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  • The Bubbe of Them All: Kar-Ben Publishing

    The Bubbe of Them All: Kar-Ben Publishing
    2025/01/02
    SHOW NOTES: https://jewishbooks.blogspot.com/2025/01/the-bubbe-of-them-all-kar-ben-publishing.html TRANSCRIPT: https://otter.ai/u/K9B8p4G3Nr-quRj9KYrkhRaGZio?utm_source=copy_url Appropriately, as we kick off this podcast's 20th anniversary year, in this episode we are going to think about change and continuity. We say goodbye to an old friend, Joni Sussman, who is retiring after twenty years of leading the Jewish children's publishing company Kar-Ben. And we'll say hello to a new friend, Fran Greenman-Schmitz, who will be taking up the reins at Kar-Ben. I've been in this business a long time, so I remember when Joni started at Kar-Ben! This is her fourth live conference interview on the show, and of course it's Fran's first. Joni is the winner of the Sydney Taylor Body of Work Award, for her many contributions to the field of Jewish kidlit. To give you some context, the oldest publisher of Jewish books in English is the Jewish Publication Society, founded in 1888, but Kar-Ben is the oldest publisher to exclusively focus on Jewish children's books. It was founded fifty years ago, in 1974 - so happy anniversary to Kar-Ben! Now there are half a dozen presses that exclusively publish Jewish children's books, but Kar-Ben is the Bubbe of them all. I spoke with Joni and Fran at the 2024 Association of Jewish Libraries conference to hear all about this exciting time of transition. LEARN MORE: Kar-Ben Publishing website"Kar-Ben's New Publisher Is on a Mission" Publishers Weekly 9/17/24Joni Sussman's past appearances on The Book of Life 2010 - Book Expo: Jewish Presses2015 - Diversity in Jewish Kidlit2019 - The Book of Life Live Show NEWS! The Book of Life is now on Substack! Sign up to receive show notes, transcripts, Jewish kidlit news, and occasional calls to action in your Inbox! SIGN UP HERE CREDITS: Produced by Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai IsraelCo-sponsored by the Association of Jewish LibrariesSister podcast: Nice Jewish BooksTheme Music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String BandFacebook Discussion Group: Jewish Kidlit MavensFacebook Page: Facebook.com/bookoflifepodcastInstagram: @bookoflifepodcastTwitter: @bookoflifepodSupport the Podcast: Shop or Donate Your feedback is welcome! Please write to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at 561-206-2473.
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    20 分
  • Cheering On Jewish Books

    Cheering On Jewish Books
    2024/12/25

    SHOW NOTES: https://jewishbooks.blogspot.com/2024/12/cheering-on-jewish-books-hanukkah-gift.html

    TRANSCRIPT: https://otter.ai/u/o0Yx3uuZxPHcUStwWsJbUa7xkmY?utm_source=copy_url

    HANDOUT: https://tinyURL.com/CheeringJewishBooks

    VIDEO WITH SLIDES: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSBTYGDhCl4&t=2s

    For Hanukkah 2024, I got you a Jewish Book Advocacy Kit! Let me explain.

    My local public library invited me to give an online talk in honor of Jewish Book Month. As I thought about what to say, I remembered great advice from my friend, author Liza Wiemer, about all the small simple things that anyone can do to support Jewish literature - and bingo, I had my topic.

    Here's an edited recording of that talk I gave, with practical, actionable tips, and suggestions for Jewish books you'll love. If you'd like to see my slideshow, you can watch the same talk on YouTube. And be sure to check out this very useful presentation handout.

    For even more books you'll love, check out my annual unofficial Sydney Taylor Book Award shortlist to see what I think is the best Jewish kidlit of 2024!

    Happy Hanukkah, Happy New Year, and Happy Reading!

    CREDITS:

    • Produced by Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel
    • Co-sponsored by the Association of Jewish Libraries
    • Sister podcast: Nice Jewish Books
    • Theme Music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band
    • Facebook Discussion Group: Jewish Kidlit Mavens
    • Facebook Page: Facebook.com/bookoflifepodcast
    • Instagram: @bookoflifepodcast
    • Twitter: @bookoflifepod
    • Support the Podcast: Shop or Donate

    Your feedback is welcome! Please write to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at 561-206-2473.
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    23 分
  • A Very December 25th Hanukkah

    A Very December 25th Hanukkah
    2024/12/01
    SHOW NOTES: https://jewishbooks.blogspot.com/2024/12/a-very-december-25th-hanukkah.html TRANSCRIPT: https://otter.ai/u/UWPCM0P5Hpt6NgXH36TIfIelswY?utm_source=copy_url Happy Hanukkah! Christmas and Hanukkah overlap this year, with Hanukkah beginning on December 25, so it's a good time to think about the juxtaposition of these two holidays. Hanukkah is a minor holiday but its proximity to Christmas brings it extra attention. Let's talk about that! GUESTS: Henry Herz, editor of The Festival of Lights: 16 Hanukkah StoriesJoanne Levy, Festival contributor and co-author of Let It GlowErica Perl, Festival contributor and author of The Ninth Night of Hanukkah LEARN MORE: Henry Herz's website | buy or borrow The Festival of LightsJoanne Levy's website | buy or borrow Let It GlowErica Perl's website, Instagram | buy or borrow The Ninth Night of HanukkahReading (and gifting) recommendations: Joanne suggests The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming by Lemony Snicket, and Red and Green and Blue and White by Lee Wind. Erica suggests Meet the Latkes, Latke's First Hanukkah, and P is for Pastrami by Alan Silberberg, The Greatest by Veera Hiranandani, and What Jewish Looks Like by Liz Kleinrock and Caroline Kusin Pritchard CREDITS: Produced by Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai IsraelCo-sponsored by the Association of Jewish LibrariesSister podcast: Nice Jewish BooksTheme Music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String BandFacebook Discussion Group: Jewish Kidlit MavensFacebook Page: Facebook.com/bookoflifepodcastInstagram: @bookoflifepodcastTwitter: @bookoflifepodSupport the Podcast: Shop or Donate Your feedback is welcome! Please write to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at 561-206-2473.
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    39 分
  • Celebrate Jewish Book Month 2024

    Celebrate Jewish Book Month 2024
    2024/11/24

    SHOW NOTES: https://jewishbooks.blogspot.com/2024/11/jewish-book-month.html

    TRANSCRIPT: https://otter.ai/u/EHJzDppX2El7s3XjfPnLd-PqW4I?utm_source=copy_url

    Here's a bonus episode for you, in honor of Jewish Book Month, which is marking its 99th year.

    Arielle Landau, the program coordinator at the Jewish Book Council, joins me to talk about the Council's special campaign to Celebrate Jewish Books, and how YOU can participate!

    Watch my Instagram @BookOfLifePodcast and Facebook for daily Jewish Book Month recommendations, November 24-December 24, 2024. In light of the state of the world, this year's theme is books that model ACTIVISM.

    LEARN MORE:

    • Jewish Book Month
    • Celebrate Jewish Books Campaign
    • "Cheering On Jewish Books" video by Heidi with practical tips for supporting Jewish lit
    • Article by Heidi in The Forward about Jewish Book Month
    • Arielle's favorite campaign partners:
      • The Yiddish Book Center
      • One Table
      • The Book of Life
      • Lehrhouse

    CREDITS:

    • Produced by Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel
    • Co-sponsored by the Association of Jewish Libraries
    • Sister podcast: Nice Jewish Books
    • Theme Music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band
    • Facebook Discussion Group: Jewish Kidlit Mavens
    • Facebook Page: Facebook.com/bookoflifepodcast
    • Instagram: @bookoflifepodcast
    • Twitter: @bookoflifepod
    • Support the Podcast: Shop or Donate

    Your feedback is welcome! Please write to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at 561-206-2473.
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    14 分
  • Creature Double Feature Part I: Vampires & Werewolves with Deke Moulton

    Creature Double Feature Part I: Vampires & Werewolves with Deke Moulton
    2024/11/01

    SHOW NOTES: https://jewishbooks.blogspot.com/2024/11/creature-double-feature-part-i-deke.html

    TRANSCRIPT: https://otter.ai/u/9oU8bBDsH32kp0wvR50fWFGLTF0?utm_source=copy_url

    For the month of November 2024, we've got a 2-part series, CREATURE DOUBLE FEATURE: ANTISEMITISM AND THE SUPERNATURAL. Our first guest is Deke Moulton, author of Don't Want to Be Your Monster (about Jewish vampires) and Benji Zeb Is a Ravenous Werewolf (about Jewish werewolves).

    These middle grade fantasy novels go beyond simple adventures with supernatural heroes. I love how they both delve deeply into the very nature of prejudice. I love how they both imagine worlds in which kids defeat hate. AND they are also fun, fast paced magical adventure stories.

    Creature Double Feature Part II is an interview with Emi Watanabe Cohen about her dragon and golem middle grade novels, The Lost Ryū and Golemcrafters, which make great companions to Deke's books.

    LEARN MORE:

    • Creature Double Feature Part II with Emi Watanabe Cohen
    • Deke's website DekeMoulton.com and Instagram @dekewritesstuff
    • Buy / borrow Don't Want to Be Your Monster
    • Buy/ borrow Benji Zeb Is a Ravenous Werewolf
    • Tikkun Olam: donate to Wolfhaven, and learn about keystone species
    • Background on Jewish werewolves in sacred texts
    • Star Trek reference to the yetzer hatov and yetzer hara in The Enemy Within
    • Deke's reading recommendations:
      - Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack
      - Max in the House of Spies by Adam Gidwitz
      - Impossible Escape by Steve Sheinkin
      - ...and a reading rec from Heidi: Tale of the Flying Forest by R.M. Romero
    • List of Jewish fantasy titles featured on past podcast episodes
    NOVEMBER EVENTS
    JEWISH JOY READING PARTY
    Auction November 13-20, 2024
    Bid at The Artists Against Antisemitism 2nd annual Auction
    to have me host a private virtual event for you and your friends
    BID HERE!

    CHEERING ON JEWISH BOOKS
    November 20, 2024 at 7pm ET
    Free online talk about supporting Jewish literature
    PRE-REGISTER HERE!

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    45 分
  • Creature Double Feature Part II: Dragons & Golems with Emi Watanabe Cohen

    Creature Double Feature Part II: Dragons & Golems with Emi Watanabe Cohen
    2024/11/01
    SHOW NOTES: https://jewishbooks.blogspot.com/2024/11/creature-double-feature-part-ii-emi.html TRANSCRIPT: https://otter.ai/u/LlqEguYzidUDn_uqBHgEK5B1QKY?utm_source=copy_url For the month of November 2024, we've got a 2-part series, CREATURE DOUBLE FEATURE: ANTISEMITISM AND THE SUPERNATURAL. Our guest for Part II is Japanese American Jewish author Emi Watanabe Cohen. Her debut novel was The Lost Ryū (about dragons), and her sophomore novel is Golemcrafters (about golems, of course). I loved The Lost Ryū so much that I volunteered to review it for The Sydney Taylor Shmooze blog, because I wanted to point out a moment of allyship that touched my soul. Then, along came Golemcrafters. I must admit I was wary at first, because golems are kind of overdone, but this book drew me in even more than The Lost Ryū, with how much it mirrored my own emotional response to antisemitism. Both of these books are like hands reaching out to hold yours. I highly recommend that you reach back, and read both books yourself. Creature Double Feature Part I features an interview with Deke Moulton about her vampire and werewolf middle grade novels, Don't Want to Be Your Monster and Benji Zeb Is a Ravenous Werewolf, which make great companions to Emi's books. LEARN MORE: Creature Double Feature Part I with Deke MoultonEmi's website EmiCohenWrites.comBuy / borrow The Lost RyūBuy / borrow Golemcrafters Emi's reading recommendations: Don't Want to Be Your Monster and Benji Zeb Is a Ravenous Werewolf by Deke MoultonWrath Becomes Her and The City Beautiful by Aden PolydorosAviva vs. the Dybbuk by Mari LoweWhen the Angels Left the Old Country by Sacha LambThe Golem Redux: From Prague to Post-Holocaust Fiction by Elizabeth R. Baer NOVEMBER EVENTS JEWISH JOY READING PARTY Auction November 13-20, 2024 Bid at The Artists Against Antisemitism 2nd annual Auction to have me host a private virtual event for you and your friends BID HERE! CHEERING ON JEWISH BOOKS November 20, 2024 at 7pm ET Free online talk about supporting Jewish literature PRE-REGISTER HERE!
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    47 分
  • Festive Friends Part I: Teshuvah and Apologies with Gayle Forman & Marjorie Ingall

    Festive Friends Part I: Teshuvah and Apologies with Gayle Forman & Marjorie Ingall
    2024/10/01
    SHOW NOTES: https://jewishbooks.blogspot.com/2024/10/festive-friends-part-i-teshuvah-and.html TRANSCRIPT: https://otter.ai/u/x1-e3vOomTqZOrPvQPzePL4ZOKQ In honor of this holiday-packed month, I've got a 2-part series for you. I'm calling it Festive Friends, because each episode features a pair of friends talking about books relevant to our fall holidays. Here in Part I, the Festive Friends are Gayle Forman, author of Not Nothing, and Marjorie Ingall, author of Getting to Sorry. While neither of these books are explicitly about Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur, they are both about teshuvah, growth, and the art of apology, perfect for this season. I invited this duo not only because of their excellent books but because of their Big BFF Energy, which is a joy to behold. This is Gayle's first appearance on the podcast, but Marjorie has been a frequent guest. Her past appearances include: Enough with the Holocaust Books for Children! (2015), Mamaleh Knows Best (2017), A Field Guide to Jewish Kidlit (2019), and The Mitzvah of Voting (2020 & 2024). In Part II, available now, you'll hear from Erica Lyons and Christina Matula, friends and co-authors of the picture book Mixed-Up Mooncakes, about a Chinese Jewish family celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival and Sukkot. LEARN MORE: Festive Friends Part II with Erica Lyons and Christina MatulaGayle Forman's websiteMarjorie Ingalls' website, and SorryWatchBuy Not NothingBuy Getting to SorryReading Recommendations: Max in the House of Spies by Adam Gidwitz, The Night War by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, If You Don't Have Anything Nice to Say by Leila Sales, I'm Sorry You Got Mad by Kyle Lukoff, A Bargain for Frances by Russell Hoban, the Ramona books by Beverly Cleary, Lily's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin HenkesGayle volunteers with TheStatesProject.org and AuthorsAgainstBookBans.comGayle's interview at The Horn Book (has a spoiler, read after finishing the book) Heidi's "Jewish Joy with Ruth Behar" guest post on Multicultural Kid BlogsLearn about Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year (October 2-4, 2024)Learn about Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement (October 11-12, 2024 ENTER THE DRAWING Post a review of The Book of Life or Nice Jewish Books, or BOTH, on social media or on any podcast player such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Take screenshots of your reviews and email the images to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com. You'll be entered into a drawing for a special tote bag with the logo of The Book of Life on one side and Nice Jewish Books on the other. Every review you send is an entry in the drawing, and multiple entries are allowed. The deadline to email us is October 24th, 2024, the beginning of the ultimate Jewish celebration of reading, Simchat Torah. Your posts will help our podcasts find more listeners, and help more readers find great Jewish books! "JEWISH JOY" SERIES ON MULTICULTURAL KID BLOGS I am pleased to announce that Multicultural Kid Blogs has invited me to do a "Jewish Joy" series of interviews with diverse Jewish authors. The first one features Ruth Behar, who was on the podcast in May 2024 to talk about her novel Across So Many Seas.
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    1 時間 15 分
  • Festive Friends Part II: Asian Jewish Kidlit with Mixed-Up Mooncakes

    Festive Friends Part II: Asian Jewish Kidlit with Mixed-Up Mooncakes
    2024/10/01
    SHOW NOTES: https://jewishbooks.blogspot.com/2024/10/festive-friends-part-ii-asian-jewish.html TRANSCRIPT: https://otter.ai/u/xKGzqMhNsej4ALLe6F7e2wBfNJg October 2024 is packed with Jewish holidays, so we've got a 2-part series for you to celebrate: Holiday Friends. In each episode, we hear from a pair of friends about their books that will help us celebrate the Jewish holidays. In Festive Friends Part I we heard from Gayle Forman, author of Not Nothing, and Marjorie Ingall, author of Getting to Sorry. Here in Festive Friends Part II, we meet Erica Lyons and Christina Matula. Lately, Kids of mixed heritage have finally been getting their mirror books, and a great example is Erica and Christina's new picture book Mixed-Up Mooncakes, about a Chinese Jewish family celebrating the Mid Autumn Festival and Sukkot. I love the cozy atmosphere of this book, with its double harvest festival fun; and I love the comfortable way in which the Chinese and Jewish cultures are mixed together both literally and figuratively in the story. LEARN MORE: Festive Friends Part I with Gayle Forman and Marjorie IngallErica Lyons' websiteChristina Matula's websiteBuy Mixed-Up MooncakesReading recommendations: Erica suggests Chicken Soup, Chicken Soup by Pamela Mayer and the Holly-Mei series by Christina Matula. Christina suggests The Truth About Dragons by Julie Leung.Heidi's "Jewish Joy with Ruth Behar" guest post on Multicultural Kid BlogsLearn about the Mid-Autumn Festival (September 17, 2024)Learn about Sukkot (October 16-23, 2024) ENTER THE DRAWING Post a review of The Book of Life or Nice Jewish Books, or BOTH, on social media or on any podcast player such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Take screenshots of your reviews and email the images to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com. You'll be entered into a drawing for a special tote bag with the logo of The Book of Life on one side and Nice Jewish Books on the other. Every review you send is an entry in the drawing, and multiple entries are allowed. The deadline to email us is October 24th, 2024, the beginning of the ultimate Jewish celebration of reading, Simchat Torah. Your posts will help our podcasts find more listeners, and help more readers find great Jewish books! "JEWISH JOY" SERIES ON MULTICULTURAL KID BLOGS I am pleased to announce that Multicultural Kid Blogs has invited me to do a "Jewish Joy" series of interviews with diverse Jewish authors. The first one features Ruth Behar, who was on the podcast in May 2024 to talk about her novel Across So Many Seas.
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    39 分