitute.org |accessdate=December 12, 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210164841/http://www.americanpressinstitute.org/content/1604.cfm |archivedate=February 10, 2012 }}[http://home.kc.rr.com/milhmschlhq/military_deployment.htm Military Homeschoolers] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080120001900/http://home.kc.rr.com/milhmschlhq/military_deployment.htm |date=January 20, 2008 }}{{cite web|url=http://journal.naeyc.org/btj/200701/BTJAllen.asp |title=Journal for the National Association of Educating Young Children |publisher=Journal.naeyc.org |accessdate=December 12, 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828022956/http://journal.naeyc.org/btj/200701/BTJAllen.asp |archivedate=August 28, 2008 }} They are also suggested as resources for their unique content, multicultural illustrations, and representations of female soldiers.{{cite web|url=http://www.nmfa.org/site/PageServer?pagename=books_for_children |title=National Military Family Association Books Recommendation |publisher=Nmfa.org |accessdate=December 12, 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070913045941/http://www.nmfa.org/site/PageServer?pagename=books_for_children |archivedate=September 13, 2007 }}

Sought out by the press as an expert in the military community,{{cite news|author=MARY DEIBEL, Scripps Howard News Service; 700+ words |url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-22808149_ITM |title=Experts to Discuss Children and Television War Coverage |publisher=Accessmylibrary.com |accessdate=December 12, 2011}}{{cite news|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2003_March_20/ai_98996626/pg_2 |title=ADVISORY/Experts Available to Discuss Topics Regarding War with Iraq | Business Wire | Find Articles at BNET.com |publisher=Findarticles.com |date=March 20, 2003 |accessdate=December 12, 2011}}{{cite web|last=Brott |first=Armin |url=http://www.mrdad.com/store/radio.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060208111715/http://mrdad.com/store/radio.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 8, 2006 |title=Positive Parenting |publisher=Mrdad.com |accessdate=December 12, 2011 }}{{cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/mothers-day-bittersweet-for-military-moms |title=Fox News; Mother's Day Bittersweet for Military Moms |publisher=Fox News |access-date=December 12, 2011 |date=December 1, 2011}} she became an advocate for military brats promoting equal representation for the military community in the media.

Prior to her career as children's author and advocate for military brats, Ferguson-Cohen was a music industry entrepreneur{{cite web|url=http://newyorkbookfestival.com/article/?category_id=51 |title=New York Book Festival |publisher=New York Book Festival |accessdate=December 12, 2011}}{{cite news |title=CMJ |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iJss2gwNEsEC&dq=michelle+ferguson+mfpr+cmj&pg=PA55 |publisher=College Music Journal |date=1999-09-13}} who owned an agency based in New York and London. She represented international DJs including Richie Hawtin,{{cite news |title=MTV News |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/820631/plastikman-to-write-music-for-french-art-installation/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190408074906/http://www.mtv.com/news/820631/plastikman-to-write-music-for-french-art-installation/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 8, 2019 |publisher=MTV}} Laurent Garnier, Sven Vath and rock musicians including The Charlatans, Gene and Pet Shop Boys.

During her career in the entertainment industry she was involved celebrity charity events to raise funds for UK-based NGO War Child.{{cite news |title=Billboard |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eigEAAAAMBAJ&dq=michelle+ferguson+mfpr+billboard&pg=RA1-PA56 |publisher=Billboard |date=1999-04-24}} A writer and humorist, she is listed as a contributor to the Complete Idiot's Guide to Jokes.[https://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/1592575382?p=S005 Complete Idiot's Guide to Jokes]: see index page 308

{{reflist|2}}

• Daddy, You're My Hero! (Little Redhaired Girl Publishing, 2001) {{ISBN|978-0-9729264-4-7}}
• Mommy, You're My Hero! (Little Redhaired Girl Publishing, 2001) {{ISBN|978-0-9729264-3-0}}
• [http://nymag.com/nymetro/urban/features/fitness03/n_8249/ Walk This Way, New York Magazine]

• [http://www.booksforbrats.com/ Books for Brats website]

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Category:American children's writers

Category:American comedy writers

Category:American humorists

Category:American women illustrators

Category:American illustrators

Category:American women screenwriters

Category:Living people

Category:New York University alumni

Category:American women children's writers

Category:American women humorists

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:21st-century American women