About Us

Meet the creator of Sophie’s Tales

Books for children with hearing loss and cochlear implants, cochlear implant support materials and other hearing loss resources

Sophie’s Tales was created by Melanie Paticoff. Mel is a graduate of Fontbonne University in St. Louis, Missouri where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in deaf education in 2011. She is now a student at Washington University School of Medicine’s Program in Audiology and Communication Sciences.

Mel grew up on Long Island with a tight-knit family that includes her cousin, Julie, who wears bilateral cochlear implants. By combining her knowledge of living with hearing loss with her recent background in education and the silly spunk of her maltipoo puppy, Sophie, Mel created Sophie’s Tales, a website full of resources for children with hearing loss. Each product is designed to engage children but also lend itself to language-learning.

Mel has created a full complement of  hearing loss resources such as the first-place winning YouTube video, YouTube video, “That’s Just the Way we Hear” and an award-winning picture book for children with cochlear implants, Sophie’s Tales: Learning to Listen. A second book, Overcoming Obstacles, is set to launch this summer at the AGBell 2012 Convention in Scottsdale, Arizona. Overcoming Obstacles can be pre-ordered, by clicking here!

Mel looks forward to adding more children’s books about living with hearing loss and resources for children with cochlear implants and hearing loss to the Sophie’s Tales series in the near future. Mel hopes that Sophie’s resources will teach children with hearing loss to be proud and confident of their differences and help raise awareness about oral deaf education and cochlear implants.

Sophie earns her degree

Sophie is a two-year-old Maltipoo, who began her therapy dog training as a puppy. Sophie first passed the AKC Canine Good Citizen test, and then the Therapy Dog International (TD) exam given at the American Kennel Club’s (AKC) Museum of the Dog in St. Louis, Missouri.

Sophie loves meeting new people and as a trained therapy dog she can travel to schools, hospitals, nursing homes, libraries, and more to help put smiles on people’s faces!

One of her favorite things to do is visit schools, with her owner Mel, to read Sophie’s Tales, a book perfect for children with hearing loss and cochlear implants. If you would like Sophie to come for a book reading, please e-mail your request to mpaticoff@sophiestales.com.