Episodes
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SHOW NOTES: https://jewishbooks.blogspot.com/2024/09/our-jewish-emotional-support-books.html
TRANSCRIPT: https://otter.ai/u/LVQ-f8Gwpfw2LLKvE4Y7TGOzHes?utm_source=copy_url
At the Association of Jewish Libraries 2024 annual conference in San Diego, CA, I met up with Sheryl Stahl, host of our sister podcast, Nice Jewish Books. Inspired by the cartoon seen here, Sheryl and I interviewed our friends and colleagues about their Jewish "emotional support books" and the results turned into this podcast episode (cross-posted on Nice Jewish Books). We got a very wide variety responses, listed in the Show Notes in case you'd like to read any of the books that are so meaningful to your fellow Jewish book-lovers.
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Or, if you'd like to order a tote bag right now, we've got you covered:
The Book of Life tote
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Ella & Henny & Sarah & Charlotte & Gertie tote
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SHOW NOTES: https://jewishbooks.blogspot.com/2024/08/the-mitzvah-of-voting-edited-encore.html
TRANSCRIPT: https://otter.ai/u/ql3_Vi81NBwkvNT97SKZiyh8_yM?utm_source=copy_url
Four years ago in 2020 at the height of the pandemic, I ran a 3-part series called The Mitzvah of Voting. Here we are in 2024 in a presidential election year again and defending our democracy is more important than ever! Here's an edited encore presentation of that 2020 podcast, with all three parts combined and streamlined. You'll hear inspiring words and calls to action from some of your favorite authors, recorded in 2020 but as relevant as ever. We cap it off with Sarah Aroeste's Ladino song "Gracia" (English lyrics below), a tribute to the medieval Sephardic heroine, Doña Gracia Nasi who lived in the 1500's and saved hundreds of Jews from the Inquisition. The theme of the song is that activists of the past inspire us to activism in our own time. I hope you will be inspired to VOTE!
RESOURCES SUGGESTED BY GUESTS:
Hold the Line: A Guide to Defending Democracy T'ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights Jews for Racial and Economic Justice The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society VoteRiders.org Become a poll worker Add your Representative and Senators to your cell phone and call regularly on issues you care about Confirm your voter registration at Vote.org The Matthew Shepard Foundation Reclaim Our Vote Doña Gracia NasiGUESTS: (See show notes for links to their websites and books)
Marjorie Ingall Linda Epstein Jeff Gottesfeld Leslie Kimmelman Susan Kusel Tziporah Cohen Elissa Brent Weissman Lee Wind Barbara Bietz Jane Breskin Zalben Jacqueline Jules Anne-Marie Asner Gail Carson Levine Lesléa Newman Evan Wolkenstein Sue Macy Sarah AroesteENGLISH TRANSLATION OF GRACIA:
You give us grace
You give us life
You give us promise
You give us bravery
You give us strength
You give us defiance
You give us command
You give us voice
You give us inspiration
You give us esteem
You give us value
You give us admiration
Chorus:
Because of you we have the
Honor, fight, effect;
Because of you we stand with
Power, height, respect
Some have the deeds, some have the fame–
You have both and the same. -
Missing episodes?
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SHOW NOTES: https://jewishbooks.blogspot.com/2024/08/the-state-of-middle-grade.html
I love middle grade books! But what defines a middle grade book? What are the challenges to publishing for this age group? What is the state of middle grade literature today? To learn more, I invited 2 experts on the genre:
~ Librarian Karen Jensen, author of "Treatise on the State of Middle Grade and Young Adult Publishing Today" and creator of the Teen Librarian Toolbox blog on School Library Journal's website
~ Chris Baron, author of Jewish middle grade fiction and founding member of the Facebook group For the Love of Middle Grade
LEARN MORE:
Transcript of the episode Chris Baron's website Chris's books: All of Me | The Magical Imperfect | The Gray | The Secret of the Dragon Gems | On All Other Nights Teen Librarian Toolbox's "Mind the Middle" Project
Karen's Treatise on the State of MG and YA Publishing Today Author support groups: For the Love of Middle Grade | Mighty Middle Grade Authors | Middle Grade Authorcade Evaluating Jewish Representation in Children's Literature: A Guide for Libraries Authors promoting middle grade: Rick Riordan Presents | Dav Pilkey's Little Free Libraries | James Patterson's imprint | Ambassador for Young People's Literature Jason Reynolds Karen's middle grade reading recommendation: A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd Chris's middle grade reading recommendation: Tale of the Flying Forest by R.M. Romero Podcast recommendation: Sold a Story: How Teaching Kids to Read Went So Wrong
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SHOW NOTES: https://jewishbooks.blogspot.com/2024/07/espionage-secrets-suspense-holocaust.html
Two incredible authors, Adam Gidwitz and Steve Sheinkin, joined me to talk about their most recent books, Max in the House of Spies and Impossible Escape. As many listeners know, I tend to avoid Holocaust books because I've kind of overdosed on them during a long career of working with Jewish children's literature... but both of these books are SO good that I couldn't ignore them. Max in the House of Spies is middle grade historical fantasy fiction and Impossible Escape is young adult nonfiction. They are very different books, but they also make a great pairing... as do Adam and Steve, who are friends in real life. Impossible Escape was a 2024 Sydney Taylor Honor Book (young adult category). It remains to be seen whether Max in the House of Spies will become an award winner, but it seems likely to me!
LEARN MORE:
Transcript of interview Adam Gidwitz's website Steve Sheinkin's website Adam recommends An Account Rendered by Melita Maschmann, and Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport, a documentary film and book by Mark Jonathan Harris and Deborah Oppenheimer Adam's podcast Grim, Grimmer, Grimmest Steve's YouTube show Author-Fan Face-Off Adam's Sydney Taylor Book Award winner (middle grade category): The Inquisitor's Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog | 2017 podcast interview about Inquisitor's TaleANNOUNCEMENT: The Book of Life is now available on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@bookoflifepodcast
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SHOW NOTES: https://jewishbooks.blogspot.com/2024/06/joyful-song-with-leslea-newman-susan-gal.html
Joyful Song: A Naming Story is Lesléa Newman's newest picture book, and once again she's paired up with the amazing Susan Gal. This dynamic duo brought us Here Is the World in 2014 and Welcoming Elijah in 2020. Their new 2024 book is about a baby naming at synagogue, and about the diverse and loving community that welcomes the little girl into the world. The two-mom family makes it a great book for Pride Month, too.
LEARN MORE:
Transcript of interview Lesléa Newman's website Susan Gal's website Susan's other Jewish book, The Tower of Life by Chana Stiefel Roller Coaster Rabbit, the Disney film Susan worked on Heidi's Jewish kidlit wish list Lesléa's past appearances on The Book of Life:
Welcoming Elijah, 2020 Social Justice and Jewish Children's Books, 2018 Ketzel and Mom, 2016 Here Is the World, 2015JEWISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH, Friends & Allies Edition: May 2024 daily reading recommendations
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SHOW NOTES: https://jewishbooks.blogspot.com/2024/05/ruth-behar-on-across-so-many-seas.html
Lucky Broken Girl, Letters from Cuba, Tia Fortuna's New Home, and now, Across So Many Seas. Award winning author Ruth Behar keeps finding new ways to share her Sephardic and Ashkenazi Cuban Jewish heritage with us, and it's fresh and fascinating every time.
In her latest sweeping middle grade novel, Across So Many Seas, she introduces us to four generations of a Sephardic family, from the Spanish Inquisition to modern times. Like the Ladino song woven into the story of each of the 12 year old protagonists, this book is a poignant and powerful ode to sorrow and connection and joy. LEARN MORE: Transcript of interview Ruth Behar's website Playlist of music from Across So Many Seas Educator's Guide to Across So Many Seas Buy Across So Many Seas Ruth's tikkun olam suggestion: The American Ladino League Ruth's Sephardic reading recommendations:
* board book Mazal Bueno by past podcast guest Sarah Aroeste
* graphic novel We Are Not Strangers by Josh Tuininga
* novel Kantika by Elizabeth Graver
* nonfiction One Hundred Saturdays: Stella Levi and the Search for a Lost World by Michael Frank Ruth's documentary film Adio Kerida - rent for $3.99 on VimeoJEWISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH: See daily reading recommendations!
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SHOW NOTES: https://jewishbooks.blogspot.com/2024/04/project-shema.html
As you may remember, in December 2023 I participated in The Artists Against Antisemitism auction, which raised funds for Project Shema. Today we'll talk with April Powers, Vice President of Diversity Equity and Inclusion at Project Shema, to learn more about their mission and how it can help us kidlit folks.
LEARN MORE:
Transcript of interview Project Shema Jewbian Princess "Skin in the Game: How Antisemitism Animates White Nationalism" article by Eric K. Ward Reading suggestions: The Source by James Michener, The Assignment by Liza Wiemer -
SHOW NOTES: https://jewishbooks.blogspot.com/2024/03/the-miracle-seed.html The Miracle Seed is Martin Lemelman's nonfiction graphic novel about how modern science brought the Judean date palm back to life after a thousand year extinction. We met in person at the local public library's recording studio to talk about his book, his art, and the truly amazing story of how seeds found at an archaeological dig at Masada in Israel were able to be germinated after centuries, and about the significance of the Judean date palm in Jewish history. LEARN MORE: Martin Lemelman's websites TwoCentComics.com and LemelmanArt.com The Arava Institute Graphic novel about Martin's mother: Mendel's Daughter Graphic memoir: Two Cents Plain: My Brooklyn Boyhood Book and film: The Tattooed Torah Another recent Israel-related interview: Noa Nimrodi on Not So Shy
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SHOW NOTES: https://jewishbooks.blogspot.com/2024/01/the-2024-sydney-taylor-book-awards.html
The winners of the 2024 Sydney Taylor Book Awards, recognizing the best Jewish children's and young adult literature of the year, were announced on January 22, 2024 at the American Library Association's Youth Media Awards event. Aviva Rosenberg is the current chair of the Sydney Taylor Book Award committee, and she joined us to discuss the 2024 winners of the award.
LEARN MORE:
Sydney Taylor Book Awards ALA's Youth Media Awards (where the Sydney Taylors are announced) ALA's YouTube channel, where you can watch a recording of the announcement Heidi's unofficial 2024 Sydney Taylor shortlist Aviva's recommendation for an Israel-related book: The Miracle Seed by Martin Lemelman Aviva's Tikkun Olam suggestion: buy Israeli products! A helpful Facebook group is Israeli Shops to Purchase From Read the Transcript -
SHOW NOTES: https://jewishbooks.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-artists-against-antisemitism-auction.html
The Artists Against Antisemitism is a new organization formed to give creatives of all kinds a way to fight anti-Jewish hate. Their very first action is to hold an auction, happening December 15-22, 2023. The auction will benefit Project Shema, which trains and supports the Jewish community and allies to understand and address contemporary antisemitism, especially on college campuses. EVEN IF YOU MISS THE AUCTION - you can still help!
Debbie Reed Fischer, one of the founding members of Artists Against Antisemitism, joined me to tell us all about it.
LEARN MORE:
Bid in the auction: bit.ly/KeepTheLightGoing23 TheArtistsAgainstAntisemitism.com ProjectShema.org Debbie Reed Fischer's website Read the transcript -
SHOW NOTES: https://jewishbooks.blogspot.com/2023/12/hanukkah-upside-down.html
In September 2023, I zoomed with Elissa Brent Weissman from across the world, to record an interview about her new picture book, Hanukkah Upside Down. It's the story of a cousin in New York and a cousin in New Zealand, and how they connect during this wintertime AND summertime holiday.
LEARN MORE:
Read the transcript Buy or borrow Hanukkah Upside Down Elissa Brent Weissman's website Illustrator Omer Hoffman's websiteBONUS HANUKKAH FUN:
#JewishJoy posts Interview: The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming Hanukkah Book Bingo -
SHOW NOTES: https://jewishbooks.blogspot.com/2023/11/two-tribes.html
Emily Bowen Cohen is a Jewish member of the Muscogee Nation. Her debut graphic novel, Two Tribes, explores the complexities that come with having a dual identity. I can't think of a better book to read in November, which is both Jewish Book Month and Native American Heritage Month.
LEARN MORE:
Read the transcript Buy or borrow Two Tribes Emily Bowen Cohen's website and Instagram Emily's Tikkun Olam suggestion: Be'chol Lashon Emily's Israel book suggestion: Lon-Lon's Big Night by Miri Leshem-Pelly Heartdrum imprint at HarperCollins Jewish Book Month Native American Heritage Month -
SHOW NOTES: https://jewishbooks.blogspot.com/2023/10/we-need-israel-books.html
Like so many of you, I am devastated by the suffering and loss of life in Israel and in Gaza, inflicted by the terrorism of Hamas, so I'm interrupting our regular schedule to bring you additional content related to the war in Israel and Gaza. This conversation with Yael Levy, Chava Pinchuck, and Marjorie Gann is about the need for children's literature related to Israel and the challenges that make it hard to get that literature published. A transcript can be found here.
Please click on the SHOW NOTES to find extensive links for these topics:
Learn More About Publishing and Israel Books Recommended by Guests Books NOT Recommended Books & Projects by Guests Organizations Accepting Donations Learn More About the War -
SHOW NOTES: https://jewishbooks.blogspot.com/2023/10/am-yisrael-chai-tammar-stein.html
On October 7, 2023, the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur war, the terrorist group Hamas launched a brutal attack against Israel, murdering and kidnapping civilians young and old as well as striking military targets on multiple fronts. At the time of writing, Israel is at war.
With Israel on my mind and in my heart, I went back and listened to Tammar Stein's 2017 interview on The Book of Life about her middle grade novel, The Six Day Hero, which is about the 1967 Six Day War. I thought you might like to hear it too. FYI, in 2020 Tammar published a companion book, Beni's War, about the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Both books are excellent.I left the original "tune in next time" teaser on the end of the recording because I found it moving. It was Fawzia Gilani-Williams, author of Yaffa and Fatima, Shalom Salaam, dedicating her episode to the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom because of their message of peace. There's a link to that interview in the show notes.
For a tikkun olam moment of my own, I'm making a donation to Magen David Adom, the Israeli version of the Red Cross. I invite you to join me.
Please see below for additional book recommendations and past podcasts about Israel-related youth literature.
LEARN MORE:
Tammar Stein's website, The Six-Day War, and Beni's War AJL's Love Your Neighbor list #8: Israel Magen David Adom and American Friends of Magen David Adom Transcript of this podcastSELECTED PAST BOOK OF LIFE EPISODES ABOUT ISRAEL
Yaffa and Fatima, Shalom Salaam with guest Fawzia Gilani-Williams
The Language of Angels with guest Richard Michelson
The Nazi Hunters with guest Neal Bascome
Unsettled: the Problem of Loving Israel with guest Marc Aronson
Hare and Tortoise Race Across Israel with guest Laura Gehl
Shalom Sesame with guest Veronica Wulff
Wherever You Go with guest Joan Leegant
The Last Shepherd with guest actors Uri Lifshitz and Roni Weissman, writer Gai Bosco, and post production manager Dovi Shraga
A Musical Israel @ 60 with guests Yuval Ron, Fran Manushkin, and Michael Dorf
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SHOW NOTES: https://jewishbooks.blogspot.com/2023/10/e-train-talks.html
E Train is the powerhouse 12-year-old behind the podcast, YouTube channel, and website E Train Talks, and he's recently formed his own nonprofit. This Jewish tween is a remarkable literacy advocate who's doing so much good in the world. TRANSCRIPT
LEARN MORE:
E Train Talks: Website, YouTube channel, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Podcast E Train's GoFundMe Book Fairies E Train's Tikkun Olam suggestion: Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation Sold a Story: How Teaching Kids to Read Went So Wrong podcast from American Public Media A Double Helping of Babka interview about two babka-related picture books It's Banned Books Week (October 1-7, 2023) -
SHOW NOTES: https://jewishbooks.blogspot.com/2023/09/two-new-years.html
Happy New Year! Rosh Hashanah (which begins this year on September 15, 2023), is celebrated by Jewish folks each fall. The Lunar New Year (which will be celebrated next on February 10, 2024) is celebrated by Asian folks each spring. In the picture book Two New Years, Richard Ho explains and Lynn Scurfield beautifully illustrates the parallels between these two celebrations. The book is about a Chinese Jewish family and is a wonderful example of the increasingly diverse Jewish representation being published today.
LEARN MORE:
Richard Ho's website Lynn Scurfield's website Jewish/Asian intersectional kidlit listLook at the SHOW NOTES to find a transcript and more!
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SHOW NOTES: https://jewishbooks.blogspot.com/2023/08/friends-for-lq-auction.html
We're squeezing in an extra episode this month to let you know about a special project inspired by our July 2023 interview with Arthur Levine of Levine Querido! After hearing the July interview, listeners Liza Wiemer and Debbi Lakrtiz were inspired to address the challenge of reduced sales that LQ is facing due to its mission of championing diverse voices.
Levine Querido is a remarkable publisher with an important yet imperiled mission. In the few short years since they were founded, they've won over 150 awards for their devastatingly beautiful books, but the timing of the pandemic and the rise in book banning is a huge challenge for them. We need Levine Querido to succeed, not just because they are doing great work but because the publishing industry needs to see that diversity does sell.
Liza and Debbi are organizing an online auction to help Levine Querido get past this difficult time. You are welcome to donate an item or service, AND of course to bid in the auction! Listen to this short episode to learn more, and please join me in buying LQ books, requesting them from the local library, and supporting Liza and Debbi's auction.
LEARN MORE:
Suggestions for items and services that you can donate to the auction Fill out this form to offer a donation of an item or service Auction website Buy Levine Querido books at Bookshop.org Full interview with Arthur Levine about Levine Querido (July 2023) Levine Querido websiteLook at the SHOW NOTES to find a transcript and more!
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SHOW NOTES: https://jewishbooks.blogspot.com/2023/08/the-jake-show.html
in Joshua S. Levy's middle grade novel, The Jake Show, TV-obsessed Jake sees life in terms of shows. His parents divorce is like his favorite show getting cancelled, and now he's stuck playing two roles, Yaakov for his religious mother and Jacob for his secular father. Jake has to concoct a web of lies to get to a summer camp where he can just be himself. Will that end well? Tune in to my conversation with Joshua Levy and find out!
LEARN MORE:
Joshua Levy's website: JoshuaSimonLevy.com TV Tropes: The Two Timer DateLook at the SHOW NOTES to find a transcript and more!
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SHOW NOTES: https://jewishbooks.blogspot.com/2023/07/levine-querido-and-100k-books-challenge.html
Levine Querido is an independent publishing house founded by legendary editor Arthur Levine. He left his own imprint, Arthur A. Levine Books at Scholastic after 23 years, and he started Levine Querido in 2019 to showcase gorgeous diverse books by creators from underrepresented backgrounds - and he's been very successful, winning award after award.
For a non-Jewish publisher, Levine Querido publishes a lot of Jewish books, so I've been wanting to chat with Arthur for a while. When he announced that Team LQ had set a goal to sell 100,000 books by September 1st of this year, I knew it was the right time to have him on the show.LEARN MORE:
LQ's 100K Books Challenge Levine Querido website Arthur's Tikkun Olam suggestion: VOTE!Look at the SHOW NOTES to find a transcript and more!
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SHOW NOTES: https://jewishbooks.blogspot.com/2023/06/pride-month-special-with-aj-sass.html
It's June and that means LGBTQ+ Pride Month, the perfect time to talk to author A.J. Sass. Andrew Sass is known for writing middle grade books featuring respectful portrayals of trans and nonbinary characters, with neurodivergent and casual Jewish representation included as well. I was excited to talk with them about a few books: debut novel Ana on the Edge from 2020, Ellen Outside the Lines, which was a 2023 Sydney Taylor Honor Book, and the new Camp QUILTBAG, co-written with Nicole Melleby. I thoroughly enjoyed all of these thoughtful, funny, and heartfelt books.
Over half of the books currently being challenged by bigoted extremists are targeted for their LGBTQ+ content. In support of the queer Jewish community, for Pride Month I will post an LGBTQ+ Jewish kidlit title each day in June on The Book of Life's Facebook page at Facebook.com/Bookoflifepodcast.
It should go without saying that gender identity and/or age appropriate sexual content does not automatically equal porn or obscenity. Children and teens are human beings who have bodies and experience age-appropriate sexual feelings, and sometimes they need books that will help them understand their bodies and feelings more fully. Queer books save lives, and I'll be proud to share with you excellent examples of queer Jewish representation all month long.LEARN MORE:
Visit A.J. Sass's website, Twitter, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram (look for skating videos here!) Buy Ana on the Edge, Ellen Outside the Lines, and Camp QUILTBAG Forthcoming work Just Shy of Ordinary, On All Other Nights, and Shabbat Is... Tikkun Olam suggestion: Fight censorship! Buy banned books, request them and borrow them from your library, write letters to the editor, call your representatives, and attend library/school board meetings. Daily LGBTQ+ Jewish reading recommendations from The Book of Life, June 2023 ANDREW'S READING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BOOKS WITH NON-CISGENDER CHARACTERS Young Adult (these all have Jewish representation) A Million Quiet Revolutions by Robin Gow When the Angels Left the Old Country by Sacha Lamb [Book of Life guest January 2023] Camp by L.C. Rosen Middle Grade (these mostly don't have Jewish representation) The Best Liars in Riverview and The House That Whispers by Lin Thompson Too Bright to See, Different Kinds of Fruit, and really anything by Kyle Lukoff Moonflower by Kacen Callender Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston by Esme Symes-Smith Lily and Dunkin by Donna Gephart (has some casual Jewish representation)Visit the SHOW NOTES to find a transcript and more!
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