I am still basking in the glow of the wonderful Association of Jewish Libraries Convention. It was held in beautiful Chicago and the organizers did an incredible job. I had a chance to meet up with the other members of the Sydney Taylor book Award Committee. I’ll be writing about our session, Adventures in Book Reviewing, in another post.

The first session I attended featured an impressive line-up of children’s authors, including Esme Codell shared her experiences as a teacher that inspired her book, VIVE LA PARIS. Ilene Cooper presented some of the stunning illustrations from THE GOLDEN RULE, a lovely book that represents many faiths. Brenda Ferber touched us with the real-life story that inspired JULIA’S KITCHEN, a thoughtful novel about love and loss. Esther Hershenhorn charmed the group with her personal experiences that led to the creation of CHICKEN SOUP BY HEART. It’s fascinating and inspirational to learn how stories come to life.