It’s another POETRY ALERT! This one resulted from my participation as an Authlete in the 2021 Madness Poetry competition in which I went head-to-head with a worthy opponent, each of us daring to write a poem in 36 hours using the prompt word, “covet.” It was a grueling battle, but in the end, I was victorious! So glad this beauty finally found a home in the pages of Touchdown Magazine this month, with fab illustrations by Christopher Nielsen! 
New Poetry Alert!
Some days, don’t you just wanna be Llama? I was thrilled to see my poem in this month’s issue of Touchdown Magazine with a fabulous illustration by Michel Streich!
It’s a COVER REVEAL!!!
Go, Esther, Go!!! 😍 I’m so excited to share the cover of my upcoming picture book, BRAVE LIKE ESTHER: A Purim Story, illustrated by Asya Aizenstein & published by Kalaniot Books!
Coming to a bookstore & book site near you on Jan. 12th, just in time for Purim! 🎉 Avail for preorder NOW!
Here’s the book blurb: Told in Esther’s own voice, this lively and empowering Purim picture book reveals that bravery isn’t about being fearless—it’s about finding your voice even when you’re scared. Through playful rhyme and humor, Esther shares how she pushed past doubt to stand up to injustice and save her people. By focusing on Esther’s emotions and choices, this accessible retelling helps children see themselves in a Jewish heroine and encourages them to speak up for what is right.
A Whirlwind Trip to Chicago for the AJL and ALA Conferences!
I’ve just returned from Chicago where I attended both the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) Conference and the American Library Association Annual Conference and Exhibition (ALA)!
At the AJL Conference, I presented my upcoming book, I WISH THAT YOU KNEW, on a panel called “THE BLESSING OF MEMORY: RECENT PICTURE BOOKS ABOUT JEWISH MOURNING RITUALS,” alongside fellow creators Lesléa Newman, Richard Ho, and Alison Goldberg.
We had a FULL house of attendees and even though
I WISH THAT YOU KNEW is by far the most personal and emotional book I’ve written thus far (it is a tribute to the relationship I got to share with my late grandmother), I managed to hold it together during the presentation… somehow!
At the conference, I also had a chance to celebrate my book
FINDING FORGIVENESS, which was honored as a
2026 Sydney Taylor Picture Book Award Notable!
Here are a few pics….
And after the AJL conference, I was off to ALA, which brings together THOUSANDS of librarians from ALL over the country. What a joy to feel their love of books!
I had an opportunity connect and reconnect with author friends and to sign copies of my books DINOSAUR SURPRISE!, FINDING FORGIVENESS, SOME DAYS I’M THE WIND, and WHATEVER COMES TOMORROW!
Here are a few pics from ALA…
(It was a fabulous time, but I have to admit, once this introvert got home from all this travel and excitement, she immediately collapsed! lol)
The NJ SCBWI Conference was a BLAST!
I always forget to take pics at these things (I’m just so busy “being”!), but here are just a few from this weekend’s NJ SCBWI Conference, where I taught a rhyme revision workshop called “Make Your Rhyme Shine: Getting Your Manuscript From ‘Good’ to ‘Acquired'”! Always a great time visiting with writer friends and meeting new people in the KidLit world!
I’m teaching a rhyme workshop at the NJ SCBWI conference on 6/7!
Exactly 10 years ago this summer, I attended my very first SCBWI New Jersey annual writing conference and realized that Kidlit people were *MY* people! 😍 On Sun 6/7, I am excited to experience a full-circle moment when I’ll be teaching a hands-on revision workshop called “MAKE YOUR RHYME SHINE! HOW TO GET YOUR RHYMING MANUSCRIPT FROM ‘GOOD’ TO ‘ACQUIRED'”! 🎉 For any writers this neck of the woods, I hope you’ll join me! (There’s also a bunch of other FABULOUS sessions, panels and keynotes as well. Check out the full schedule and register here: https://www.scbwi.org/events/scbwi-new-jersey-conference-journey-beyond-the-page-a-creative-adventure )
WHATEVER COMES TOMORROW is chosen for district-wide reading program!
WHATEVER COMES TOMORROW was chosen as the featured book for “Van Buren Reads! One Book, One County,” a district-wide read-along program, which has been going on during March and April. There have been storytimes and crafts and THREE “story strolls” around the county. And they’ve distributed around 1,600 free copies of the book to kids and their families! So grateful to have WHATEVER COMES TOMORROW being read and shared and enjoyed by so many. Thank you so much to Youth Programming Librarian Nathan Case at the Paw, Paw, Michigan district library for reaching out and organizing everything so beautifully.
SOME DAYS I’M THE WIND is a 2026 Notable Children’s Book in the Language Arts!
More amazing news! SOME DAYS I’M THE WIND is honored as a 2026 Notable Children’s Book in the Language Arts by The Children’s Literature Assembly of the National Council of Teachers of English! 🎉 Thank you to the committee for selecting our book for this prestigious list of the best 30 books of fiction, nonfiction and poetry, written for children K-8, which “represent playful, inventive and unique use of language.”🥰 You can read the full list of books and more info about the award here!
SOME DAYS I’M THE WIND and DINOSAUR SURPRISE! are 2026 Children’s Book Council Librarian Favorites!
Guess what?! SOME DAYS I’M THE WIND and DINOSAUR SURPRISE! were both chosen as a 2026 Children’s Book Council Librarian Favorites! This is an annual, curated list of the “best books for children and teens as voted on by thousands of librarians across the country.” So to have not one, but TWO titles make this esteemed list is absolutely mind-blowing. Thank you to all the librarians who voted! I’m so excited you are enjoying these books and sharing them with your kids! You can find the full list of amazing titles chosen here!
Upcoming Events
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2026
Warwick Children’s Book Festival
11AM-4PM
Warwick Valley Middle School Gymnasium
225 West Street, Warwick, NY
FREE Admission!
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2026
7-8:30PM EST
Webinar hosted by The Writing Barn
SHOULD I SAY SOMETHING? How to Make Room for The Illustrator While Also Advocating for Your Own Picture Book Vision
REGISTER HERE!
Once your picture book is acquired and an illustrator is assigned, it is no longer yours alone. Now, suddenly, you are just one of a team of people who have strong opinions about the vision for your book. But what if you don’t always agree? When and how should you communicate your concerns and preferences? And should you always? As someone who has worked on 18 books with 11 different publishers, I’ve had a lot of experience learning how and when to push back, to compromise, and to acquiesce. In this webinar, I’ll share my experiences and offer tips for making sure your voice is heard while also listening to and making room for the opinions of others. Because, in the end, picture book making is a TEAM sport!
