I am thrilled to welcome my friend, Sarah Aronson to chat about the first book in her new series, THE WISH LIST – The Worst Fairy Godmother Ever! (Scholastic Press, 2017). Sarah is a writer, teacher, and mentor. She is candid…
Tag: middle grade
Welcome Susan Krawitz – Viva Rose!
The history of the Old West is full of interesting figures. Jewish history of the Southwest is a passion of mine and I couldn’t wait to read Viva Rose! Author Susan Krawitz introduces readers to thirteen-year-old Rose Solomon, who discovers her older…
The Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog Tour! Adam and Thomas by Aharon Applefeld, translated by Jeffrey M. Greene, illustrated by Phillippe Dumas
I am so happy to celebrate Adam and Thomas (Triangle Square Books), this year’s winner of the Sydney Taylor Book Award for older readers. Originally published in French, author Aharon Appelfeld tells the story of two nine-year-old boys whose parents…
Welcome Carol Matas – Tucson Jo
As a longtime fan of Carol Matas, I’m so pleased to share our interview on my blog. I loved her new book, Tucson Jo, a middle-grade novel about a young Jewish girl growing up in Tucson, Arizona in 1882. The setting is near…
Monique Polak – What World is Left
What World is Left (Orca, 2008) by Monique Polak tells the story of Anneke and her family as they are forced from their comfortable home and taken to Theresienstadt concentration camp, the site of a Nazi propaganda film. In the camp,…
Beyond Lucky – Sarah Aronson
I’m pleased to introduce Sarah Aronson. Sarah holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She is the author of two books for young readers: a retelling,The Princess and the Pea: A…
Robin Friedman – The Importance of Wings – Sydney Taylor Winner
I have just returned from the Association of Jewish Libraries Convention in Seattle. One of the highlights of the convention is honoring the winners of the Sydney Taylor Book Award. Robin Friedman is the winner of the Gold Medal for…
The Kayak by Debbie Spring
Debbie Spring, author of The Righteous Smuggler has just released a new book, The Kayak. If you are looking for a meaningful middle-grade novel, here is a bit of info: Being involved in sports took Teresa’s mind off the demands…
Honoring Sid Fleischman
I was saddened today to hear of the passing of Sid Fleischman. Sid was a gifted writer and his contributions to children’s literature will continue to enlighten generations of children. More importantly, Sid was a kind and generous man. I…
Welcome Kathy Kacer
One of the highlights of the Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee session at the AJL Convention is the presentation of selected books we have read during the previous year. I was honored to “book talk” The Diary of Laura’s Twin…