Apple Days: Behind the Scenes

We're so excited to announce our September Book of the Month, Apple Days: A Rosh Hashanah Story! Apple Days tells the story of Katy, whose favorite holiday is Rosh Hashanah, when she gets to pick apples and make applesauce with her mother. But what happens when the tradition is interrupted by the early arrival of her new baby cousin?

We love this book because it presents a situation to which every kid can relate - when family priorities must sometimes change - and Katy handles the change of plans both realistically and admirably. With a new twist on the traditional apples and honey for Rosh Hashanah, a community that comes together to lend a hand, and a sweet family tradition, there are an abundance of things to love about Apple Days!

Below, check out the book trailer and a guest post from the author, or head over to the Kar-Ben website for an Activity Guide or to get a copy of the book!

Watch the book trailer:

And read a guest post from author Allison Sarnoff Soffer!

 

"I want to share a bit about the story behind the story of Apple Days.

For years I’ve cherished a random collection of impressions about apples that have somehow felt connected.   As a child, I remember watching my father peel a Granny Smith apple with his Swiss army knife, removing one very long coil of light green skin. The gently spiced scent of my mother’s apple crisp baking for company also stays with me.  Later, when I became a parent, I savored my family’s experience of apple-picking at a local orchard and returning home to make applesauce for Rosh Hashanah.  Suggested by a friend, this outdoor respite from the busyness of September was to become an annual tradition.

I found myself jotting down apple ideas that I read or heard about.  A short essay about a child watching grown-up hands slicing apples evoked strong identification.  The image of a wedding tradition where guests presented apples to the bride’s parents also impressed me.   Then to my delight, I received an assignment to bring our favorite fruit to a family retreat to contribute to a community fruit salad. Of course, we brought apples!

When we broke into groups at the retreat, I had the chance to describe our family’s apple-picking tradition. I realized that I had never before articulated it.  There was more to understanding the meaning of our trips to the orchard, which grew out of a poignant need, I explained.  Because I lost my mother as a young woman, I had to find a way to be able to celebrate with my young children, to protect them from my sense of loss as the High Holy Days approached.  Getting outside, instead of preparing entirely in the kitchen, became my unexpected answer.  One group member was listening carefully: children’s author and rabbi Mindy Portnoy.   

At this point in my life, I was a new teacher at Temple Sinai Nursery School where I would eventually set the story. A significant development at school inspired the story’s turning point. A beloved teacher was ill and the community galvanized to help.  Children, watching their parents and teachers acting on their kindest instincts, wanted to join the effort. They initiated their own baking efforts culminating in a series of sales that raised almost $5,000 over several months.

I let my mind work on these varied impressions as I always do when I am deep in a writing process.  As Rabbi Portnoy and I met to discuss ideas, the arc of the story slowly came together. Of course, it was going to be a book about apples. Its premise would be the anticipation of our family’s beloved apple-picking ritual by a mother and a daughter. It would focus on disappointment overcome in an unexpected way, the power of community, and the competence of children. 

Apple Days took about a year to write, through two Rosh Hashanahs, and many revisions. When it was done, it felt more complete than anything that I had ever written.  To me, this story was crying out to be told, to get off of my computer screen and into the world. 

I hope that children will listen to Apple Days during a teachable moment with their parents or teachers, when they can pause and really hear it.  Perhaps it will inspire them to welcome the Jewish New Year at a local orchard or to try a new apple recipe.  Maybe Apple Days will spark an idea for a completely novel holiday tradition, or encourage a child to help a struggling friend.  You just never know what can happen.  This is my hope for Apple Days."

9 Kid-Friendly Crafts and Activities for Passover

Engage children in the story and traditions of Passover with these fun crafts and activities! From helping to decorate the seder table to learning about the ten plagues with hand-made puppets, these activities will help children feel like a part of the holiday.

Create a Beautiful Elijah's Cup
Elijah's cup is an important part of the Passover seder. This craft from The Shiksa in the Kitchen is great for older children, or young children with some adult assistance. Instructions here.

A Handmade Matzah Cover
Matzah is a ubiquitous part of every seder - and now it can have its very own unique cover! We like this matzah cover because it holds three pieces of matzah, each one in its own pocket. This craft is perfect for classrooms or at home. Instructions here.

From Highlights Kids.

Passover Word Search
Whether you're at school or at home, reinforce all those important Passover lessons with this word search, with over 20 important Passover vocabulary words! Get the word search here.

From apples4theteacher.com.

Passover Puppets
Tell the story of Passover in a fun and interactive way using these Passover finger puppets! Kids can color and cut out these finger puppets to put their own unique touch on the Passover tale. Template here.

From Ann D. Koffsky.

A Plague of Frogs
It has been decided - the plague of frogs is certainly the one to illustrate through crafts. Over at Creative Jewish Mom you can fold origami frogs (great for classrooms of older students) or make these little critters from pom-poms and pipe cleaners.

Make Your Own Seder Placemat
These seder placemats are a sweet handmade touch to a seder table, and reinforce the significance of each item on the seder plate. Instructions here.

From InCultureParent.

Four Cups Paper Chain
Decorate your home or classroom with this paper chain that reflects the four cups of wine at the seder. A simple craft that only needs scissors, paper, and markers!

From Creative Jewish Mom.

A Simple and Kid-Friendly Passover Snack
This matzah-based pizza is a fun and simple snack that kids can help make themselves! Go with basic cheese, or let kids decorate with toppings. Recipe here.

From Spoonful.

Create a 3-D Moses
With a template and a toilet paper roll, make a 3-D figure of Moses for storytelling or as a decoration for the classroom or seder table.

From DLTK.





And of course, read a good book!
Grab an old favorite, or read one of these new books from Kar-Ben! Available at the Kar-Ben website or your local Judaica store.

The Littlest Levine
Hannah doesn't like being the littlest Levine. She's too short to hang fruit from the sukkah and too young to light the Hanukkah candles by herself. But when Passover comes, the littlest Levine gets a chance to shine in a big way.

Seder in the Desert
Join a group of families as they follow Rabbi Jamie into Moab, Utah to celebrate a most unusual Passover seder in the desert. As they hike through the sandstone and red rock desert, they learn important lessons about the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt, such as the importance of helping one another. Together, the community hikes, learns, laughs, sings, debates, and enjoys the delicious Passover seder meal. The story is accompanied by photos of the celebration as well as stunning desert scenery by award-winning photographer Jeff Finkelstein.

Get to Know Hannah and Sandy!

Hannah is the star of Kar-Ben's newest Passover title The Littlest Levine. She's frustrated because, as the youngest member of the family, there aren't many things she can do on her own. But as Passover approaches, her grandfather helps her prepare for a very special task that only she can perform!

For a special preview, check out the book trailer!

Sandy Lanton is the author of The Littlest Levine, as well as today's guest blogger! Read below to hear more about her inspiration and her journey of becoming a children's book author:

"Like many writers, I get my inspiration from life experiences. When I was teaching nursery school at the local JCC, part of the Passover curriculum was teaching the four questions to my class of four year olds.  I was amazed at how easily these young children, who couldn’t tie their own shoes, could memorize the four questions and how beautifully they recited them. 

This idea took hold and germinated through the years. With each seder I attended, the impressions grew. As I worked on other stories, this one was always in the back of my mind. With the aid of my critique group and the Long Island Children’s Writers and Illustrators, (LICWI), the story underwent numerous revisions.  After it was accepted by KarBen, the editors made still more changes until the final version was achieved."

Q and A with author Sandy Lanton

When did you decide to become a writer?
When I was in the fifth grade, I wrote an essay about Theodore Roosevelt.  It was entered in a contest and I won first prize for my school.  I attended a party at Theodore Roosevelt’s townhouse in New York City where I met winners from other schools in the city.  I then wrote an article about the party for the school newspaper.  It was such a thrill to see my words and my name in print.  I was hooked.  I decided that someday I would be a writer.  My father thought that ambition wasn’t practical.  He suggested that I become a teacher and write during the summers.

Where did you study writing?
I enrolled in a children’s writing class with Connie Epstein, a retired editor, at Hofstra University and a two week summer workshop with children’s writer Johanna Hurwitz, along with a screen writing class.  I also attended the Highlights Foundation Summer Workshop at Chautauqua several times, the Vasssar College program in Children’s  Publishing and a private class with Pam Conrad, a great children’s writer.  I attended writing conferences given by the Society of Children’s Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and  I took author Brian Heinz’s summer writing workshop at Hofstra University.  I’m also a member of a critique group that grew out of Connie Epstein’s class and I’m an active member of the Long Island Children’s Writers and Illustrators, constantly trying to improve my writing skills.

What other jobs have you had?
I started babysitting when I was 12. My first after school job,  when  I was in high school, was selling school supplies at a local hardware store.  After that, I hung up clothes  at Alexander’s Department Store.  To this day, I won’t leave a mess behind in a fitting room.  I worked as a secretary in high school and college.  After graduation from Queens College, I taught kindergarten and then nursery school, toddler playgroup, Mommy and Me and Mom and Tot Playland.  I always joke that I started in kindergarten and worked my way down.  After I left teaching to become a stage mom and help my husband with his computer business, I started taking writing classes.  Later, I covered school board meetings for the local newspaper, sold books to libraries, and did data entry.

How long have you been writing?
Not counting the fifth grade, I’ve been writing for over thirty years.

How many children’s stories have you written? 
I’ve written over a hundred.  Five of them have been published as books, several others have appeared in magazines and anthologies.

Do you illustrate your own books?
No, I’m not an illustrator.  I’ve taken drawing and painting classes just for fun, but I’m not good enough to illustrate books.  I’d rather concentrate on my writing.

Where do you get your ideas?
As I mentioned earlier, I get most of my ideas from my life and my family.  Sometimes, I get an idea from a newspaper article.

I wrote DADDY’S CHAIR when my cousin died of cancer at the age of 46, leaving three children, ages 15, 12 and 6. Their mother asked me to locate books for them.  I was able to find plenty for the two older children but could get very little for six year old Jonathan.  I was taking a writing class with Pam Conrad, and she helped me with the manuscript. The stories that Aunt Rachel tells are true.  My grandfather owned a grocery store and my cousin Barbara and I played in the back while our mothers worked behind the counter.

LOTS OF LATKES is based on my extended family and LICWI.  Every year at Hanukkah, the family would gather at my Aunt Irene and Uncle George’s house.  We would bring our menorahs and line them up on the dining room table.  My Aunt would make the latkes, and we’d all contribute something to the meal. I always brought the salad.  Every summer, LICWI would have a pot-luck picnic in someone’s back yard, and we’d sign up at the May meeting for what we’d bring in July.  Very often, people would forget what they signed up for or they couldn’t get what they promised, and they’d bring something else.  I thought, WHAT IF everyone brought the same thing?  I set it a long time ago so they couldn’t just go to the local supermarket to get what they needed.

What are you working on now?
I’ve just finished a story about bullying that came out of my own experience.  Actually, I shouldn’t say it’s finished, because it isn’t in print yet and an editor may have some useful suggestions.

To purchase The Littlest Levine, visit the Kar-Ben website!

To learn more about Sandy Lanton and her books, visit her website!

Celebrating Shabbat with Author Tracy Newman

In this week's guest blog post, Tracy Newman, author of Shabbat is Coming! talks about preparing for Shabbat and developing traditions with her family.

Find Shabbat is Coming! on the Kar-Ben website.

 

Shabbat is Coming:

On Fridays, my family knows that something is special is coming.

“Is today Shabbat?” my little one asks, a smile on her face.

“Yes, Shabbat begins tonight,” I answer.

“Yay!” She cheers and does a happy dance.

And so we prepare. We buy flowers for the kitchen table. I cook their favorite dinner (chicken cutlets—just like my grandmother used to make). The kids add candles to the candle sticks, fill the Kiddush cup and lay a fresh, sweet challah on the challah board.

In my home, our celebrations aren’t fancy, and the kids are sometimes restless and tired by sunset, but we do make an effort to mark the start of Shabbat as a special occasion. We honor our heritage and feel proud to continue the traditions of the Jewish people.

As the sky grows dark, we:

Light candles and say blessings.

Drink the fruit of the vine (in our case, lots and lots of grape juice).

Say a blessing for the children and give them an extra kiss on the forehead, and

Break off pieces of sweet and delicious challah for each member of our family to eat.

But we also tailor our celebration to fit our unique family, namely a mother who can’t seem to bake a light and airy challah. My home-baked challah is braided with love and filled with a mother’s goodness, but it is also uncomfortably doorstop-like.

I have taken challah-baking class, twice, to learn the art of making fluffy challah. I have tested the temperature of the water on my wrist to see if it will activate the yeast. I have warmed the dough in an oven to help it rise. I have tried recipes in Jewish cookbooks, off the internet, handed out at my children’s camp.

And, still, no matter what, my challahs remain leaden.

So, to save their mother the disappointment that comes from taking a hockey puck out of the oven, and to save my family the chipped teeth that come from eating their mother’s challah, we have adopted a different tradition.

We enjoy the challah from our local bakery. Sweet, braided, light and fluffy. Like no challah I could ever bake.

For your family, I encourage you to explore your own traditions to create a meaningful Shabbat. It is this sense that I hope to convey in Shabbat Is Coming.

No matter how your family chooses to celebrate this joyous day, I hope that you savor the anticipation of preparing for Shabbat every week. May you and your children have fun reading about and celebrating this day.

Shabbat Shalom!

Learn more about Tracy and her books on her website, tracynewmanbooks.com

 

 

 

 

Meet Anna, the Star of "Don't Sneeze at the Wedding," and Her Author!

Anna is excited to be the flower girl at her aunt's wedding, but that morning she wakes up and . . . "AH-CHOO!" "Don't sneeze at the wedding!" everyone warns her, but will their remedies work?

See the book trailer here, and get the book on the Kar-Ben website!

 

In today's guest blog post, author Pamela Mayer talks about what inspired her to write Don't Sneeze at the Wedding and the joy of wedding celebrations:

 

     Tee-Hee! I love to laugh. One of my favorite childhood memories is of sitting in my bedroom with my best friend, the two of us so consumed with giggles that neither of us could talk. Perhaps that is why I always try to see the funny side of life in my books.

Don't Sneeze At the Wedding is a “what-if” story. What if you woke up with a big loud sneeze on the day you are going to be the flower girl at your aunt's wedding? Sneezing is a reflex. No one can help sneezing or anticipate exactly when a sneeze might happen! That's why a sneeze can make us laugh.

 

My husband has photographed weddings for many years. When I've assisted him, I've seen  all of the excitement which happens before the ceremony, with the arrival of hairdressers, florists, and family. I've seen the mishaps too, melted wedding cakes, ripped gowns and absent bridesmaids! It gave me plenty of first hand experience for my story.

 

Of course, weddings rarely go exactly as planned. When my daughter, Rebecca, was married last spring, the ceremony was to be outside, on a terrace overlooking the ocean. The day was so foggy and windy, we thought we would have to move it inside. However, just as the ceremony was due to begin the sun peeked through the clouds and shone brightly. The unexpected can be delightful too.

 

When I wrote Don't Sneeze At the Wedding, I wanted to write about a joyful event in the Jewish Life Cycle. Our history is filled with its share of struggle and difficult times, yet is it filled with joy too. Did you know that it is considered a mitzvah, a good deed, to make the bride and groom happy on their wedding day? Happiness and laughter seem to go together, just as love and marriage do!

Here is a riddle for you – When do you sneeze three times? 

Answer: When you can't help it!

 

A Q&A with Author Pamela Mayer

 

Why did you want to become an author?

I wanted to become an author because I loved to read so much as a child. From the time I read my first book on my own, I was hooked. I was about nine years old when I decided to become an author. Being one of the people who created stories like the ones I loved so well seemed the perfect future to me.

 

Do you have any advice for future authors?

Write the story only you can tell, the tale which is uniquely your own. Remember too that only your very best is good enough for children.

 

What is the most interesting thing you learned in the process of writing your book?

I learned many methods to stop a sneeze from happening!

 

How do you hope your book will impact the Jewish life of a child?

I wanted to write a contemporary story which I hope many children can identify with. I also hope they will learn and appreciate the beautiful customs of a Jewish wedding ceremony.

 

Pamela Mayer was born and raised in San Francisco, California, and her family has lived there since the early 1900s. Writing children's stories is her favorite thing to do. When she's not writing, she works at the public library as a children's librarian. She's a fan of the San Francisco Giants baseball team, the San Francisco Ballet, and any and all circuses. She and her husband have two daughters and a very cute dog named Charlie.

 

 



A Celebration of Women at Purim

My family is populated with strong Jewish women who are incredible cooks. Family gatherings are always centered on a feast whipped up according to the occasion.

This strong tradition our family holds for good food has created many wonderful recipes; one of my personal favorites is our Hamentashen recipe (I have yet to find a competitor). My family has passed this recipe down through several generations and along with it the traditional gathering of the women in our family to make Hamentaschen.

Our annual Hamentaschen get-togethers has always been something I look forward to. My grandmother, aunts, and cousins all come together armed with massive amounts of cooking utensils, ingredients, and accessories. There’s always a quibble between the cousins over the best looking apron.

As a young child it was also the time where the youngest of the family (my sister and I) got to mingle with the adults and show off our baking skills; creating lumpy, misshapen triangles oozing with filling that were praised as glorious masterpieces.

We spend the day chatting about family history. My mother and her sister teasingly fill in the gaps on their childhood. The conversation always turns to their hopes for their children, my generation. It’s an oddly deep conversation to have while covered in flour and sticky dough, but it’s tradition.

Our tradition also signifies the coming of spring; a transition of sorts to mark the coming of warm sunshine, and change. It is a warm occasion that continues to this day despite alterations as cousins have moved away and the grand matriarch of the family, my grandmother, is now 97 and has passed the hamentashen mantle to her daughters.

Purim commemorates the bravery of Esther, a female defender of the Jewish people. It’s fitting that my memories of Purim are marked by my own strong Jewish women.

--Jennifer Bjork

What family traditions for Purim do you have and wish to pass on to your children?   

Check out Kar-Ben Publishing’s Heirloom Cookbook
and Purim titles at www.karben.com