I feel so lucky that I meet so many amazing kidlit authors and illustrators. Sometimes I meet them at conferences. Sometimes our paths cross during an online class. And other times, mutual friends bring us together.
That’s how I connected with Jenny Andrus. She’s in the #Kidlit Foxes author promo group with a couple of other folks I know – and when she reached out and I heard the story behind her debut picture book, ELSA’S CHESSBOARD that releases from Neal Porter/Holiday House on April 29, I just knew I had to help spread the word…and the COVER!
Illustrator Julie Downing has created a cover that truly engages and informs! Look at the background. We can tell right away that this is a book about a time in the past. And look at where the focus is…right on this young girl…and look how the artist has made her active. She’s not just sitting at a chessboard…we can see she is involved in an on-going game! I can’t wait to open the book and turn the pages and read the story…and I’m sure that’s how young children will feel, too.
Here’s a little bit about the book: Elsa’s Chessboard Jenny Andrus (author) Julie Downing (illustrator) Neal Porter Books/Holiday House Launch date: April 29, 2025 ISBN: 9780823454082
ME: I asked Jenny what inspired her to write the story.
JENNY: My grandmother (we called her Oma) lived with us when I was growing up, and we were very close. I could talk to her about almost anything–except chess. Even though Oma was passionate about the game, I resisted her every effort to teach me how to play. There was always something else that I would rather do. Eventually, she gave up trying. How I wish I could go back in time and take her up on that offer. Since that’s not a possibility, I went with the next best option: I wrote a book celebrating her life and the game she loved.
Oma Elsa & granddaughter, author Jenny
Here’s a short summary of the story
Growing up in 1900s Vienna, Elsa loves watching her brothers play chess. “No girls!” they tell her when she first asks to learn; but she wears them down, and soon she’s such a pro that they give her a special chess set of her own. Elsa carries her chessboard with her everywhere, always ready for a game. She even gets to know her future husband over games in the park. But when World War II grips Europe, the young Jewish family flees to America, where they find themselves surrounded by unfamiliar languages. Luckily, Elsa knows one language that can always bring people together: chess!
And here’s a little bit about Jenny:
Jenny Andrus is an author, children’s book reviewer, and librarian. She has written stories for newspapers and magazines, and co-authored a book for new parents, Bay Area Baby. For 14 years, she was a K-8 school librarian, where her favorite part of the job was sharing picture books with kids.
And here’s a little bit about the illustrator:
Julie Downing is the author and illustrator of Hello, Moon; Hello, Sun; and Night in the City. She has illustrated over forty-five picture books, including Cubs in the Tub: The True Story of the Bronx Zoo’s First Woman Zookeeper by Candace Fleming. She has won many awards and citations, including a Parents’ Choice Award, the New York Public Library’s Best Books, APAAL Best Illustrated Book, and the Irma Black Silver Medal.
To find out more about the creators of this beautiful book: Social media links / website Instagram: Jenny: @jennyandruswrites Julie Downing:@juliedowning
Thank you, everyone, for spending your precious time with us. I’ll be away for the next 2 weeks – and will return JUST IN TIME for #50PreciousWords which takes place right here on the blog on March 2 and March 3. Our wonderful judges are all ready to read your fabulous stories…have you written yours yet? As always, the prizes are amazing! Check out the Heads Up post for guidelines and prize list: https://viviankirkfield.com/2025/02/01/heads-up-the-50preciouswords-2024-international-writing-contest-is-coming-soon-2/
Wow…I think this is the 4th year in a row that I’ve had the honor of interviewing the creators of the winning picture book. Many thanks to the Sydney Taylor Book Awards committee. And many thanks to the creators of AN ETROG FROM ACROSS THE SEA, for giving young readers such a fabulous book!
Published by Kar Ben – August 6, 2024
What a joyful experience this was…Talya Sokoll connected us via email – and I reached out to authors Deborah Cohen and Kerry Olitsky and illustrator Stacey Dressen McQueen – and almost immediately, my inbox began to receive their responses. I know you will all enjoy finding out about their process, research, and collaboration – so please, sit back and relax.
ME: Welcome, Deborah, Kerry, and Stacey! What a pleasure and an honor to get the chance to chat with you. I know my blog followers are excited to hear about how this book came to be – and perhaps, a bit about the process of collaborating on such a lovely project.
ME: For the writers: What inspired you to write this story?
DEBORAH:
Kerry and I had been talking about doing a Sukkot story. We kept on coming up with story ideas and then with a little web searching, finding out that it had already been done. We decided we needed to dig deeper for ideas. I was poking around on the web and came upon an online exhibit of different etrog holders. The Gomez family etrog holder immediately spoke to me. It is so delicate and finely made. I especially became interested when I started to research the family. Here, I found the email that I sent to Kerry in July 2022, telling him about the cup.” I found this picture of a colonial-era etrog holder. It was a fancy mustard cup that the wealthy Gomez family brought with them to America. The family used it instead as a as an etrog holder. It has family initials carved into it. The Gomez family imported items for trade and had lots of connections in Jamaica and Barbados. I was imagining a young girl waiting for her father to come back from sea. He returns with an etrog and she wants to treat it carefully, so she puts it in the mustard cup – the nicest heirloom that the family owns.” It’s pretty amazing how closely the story ended up following the original idea. as an etrog holder. It has family initials carved into it. The Gomez family imported items for trade and had lots of connections in Jamaica and Barbados. I was imagining a young girl waiting for her father to come back from sea. He returns with an etrog and she wants to treat it carefully so puts it in the mustard cup – the nicest heirloom that the family owns.” It’s pretty amazing how closely the story ended up following this original idea!
Gomez family Etrog holderLuis Gomez
KERRY: We had been looking for a new approach to Jewish holiday stories. As we tossed ideas around and dug into various ideas, the idea of doing something in this time period using a ritual object bubbled to the surface.
ME: I notice there are two authors, how did this collaboration come about?
DEBORAH: Kerry and I have known each other for years. He was a professor at Hebrew Union College when I was a rabbinical student. We reconnected years later when he reached out and asked about writing for children. Our strengths complement one another well. And we enjoy working together. Writing can be solitary and having a writing partner makes it less so.
KERRY: We have collaborated on many book projects together and still have a number of picture books and other children’s books in the pipeline. We originally met when I was on the faculty of Hebrew Union College when Deborah was a student. Years later, I reached out to her for editing suggestions on my first children’s book Where’s the Potty on this Ark? Eventually we reconnected and decided to work on some things together.
ME: How did the research process unfold?
DEBORAH: Since we were writing during the pandemic, we did all of our research online. We were lucky that the Gomez family was fairly prominent and we were able to find a lot information about them. The Gomez Mill House in the Hudson Valley of New York has an extensive website, with lots of photographs and links to more information. That proved invaluable.
KERRY: Our approach is usually that we start researching an idea, and sometimes divide up the subject area. Then we take notes and compare them, working the content until we find the idea that works.
ME: Were there any humorous incidents or challenging moments on the path to publication for this book?
DEBORAH: It’s not humorous at all but, when the book came out, there were a few, small last minute changes that I did not remember us making. Kerry didn’t either. I looked back through my email and I realized that we had sent those changes to Kar-Ben on October 6, 2023. The next day was the attack in Israel, of course. The rest of October 2023 was a blur to me, so I understood why we didn’t remember some simple revisions.
KERRY: Finding the right publisher who is willing to take on a book project is always challenging. We were also fortunate that PJ Library chose our book for fall holiday mailing.
ME: What do you hope young readers will take away from this story?
DEBORAH: I hope that young reader first and foremost think it’s a good story that captures their attention and imagination. I hope that they feel a kinship with Leah and Aaron and recognize their own similarities to them, despite living 300 years apart. Some themes – like sibling rivalry or worrying about your parents coming back for you – are just timeless. The Jewish community has been part of American life for a very long time and, hopefully, this story will help build Jewish pride.
KERRY: I hope that young readers will take away a few things, including just enjoying the story. I hope that they will feel closer to the festival of Sukkot, that there can be pleasure in taking a ritual object and raising its level of beauty (called hiddur mitzvah in Hebrew). I also hope that they will become interested enough in the Jewish community of the Colonial Period to learn more about it.
ME: Thank you both for these very thoughtful and insightful answers! It’s wonderful to see how a collaboration between authors can spark the birth of a beautiful award-winning book. And because it’s a picture book, the illustrator’s vision also comes into play – so we are especially lucky to have Stacey here as well How did you feel when you first read the manuscript?
STACEY: Delighted! The opportunity to dive into all the historical details of this rich and touching manuscript was really exciting. Along with the story, I immediately loved the characters – especially the realistic sibling dynamic between Leah and Aaron and the tenderness between Grandpa Luis and Leah. I couldn’t wait to get them on the page.
ME: Did you collaborate with the writers during the illustration process?
STACEY: No, I didn’t have contact with the writers when I was illustrating. Deborah and Kerry’s writing is a dream to expand on with pictures. During the process of illustrating An Etrog from Across the Sea, I was supported with the thoughtful and insightful guidance and feedback of editor Joanna Sussman and art director Athena Currier of Kar-Ben. A wonderful team to work with!
ME: The story takes place during Colonial America…what type of research did you need to do?
STACEY: To get the tone and palette of the story, I looked to Early American portraits and embroidery work (and looked and looked – they are so fascinating!).
When narrowing in on details of clothing, interiors, stage coaches and ships, I went up, down and all around online from museum archives, blogs and paintings and illustrations of the era. I also went to the library and found nonfiction children’s books about life in the colonial era that were helpful with the details of everyday life.
With An Etrog from Across the Sea being based on a real family, the Gomez family, it was wonderful to have the Gomez Mill House in Marlboro, NY, as a basis for an actual home. The beautiful silver mustard cup that belonged to the family and was used as an etrog holder is in the collection of the American Jewish Historical Society.
ME: Were there any humorous incidents or challenging moments on the path to publication for this book?
STACEY: Knowing when to wind down on the researching can be a challenge. I went on a very deep and rather needless dive into colonial era wood mills for a spell. The wood mill was a very itty bit in the background of a very busy page. No need to go in for a tight grasp on the mechanics… So it is good to remember there is a time for research and a time to just take yourself out for a walk in the sunshine, or maybe to eat something sweet. Just move on.
ME: What do you hope young readers will take away from this story?
STACEY: An Etrog from Across the Sea is such a wonderful little portrait of this moment in history and told with such love and warmth. I hope the reader absorbs that and takes with them a curiosity for more of all of it – the joy in the way stories create a nearness to the past.
ME: Oh my goodness! Stacey…thank you so much! You’ve shared so much with us…we are grateful. And you also shared some early sketches..
Early sketches for ETROG
I just had to share this lovely review from Kirkus:
“This touching story, written by two rabbis, offers a glimpse into a lesser-known aspect of colonial America and celebrates the warmth of family togetherness. A homey, appealing holiday celebration.”―Kirkus Reviews
And here’s a little bit about these fabulous creators: Rabbi Deborah Bodin Cohen is the author of many award-winning children’s books including Papa Jethro and Nachshon Who Was Afraid to Swim. She lives in Maryland with her husband and three children. And Deborah has a page on her website with discussion guides: https://bodincohenbooks.com/discussion-guides/
Dr. Kerry Olitzky is a prominent leader in the field of Jewish education and innovation, having contributed significantly through his role as the long-time executive director of Big Tent Judaism, an organization dedicated to integrating interfaith families and the unaffiliated into Jewish life. He has also enriched the academic and spiritual landscape as a visiting professor at the Abraham Geiger Kolleg/University of Pottsdam in Germany and as a Fellow at the City University Graduate Center (NY) in its Jewish Studies Program. Recognized as one of the 50 Leading Rabbis in North America by Newsweek, Olitzky’s influence extends beyond traditional educational settings, having served as vice president of the Wexner Heritage Foundation and the national Dean of AdultJewish Learning and Living of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. His pioneering work spans Jewish Twelve Step spirituality and Jewish Gerontology, positioning him as a leader in developing innovative training programs for clergy across faiths. A prolific and award-winning author, Olitzky has published nearly 100 books and numerous articles, including recent titles like Heroes with Chutzpah and The Heroes Haggadah: Lead the Way to Freedom, contributing valuable insights across a variety of fields. His picture book, An Etrog From Across the Sea won the prestigious Sydney Taylor Award. His work, often found in leading publications in North America and Israel, continues to impact and shape contemporary Jewish thought and practice. You can visit his library and studio at: www.kerryolitzky.com
Stacey Dressen McQueen is the illustrator of several award-winning picture books, including Boxes for Katje, which Publishers Weekly named a Best Children’s Book of the Year. She works in pencil, oil pastel, and acrylic. She grew up on a farm in South Dakota and lives with her family in Portland, Oregon. You can find out more about Stacey and her work at: https://www.dressenmcqueen.com/
FOR WRITERS, ILLUSTRATORS, PARENTS, TEACHERS, LIBRARIANS, AND BOOK LOVERS EVERYWHERE
TODAY’S GUESTS
BETH ANDERSONVIVIAN KIRKFIELD
Welcome, everyone! I hope you are all safe – the world is a sad and scary place sometimes, but it’s important to continue to connect with people and projects that give us joy, even in the midst of troubled times…maybe especially in the midst of troubled times. And when I discovered that one of my dearest kidlit friends and long-time CPs, Beth Anderson, had a new book launching right around the time my latest book was launching, we knew we needed to do something special.
Both books are nonfiction picture books. Both books focus on women who refused to accept the role society offered them. Instead, both women used their skills, courageously making their voices heard..and making a difference of global proportions.
Kate WarneLucy Stone
So, please grab your coffee, tea, hot cocoa, or beverage of choice and sit back to enjoy a conversation of sorts between book creators and their characters.
VIVIAN: Hi, Beth. I’m so glad you are here – and although your character, Kate Warne, and mine, Lucy Stone, can’t be here in person with us, I know they are here in spirit. So, I’m curious. Why did you feel kids needed to know about Kate? How will young readers relate to her hopes and dreams and the path she decided to take to become a Pinkerton detective?
BETH: Thanks so much, Vivian. I’m excited to chat about these amazing women. Kate’s story interested me for so many reasons! It was a detective story! With a gutsy woman who blazed an unusual path. It’s about a piece of history, the Baltimore Plot, which I’d never heard of before. And, it features a favorite person from history, Abraham Lincoln. Like me, I think kids will connect to the secrets, a dangerous plot, and be fascinated by this exciting peek “behind the scenes” that lets us know how complicated, and surprising, history can be.
Kids need to know about Kate because she’s a “regular” person like most of us. She put herself out there, not seeking fame and fortune, and took risks for others—and she impacted history. This event shows how important us regular people are, which can inspire hope, courage, and action when we look at the world today.
So now, I’m curious about your choice. Why did you choose Lucy Stone to write about? Why do you feel kids need to know about her?
VIVIAN: I absolutely love history…and I love discovering people who made a difference, but who might not have been recognized for what they did. I uncovered some information about Lucy Stone when I was researching Annie Londonderry and then someone, I think it was you, told me that there was going to be a Lucy Stone History-At-Play. I saw the performance by Judith Kalaora, who painstakingly researches famous women in American history and then creates fascinating performances, dressed in authentic costumes. The Lucy Stone performance inspired me to find out more. From the performance, it sounded like she was the one who inspired Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony to fight for women’s rights. And like you, Beth, when something sparks my curiosity, I have to find out more. I think many kids are like that – and I hope that ONE GIRL’S VOICE will spark the curiosity of many young readers. I believe kids will relate to her because there are many spreads/scenes that take place when she is still a child, railing against the rule of the day in the 19th century, that women should remain silent – and Lucy was determined to make her voice heard – and she did!.
It’s interesting, Beth, that both women lived around the same time. There is a lot of information about Lucy and her early and later life. She was born in 1818 in Massachusetts and died in 1893, but…not much is known about Kate. She was born about 1833 and died in 1868. Their lives intersected in time, if not in person. We don’t know if they ever met, right? Also, how did you craft a story without access to a lot of information?
BETH: That’s true. There is a lot more information about Lucy Stone than there is for Kate Warne. It’s hard to understand how she came to be who she was without knowing much about her childhood. Since this event involves Lincoln and Pinkerton, we have some sources that share Kate’s role. But it’s also interesting to note that some sources mention the plot and Pinkerton, but don’t mention Kate, an example of women often being left out of history. To tell her story, I needed to research far and wide to understand the challenges of her situation and the risks she took.
With such limited information on Kate’s life, it’s impossible to know if she ever knew about or met Lucy Stone. But…I can’t help but think that given the character traits we see in Kate’s actions, she would have read newspapers and followed the news on the fight for women’s rights. Who knows, maybe that inspired her to apply for a “male” job! Since Kate’s actions to save Lincoln remained a secret so she could work as a spy during the Civil War, Lucy couldn’t have known about Kate before her death. If they had met, I think they would have had great respect for each other and cheered each other on.
What do you think?
VIVIAN: Oh, I agree, Beth. Even though they were very different, they both supported equality for all. Kate guarded President Abraham Lincoln with her life, aware that this man was a force for good in the country. And Lucy devoted her life to fighting for abolition, equal rights for women, and equality for all. What I love is that both of them can be role models for young readers, especially girls who can see how important it is to question the status quo…that we can make change happen by our actions. And it’s crucial for boys to grow into men who respect the intelligence and capabilities of women. As Lucy Stone said when she addressed the New Jersey legislature in 1867 regarding woman suffrage, “Why should not a woman be President of the United States? The names of Elizabeth of England, of Catherine of Russia, of Isabella of Spain, of Maria Theresa of Austria – each of these proves woman’s capacity to govern. Are American women alone incompetent for great responsibilities?”
Do you think Kate would have agreed with Lucy’s statement about the ability of women to handle great responsibilities?
BETH: Most definitely! And she proved it! And though Kate could never talk about her work, she had to use her voice and persuasive skills, like Lucy, when she convinced Allan Pinkerton to hire her as a detective. And Pinkerton quickly became a firm believer in the capabilities of women! He created a division of female detectives and put her in charge. I also think it’s crucial for kids to see history through the eyes of people who experienced it – to see how they responded to the challenges they faced.
VIVIAN: Oh yes! That’s so true, Beth. We can read facts about history, but it’s so much more powerful and relatable when we see it through the eyes and actions of the true life characters in these nonfiction picture book biographies. Children can observe how Kate foiled the assassination attempt – and all the planning that she had to do and the courage she had to muster to infiltrate the enemy’s strongholds to learn what was going on. They can watch how Lucy met opposition with calm and steadfast purpose and how she never gave up her battle to secure equal rights for everyone, even when her own life was threatened.
And now dear friends, Beth and I have a couple of special treats for you.
There is a GIVEAWAY! One lucky reader is going to WIN a copy of HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT: Kate Warne and the Race to Save Abraham Lincoln, illustrated by Sally Wern Comport (Calkins Creek/Astra Books for Young Readers) AND a copy of ONE GIRL’S VOICE: How Lucy Stone Helped Change the Law of the Land, illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon (Calkins Creek/Astra Books for Young Readers). All you need to do is COMMENT on this post OR on Beth’s post: . And if you comment on BOTH POSTS, you get TWO chances to win the double book giveaway! When the winner is chosen on February 21st, Beth will announce and contact the winner and the publisher will send out the books (U.S. addresses only, please) so you’ll have them in time for Women’s History Month!
But that’s not all, folks! Teacher guides are so important because these books are perfect for using in multiple grades and across various curriculum content areas. Beth’s guide for HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT is already up on her website: Learn more about HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT and download the EDUCATOR GUIDE here: https://bethandersonwriter.com/hiding-in-plain-sight-kate-warne-and-the-race-to-save-abraham-lincoln/
And my educator guide will be on my website soon.
And we are not done yet! After all, this is a Will Write for Cookies post, true? I love to bake and in my research, I discovered that Lucy Stone did, too. Just because she traveled from coast to coast by stagecoach, train, and horse and buggy, speaking out for abolition and women’s rights – and was the first woman from Massachusetts to secure a four-year university degree, doesn’t mean she wasn’t handy around the kitchen. I discovered she has a recipe in THE WOMAN SUFFRAGE COOKBOOK, originally published in 1886 by Hattie Burr. It’s a recipe for YEAST…because in the 1880’s, folks didn’t buy their yeast in little foil packets. So, if you are adventurous in the kitchen and want to give it a try, here is Lucy Stone’s recipe for Home Made Yeast:
Boil a heaping quart of loose hops (or if they are pressed, 2 ounces) in one gallon of water, strain it, when it is cold, put in a small handful of salt., and a half pound of sugar, then take a pound of flour and rub it smooth with some of the liquor, after which make it thin with more of the same liquor and mix all together, let this stand for 24 hours; then boil and mash three pounds of potatoes and add to it, let it stand 24 hours more; then put it in a bottle or tight vessel, and it is ready for use. Shake the bottle before using. It should be kept in a warm place while it is making, and in a cool place afterward.
Beth says we should call it ‘Rise to the Challenge’ yeast – in honor of the brave women in our books. You could use it to prepare cinnamon rolls or any other recipe that calls for yeast. I hope you let me know if you try it. It’s quite labor-intensive, as were most chores that women had to do in those days. There were many similar cookbooks that were published like this one, as a fundraiser for the suffrage movement…and they also served as a mode of communication for women back in the day before the internet and cell phones. I’m excited to read this one from cover to cover to check out the conversations.
Beth and I hope you all enjoyed this conversation between creators and characters. And we hope you’ll do all the things that help books become a success: Buy them: HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT:
One Girl’s Voice: Tell friends about them Ask your local library to purchase copies
Beth’s book is already proudly sitting on shelves in your local indie bookstores. And mine will be arriving on February 11th – which is my ACTUAL birthday…how cool is that! Plus there are several book events coming up in March for me: March 8 at 1:30pm-3pm: G. Willikers Books and Toys in Portsmouth, NH March 29 at 11am-11:45am – The Silver Unicorn Bookstore in Acton MA
We invite you all to celebrate these wonderful books with us! If you are a teacher or librarian looking for an engaging author visit, please reach out. If you are a writer of narrative nonfiction, each of these books could serve as a mentor text. And if you are a parent of young readers, we hope you’ll share these role models in history with your kids.
Have a great weekend, everyone! And don’t forget to leave a comment here and on the post on Beth’s blog for a chance to WIN this cool book pairing!
VIVIAN KIRKFIELD - Writer for Children 