Can you feel the excitement? I can!!! I always feel this way when a new book flies into bookstores and we get a chance to celebrate…and in this case, the author IS flying (he lives in Israel and is in NYC for various book events including a book launch TODAY at The Corner Bookstore on Madison Avenue ) and the book is knocking on bookstores and they are welcoming it with open arms because it’s fabulous…and because the illustrations are amazing…and because the name of the book is…
EMILY SAW A DOOR
ME: And we are so lucky because Mel stopped by to chat with us and tell us a bit about the book and its path to publication! Welcome to Picture Books Help Kids Soar, dear friend. We are so excited to have you here. Please share a bit about the bookand your journey with it.
MEL: Thank you so much, Vivian. It’s a joy to be here. Here’s a short summary of the story
Emily knocks on door after door, seeking to be welcomed inside. After facing one disappointment after another, she realizes that the door that is right for her is the one she must create herself. When another child comes knocking, Emily is there with an open door and a warm welcome.
And here’s the story behind the story…that is, what inspired me to write the story and/or any humorous incidents and/or challenging moments on the path to publication.
As a short, pudgy, left-handed, Jewish child growing up in an anti-Semitic neighborhood in Ottawa, rejection was a regular occurrence. But I think that the main impetus for the story came from the hundreds of rejections I endured as an author trying to break into the world of traditional publishing. Ironically, my story about doors and rejection turned out to be the door that opened and welcomed me in.
ME: Oh Mel…I love that you kept moving forward…and I know that ALL of the writers who read this will connect with your story of rejection, whether they are aspiring authors or multi-published. And not only writers…since EVERYONE deals with challenges and the possible destruction of their dreams. Your words…and your book…give hope…and inspire us to never give up!
A little bit about the author: Professor Mel Rosenberg is a Canadian-born author, scientist and inventor. His TED-Ed animations have been viewed 14 million times. Mel hosts the Children’s Literature channel of the New Books Network. Emily Saw a Door is his first North American picture book release. He is represented by Liza Royce Associates.
And a little bit about the illustrator: Orit Magia is a children’s book author and illustrator celebrated for her whimsical visual storytelling and memorable characters. Her art brings emotion and depth to every scene she creates.
Illustrations by Orit Magia
MEL: I also want to shout out that the original book was published in Hebrew in 2023, by Meira Firon (publisher, Tal-May) and chief editor Yotam Shwimmer. They picked my story out of the ‘pile,’ worked with me on revision and translation, chose Orit Magia, and created a wonderful book which won awards and has recently been given to 50,000 children in Israel, thanks to PJ Library.
ME: WOW! The story about the book’s journey gets better and better, Mel. And the illustrations are glorious! I can’t wait for my copy to be delivered! And, dear friends, if you want a chance to speak with Mel (he is kind and brilliant and funny), make sure you leave a comment to be entered in the giveaway of a 30-minute Zoom chat.He says he is willing to talk about any subject…even halitosis (he’s a scientist and inventor, after all).
To learn more about Mel and get in touch with him: If you are local to NYC, you can attend his LAUNCH PARTY at The Corner Bookstore!
Thank you all for spending your precious time with us. I hope you have a wonderful week! And I hope that lots of you are working on your #50PreciousWords entries.
Hello dear friends! I hope you have been practicing your scales because we have a TRIPLE happy book birthday to sing…for THREE brand new Purim book boards. Here’s a peek at the covers:
First of all…I absolutely LOVE board books…these sturdy little books that invite wee ones to begin the exciting journey into the world of books! The art is engaging…the text simple and child-friendly. And all three of these are perfect examples of the genre.
And lucky us! Authors Varda Livney, Nancy Churnin, and Barbara Kimmel were kind enough to stop by to share a bit about their books, plus the story behind their stories…what inspired them to write them…and more.
ME: Welcome, dear ladies! Thank you for stopping by to chat.
NANCY: Thank you so much for having us, Vivian. It’s a joy to be here. Let me share a little background about the books. You wouldn’t think there would be a wide variety of stories about celebrating Purim, a Jewish holiday about speaking up and taking actions for yourself and others, and certainly not in the very brief board book form aimed at toddlers.
And yet, here are three PJ Publishing board books by three different authors – all friends – who have taken three very distinct, colorful approaches. Purim Possibilities by Barbara Kimmel (illustrated by Irina Avgustinovich) plays with the fun of choosing a costume for Purim. Purim Baskets by Nancy Churnin (illustrated by Amy Schimler-Safford) offers a guessing game that centers on the Purim tradition of giving gift baskets to friends with the twist of those friends being animals, bird, and a fish. And Today I Am a Hamantasch, a Poem for Purim, written and illustrated by Varda Livney, tells us the story from the point of view of everyone’s favorite Purim treat, the hamantaschen!
The three books are a testament to the richness of the Purim story and the creative variety of board books. They remind us of how many delicious twists are yet to be discovered in familiar holidays and how much joy can be infused into so few words for our youngest book lovers who deserve the best we can give them.
Families can learn more or sign up for free monthly Jewish children’s books at pjlibrary.org. These three titles will also be available in February through the PJ Library store on Amazon: amazon.com/pjlibrary.
ME: Thank you, Nancy! I know we’ll hear more from you in a minute, but I think Varda is ready to share some info about her book, TODAY I AM A HAMANTASCH.
VARDA: Thank you, Vivian.
Today I Am a Hamantasch introduces babies to Purim characters, costumes and of course to the wonderful Hamantasch. It’s a poem, it’s a board book, it has cutouts- and it’s meant to spread Purim Joy to ALL the babies.
ME: Any challenges or humorous moments on the path to publication?
VARDA: Well, there was the knock-down, drag-out fight about spelling Hamantasch vs. Hamentasch. (I wanted Hamentasch. I lost.)
Challenge: The book has cutouts, making it a challenge to match the art up exactly so that the illustration still works when the page is turned. (I still haven’t seen the actual book yet, so I hope it came out right.)
ME: What inspired you to write it? VARDA: As with many of my projects, it started from doodling- in this case, Purim costumes on assorted animals.
My aim, when writing for babies (and those who read to them) is to spread warm & fuzzy (and fun) feelings about the holiday, not necessarily to teach the whole story.
Here’s a little bit about Varda: Varda Livney lives on a kibbutz with her family and 1,000 other assorted people, dogs, cats, cows and olive trees. Her studio is smack-in-between the baseball field and the cowbarn, which ensures that she gets to hear the crack of the bat and smell the cows while she tries to figure out how to bring world peace through drawing cats and bunnies. Varda designed textiles, packaging, gifts and greeting cards, before pivoting to writing books for kids. Today I Am a Hamantasch is her 7th PJ Library book.
ME: Thank you so much, Varda! I’ve loved being in the #JewishBoardBooks group with you. And now we’ll welcome back Nancy who will share a bit about her new book: PURIM BASKETS.
NANCY: Purim Baskets: In this gently rhyming board book, young listeners guess what creature gets each shalach manot – Purim gift basket – based on the treats and gifts inside.
And here’s my inspiration for Purim Baskets:
My cat, Gloria Swanson, who is always at my side or on my lap while I am writing, has made it clear, in so many purrs, that while a book should not be judged by its cover, it should and will be judged by the presence or lack of cats within. With that in mind, I was determined to make a cat an integral part of a board book I was brainstorming on Purim. And since Gloria is fond of treats and toys, it was an easy leap to create a book about shalach manot – Purim baskets – for our furry, feathered and scaled friends. I am happy (and relieved) that Gloria was very pleased with the cat basket page (four paws up to Amy Schimler-Safford for her meow-velous work!). So far, Gloria has not objected to the basket pages for other creatures, and she even has a soft spot for the dog basket since she is fond of our dog (named Dog!). Gloria, Dog and I hope that this book will inspire young listeners to be kind to their pets, including those in shelters and pet stores, and bring treats to them.
Here’s a little bit about Nancy: Nancy Churnin bio: Nancy Churnin is an award-winning children’s book author, living in North Texas, with a passion for writing about people – and animals! – who make the world a better and kinder place and inspire kids to become heroes, too. Among her honors: the National Jewish Book Award, South Asia Book Award, Sydney Taylor Honor and Notables, Junior Library Guild selections, Silver Eurekas, National Council for the Social Studies Trade Books, Bank Street College of Education Best Books, A Mighty Girl, multiple state lists, including the Texas 2X2 and Topaz lists, and starred reviews. You can find resources, teacher guides and projects on nancychurnin.com.
And here’s a little bit about illustrator Amy Schimler-Safford : Amy, the illustrator of Purim Baskets, has worked as a textile designer and children’s illustrator for more than two decades, designing and illustrating children’s books and periodicals, children’s apparel, toys wall décor, fabrics, greeting cards, and stationery. Her work reflects her passion for color and pattern. Her book, “Why is the Sky Blue?”, was paired with an Eric Carle title for Booktrust.org’s book bag program, with more than 700,000 book bags distributed to students in the UK.
ME: That’s wonderful, Nancy! And now, last, but certainly not least, let’s hear from Barbara.
BARBARA: Purim Possibilities follows a child getting ready for Purim as they try on costume after costume, wondering how they’ll ever choose just one. Each outfit reveals a different side of who they are, and they begin to imagine whether it might be possible to show all those parts at once. Told in cheerful rhyme, this playful board book includes reusable stickers so children can mix and match costumes themselves.
ME: Where there any challenges along the way?
BARBARA: Writing Jewish holiday stories in rhyme definitely has its challenges. (Have you ever tried to find a rhyme for King Ahasuerus? Or hamantaschen?) I wanted to include key Purim elements that would resonate with children, while still keeping the text lively and playful. Fitting that into a tight, engaging rhyme took some maneuvering, but I was thrilled when it finally clicked.
ME: What inspired you to write the story?
BARBARA: I was in a store when I noticed a child wearing a frilly tutu, a cape, and colorful rain boots (even though it was a bright, sunny day). I loved how confidently they had chosen their outfit and were expressing themselves. It made me think about how children don’t fit neatly into labels like brave, shy, outgoing, or sensitive — they can be many things at once. That’s what Purim Possibilities is about: embracing the many parts of yourself.
And here’s a little bit about Barbara: Barbara Kimmel is a children’s book author and playwright who creates playful, interactive stories for young readers. Her debut book, Hanukkah Hippity-Hop (Kar-Ben Publishing), is a rhyming interactive board book that was named a Best Jewish Holiday Children’s Book by the Association of Jewish Libraries. Her short stories appear in children’s magazines, including Highlights and High Five. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
And here’s a little bit about the illustrator: Irina Avgustinovich is a children’s book illustrator originally from Belarus and now based in Portugal. Trained in classical painting and ceramics, she has over 15 years of experience illustrating books for children and has worked extensively with publishers in Europe, the UK, and the United States. Deeply inspired by the world of childhood, her illustrations celebrate imagination, humor, and freedom of expression, brought to life through playful textures and a vibrant use of light and color.
Barbara’s Social Media
Website: barbarakimmelwrites.com Instagram: @barbarakimmelwrites Facebook: Barbara Kimmel Writes Bluesky: @barbarakimmel.bsky.social X (Twitter): @BKimmelWrites
WOW! Thank you all for taking us behind the scenes of the path to publication for these three beautiful new board books! The books are available on Amazon for those who aren’t part of the PJ Library family but want to acquire copies for their home bookshelves. And please remember that book reviews are an important way others find out about a book…they only take a minute or two to write…but mean a lot to the creators of the books that you love.
I always feel so blessed to be part of this incredible kid-lit community. Whether I meet folks in person at a conference or book event, connect via an online class, or read their wonderful submission to #50PreciousWords, it’s a joy! And today’s cover reveal is for a book written by long-time blog follower and #50PreciousWords participant, Alicia Meyers…it’s called TIC-ERRIFIC ME! and I know it’s going to be TERRIFIC!
What an affirming and positive cover this is!!! I love the joy and energy! Kids will want to pick it up…and the story will act as mirrors and windows, helping many children feel seen and heard, while helping other become accepting and empathetic.
Alicia was kind enough to stop by to chat about the book and the story behind the story, so let’s welcome her to Picture Books Help Kids Soar!
ME: Hello, Alicia. It’s so lovely to have you visit. Can you share a little bit about the book and it’s path to publication?
ALICIA: Thank you again for partnering with me to reveal this special book to the world!
I am honored to get to do this with you, as you have been such a support in the Kidlit community to me for so many years.
Short Summary/Synopsis:
Tics are what my body does, they’re part of who I am. In TIC-ERRIFIC ME, we meet a young neurodiverse child diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome: A condition of the nervous system that causes movement and sound tics in the body. She is a unique child with many talents–and any tics that decide to join her. She takes us through how her body responds when she has sounds or movements she needs to let out and talks about techniques that work for her. This story is a simple ode to being truly tic-errific! After all, our tics only add to how great we already are.
TIC-ERRIFIC ME also includes a backmatter board game that encourages readers to try different Ready, Set, Reset strategies that can calm their brain and body.
Why I wrote this book:
Like the girl in this story, I have Tourette syndrome. Some days, my tics fly under the radar. Other days, they are harder to control. Growing up, I felt embarrassed, and worried that the noises and movements my body made bothered people. I tried to hide my tics and hold them in—which only made them worse. But as I got older, I realized how my tics made me, me. There is no one exactly like me. I wrote this story to share my experience living with Tourette syndrome, as well as to empower readers to learn to embrace their tics, and show the world how truly tic-errific they are.
Humorous incident OR challenging moment to share about path to publication
In March 2023, I was a showcase finalist in Mindy Alyse Weiss’ PB Party contest with a fictional, rhythmic story called Tic, Tic, Stop, about a girl’s day-in-the-life with TS. Free Spirit requested the full manuscript, but when I later connected with them–they instead told me about an opportunity to write for their upcoming “Disability Books for Kids” series, where each author lives with the condition. Though Tic, Tic, Stop had to hit the shelf for a bit, this felt like the opportunity of a lifetime–a chance to share my story of TS with the world. I couldn’t say no!
Short Bio for me AND the illustrator:
Alicia Meyers is a second-grade teacher in Washington, DC, and was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome at a young age. As a neurodiverse author and teacher, she hopes to encourage those with TS to embrace their tics as part of who they uniquely are. When she’s not teaching or writing, she can be found singing loudly, curled up with a book, eating pasta, planning her next trip, or reminding others how totally tic-errific they are.
Cait Brennan is an easily excited illustrator from the coastal town of Charleston, South Carolina. Cait credits much of her inspiration to growing up around great Southern storytellers who valued nature, food, family, and humor. At an early age, she discovered that drawing was a great way to make people smile—or, even better, laugh. As a total ham, that was very appealing. Her motivations haven’t changed much, and she loves celebrating joyful moments, big and small, in her work. When she’s not on a deadline, you can find her making big messes in the kitchen, trying to get a laugh, or planning her next trip.
This is all fabulous, dear Alicia. Thank you for sharing.I’m hoping we will get to meet in person at NCTE this week! And thank you, dear blog followers, for spending your precious time with us. If any of you will be at NCTE, I hope you’ll check out my panel: IGNITING BOLD DREAMS: USING PICTURE BOOKS TO HELP READERS CONNECT WITH HISTORY AND FIND THEIR VOICE: Friday, Nov 21 at 11am to 12:15pm in Room 610 of the Convention Center. I’ll also be signing ONE GIRL’S VOICE on Friday, Nov 21 at 1:30-2pm at the Astra Booth #922.
And if you leave a comment and plan to be at NCTE, please include your panel or book signing times and locations if you would like to share them.
VIVIAN KIRKFIELD - Writer for Children 