Get to Know Author Eric Kimmel



Photo provided by Eric Kimmel

Kar-Ben author Eric A. Kimmel has been writing for children for over 40 years. His more than 100 titles include such classics as Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock, Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins, The Chanukkah Guest and Joseph and the Sabbath Fish. A native New Yorker, he now lives in Portland, Oregon. His hobbies include playing bluegrass banjo, riding horses and bicycles, and caring for his tropical fish, two cats, and pet snake. Visit Eric's website and hear him read his latest Kar-Ben book.

What was your favorite book when you were a child?  Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Treasure Island.

What’s your favorite line from a book? “One more step, Mr. Hands, and I’ll blow your brains out. Dead men don’t bite, you know.” Treasure Island

Who are your top three favorite authors or illustrators?

Robert Louis Stevenson, Howard Pyle, Rudyard Kipling

Why did you want to become an author or illustrator? I grew up loving books and stories. No other career seemed as exciting as one involving books.

Do you have any advice for future authors or illustrators? Persistence is what counts, not talent.

Where did you get the inspiration for Joseph and the Sabbath Fish?
It’s an old Jewish legend that I always enjoyed. I love retelling tales that I loved as a child.

What is the most interesting thing you learned in the process of writing Joseph and the Sabbath Fish?
How the same story can be found in different cultures all around the world. There are many tales about a supposedly luckless character who finds his fortune in a fish.

How do you hope Joseph and the Sabbath Fish will impact the Jewish life of a child? I hope that it will inspire children to never give up hope or surrender their ideals. You’re never defeated until you say you are.

What are some fun facts about you? I was multi-lingual as a child. I spoke Yiddish with my grandma; Hebrew at Hebrew School; French and Spanish in high school. I can fake German and Italian. In other words, I speak several languages badly.

Anything else you would like to share with readers? I enjoy learning yo-yo tricks. I like to go white water rafting. I want to learn how to handle a kayak. I wish I had my own horse. I love sitting in front of my computer, practicing my banjo.

Joseph and the Sabbath Fish
by Eric A. Kimmelillustrated by Martina Peluso

A Sydney Taylor Notable Book
Joseph always welcomes guests to his Sabbath table, while his greedy neighbor Judah scoffs at Joseph’s generosity. Even as his fortunes decline, Joseph’s door remains open. But times change and Judah turns to his Joseph for help. A very special fish helps Joseph save the day.

ISBN: 978-0-7613-5909-8
Ages 5-9, Grades K-3
32 pages, 10 5/8 x 8 7/8

Reading Books Makes You Wealthy

Have you seen the piece Fairies, Witches and Supply and Demand by Mokoto Rich (August 20, 2011) in The New York Times? The author suggests that when one has money on the brain, messages about economics proliferate in children’s literature.  The examples cited are many and probably true: The Saturdays raising issues about capital versus labor, Little House on the Prairie about specialization, and Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type about organized labor.

Thankfully, an economist’s 3-year-old daughter offers perspective. He says, “[Her] favorite books teach the importance of sharing and gift-giving, values that might not lead to the greatest wealth in the real world.”  Sometimes the greatest wealth is found in tzedakah, or giving to others. Here are some books to inspire you and your young readers:

Jumping Jenny – the story of a girl who raises $1000 jumping on her pogo stick 1000 times

Joseph and the Sabbath Fish – the story of a man who feeds his greedy neighbor when his fortunes turn

Talia and the Rude Vegetables – the story of a girl of who picks donates vegetables she has harvested to people less fortunate

Do you have a favorite story that offers you personal riches? Tell us about it.